When Rebbe Yisrael of Rizhin was arrested by the czarist police, they led him away in iron chains, and the rebbe wept copiously. His disciples tried to encourage him, saying, “Rebbe! You always tell us that we have to accept everything that happens to us with joy and a good heart. Why then are you crying?” “It’s true,” replied the rebbe, “one should accept everything that happens with joy. But if heaven is sending blows, one should be troubled by it, and not make light of it, God-forbid, because there’s certainly a reason for the blows.”
MiBe’er HaTzaddikim, vol. 2, p. 134
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