Parshas Kedoshim: Rebuking the People A Magid Changes His Stripes
The Torah tells us “Hochei’ach Tochiach Amisecha”; give rebuke to your friend (VaYikra 19:17). In the early days of Chasidus most of the great leaders were great non-chasidic men who were attracted to chassidus and then adopted it. Reb Yisroel the Kozhnitzer Maggid was one of them. This great Magid used to deliver powerful drashos to the people. When he became a Chasidic Rebbe he stopped giving these drashos. The people implored him to once again get up and tell it to the people “like it is” but he constantly refused.
One time after being beseeched by the people, he hesitantly stood up in front of the Tzibbur and stood silently for a while. After a period of time he began to speak. “Rabosai, I wanted to ask a question on the Torah like all the magidim do. Then I realized our Torah is true and there are no questions. Then I wanted to find some of the sins of the people and rebuke them, however I now know that Bnei Yisroel are “kedoshim”. Their roots are Kadosh and they only have good intentions. It is only the bitter galus that makes them sin. We should all be zocheh to the geula, amen”. He then sat down.(Y. Yefes - Iturei Torah)
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