The barber of the Chozeh/Seer of Lublin

[Ari Kotowitz]

Shavua Tov and a Frielichin Chanukah!

From the Sefer Lev Hashamayim:

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin was known as the Chozeh/Seer. He was
known that even though he was blind he could see everything that was
hidden from him and only because he was outside the land of Israel he
did not merit actual prophecy.

When it came time for The Chozeh to get a haircut an announcement
would be made "All the Barbers in Lublin, prepare yourselves! The holy
rabbi needs a haircut". On the one hand all the barbers wanted this
great mitzvah. However on the other hand they were scared, because
anybody who touched the holy head of the Chozeh without purifying
himself properly, the Chozeh would feel it and yell oy! as if he was
bit by a snake. So they would have to bring another barber. The Chozeh
did not want to embaress anyone but he couldn't control himself. It
was as if from Shamayim it was decreed that his Barber had to be a
tzaddik. So every time the announcement went out, for example erev yom
tov, right away all the barbers in Lublin would do tshuvah. Maybe one
of them would merit to cut the rabbi's hair. They said tehillim, went
to the Mikveh...

It happened one time on erev yomtov that the Chozeh needed a hair cut
so the gabbai went out to the street and announced it. After each one
of the barbers came and the Chozeh yelled after each touched his head
and they couldn't continue. So the chassidim went out to the street to
look if there was anyone else who could cut hair. They came upon a man
who had long hair but he had very good eyes and was a simple man. This
man was holding a sign that he is a 'street-doctor and a street-
barber'. They saw he did not look like he just came out of the mikveh
so they asked him if he was ready to cut their holy rabbi's hair and
he responded "why not?"

The moment that this man walked into were the Chozeh was the Chozeh
became very happy. When he gave the Chozeh a haircut the Chozeh was so
relieved after each cut. After he finished he got a bracha from the
Rebi and left the chassidim went after him asking him who he was. He
wouldn't respond to them so they took him to a pub and gave him to
drink. They asked him a again who he was. He took off his shirt and
showed them his back full of terrible wounds. They asked him how that
happened. The barber said that he goes around to different cities and
towns looking for work giving haircuts. He came to one town were there
was a huge gathering that they were about to punish a Jew for
stealing. The police announced they would give the Jew 100 lashes and
his wife and children were standing right there. The Barber also knew
a little bit of what doctor's know and he knew since this man looked
very weak he would for sure die after 25 lashes. The barber thought to
himself that he was a lot healthier and he didn't have a wife or
children so he would go instead even if he would be killed. So he goes
up and tells the police that was the one who stole. They take him and
they give him the lashes instead.