Chassidic story & lesson

The Miracle in the Water: The Tale of the Lost Agunah[1]

A Vision in the Water

Once, the holy Rabbi Yisrael of Kozhnitz was approached by a woman who had been left an agunah—her husband had abandoned her for many years, leaving her unable to remarry. She came with her brother, seeking the Rabbi’s help, hoping that through his spiritual insight he could discover her husband’s whereabouts so she might obtain a divorce.

The Rabbi instructed his attendant to bring a vessel filled with water. When it was brought, he told the woman, “Look into the water.” She gazed into its depths, and the Rabbi asked, “What do you see?”
“I see a large city with many houses,” she replied.

“Look at the street where the marketplace is,” the Rabbi said. She looked again. “I see the marketplace,” she answered.

“Now, look into the windows of the houses,” he urged. She peered into the windows, and suddenly cried out, “There! My husband! He is in one of the houses, working as a tailor among many workers, sewing garments. In his hand is a sleeve cuff!”

“Snatch the cuff from him!” commanded the Rabbi. The woman reached into the water and drew out the sleeve cuff, still warm from the iron. All those present witnessed this miracle with their own eyes and were astounded.

The Journey Guided by Faith

The Rabbi then blessed the woman and her brother, telling them, “Go in peace. Today you will obtain your divorce.” They asked, “Which way should we go? How will we find a carriage, and what will we tell the driver?”
The Rabbi replied, “Go as you wish. God will provide for your needs.”

They left the Rabbi’s house and walked through the city, searching for a carriage. Soon, they saw a gentile driving a wagon with two horses. They asked if he would take them, and he agreed without asking where they were headed or discussing payment. They rode for about half an hour, until they entered a forest. Suddenly, they fell into a deep sleep. When they awoke, they found themselves lying on the ground in the forest—the driver and the wagon were gone. Distressed and lost, they wandered for another half hour until they reached the edge of the forest and saw a large city in the distance.

The woman rejoiced, saying to her brother, “Blessed is God! The words of the holy Rabbi are true—this is the city I saw in the water.” As they entered the city, she said, “Let us walk through the streets. Perhaps God will bring us to the marketplace I saw in the vision.”

Discovery and Reunion

They wandered the city for a short time, and soon the woman saw the marketplace. “Blessed is God! This is the marketplace I saw,” she exclaimed. She walked through the market, peering into the windows, until, by divine providence, she found the house where her husband was. Looking through the window, she saw him inside.

Her brother suggested, “Let us return to the Rabbi for advice, lest he deny that he is your husband.” They did so, and when the Rabbi asked where they were from, they replied, “From Kozhnitz.” The Rabbi was amazed by the miracle. They recounted the entire story and showed him the sleeve cuff that had been drawn from the water. The Rabbi marveled greatly, saying, “Blessed is God, who has not abandoned His kindness to Israel, and who reveals His holy spirit to the righteous of our generation.”

The woman described the house and her husband’s appearance. The Rabbi said, “I know him well. He has lived in this city for many years and has a wife and children here. But do not worry—if God wills, all will be resolved. Just keep the sleeve cuff safe.”

The Truth Revealed

The Rabbi locked the woman and her brother in a room and sent for the tailor. When the tailor arrived, the Rabbi asked, “Do you have a wife?”
The tailor replied, “Of course, Rabbi. Is it not known that I have a wife and children?”
The Rabbi pressed, “But did you have another wife before this one?”
The tailor denied it, saying, “Never! I was single before marrying my current wife.”

The Rabbi then asked, “What garment did you sew today?”
The tailor answered, “Rabbi, let me tell you a wondrous story. I was sitting at my table with my workers, sewing garments. In my hand was a sleeve cuff from a nobleman’s coat, which I was pressing with my hot iron. Suddenly, the cuff flew from my hand like a bird and vanished. We searched the entire house but could not find it. It was a great wonder to us.”

The Rabbi said, “What would you give me if I returned the cuff to you?”
The tailor replied, “That is impossible.”
The Rabbi insisted, “It is possible!” He opened the room and called the woman to bring the cuff to her husband. She placed it on the table, and when the tailor saw it, he was astonished, exclaiming, “Rabbi, this is my cuff!” In his amazement, he did not even notice his first wife standing before him.

The Rabbi said, “Indeed, this is your cuff. But I believe this woman is your first wife.” When the tailor looked at her face, he recognized her and fainted. Upon awakening, the Rabbi explained the entire story, and the tailor admitted the truth and gave her a bill of divorce.

A Miracle Remembered

All those present marveled at the miracle—the woman had drawn the sleeve cuff from the water, and the truth had been revealed through the holy Rabbi’s spirit.

[1] Sippurim Noraim p. 92