"YHVH never gives a person a test with which he cannot cope emotionally."

Told by Rabbi Kimelman

Once a pious Jew was visiting his Rabbi. While he was sitting there, a messenger from his hometown burst into the room and told him that his entire fortune went up in smoke while he was away. He realized that he was now the poorest man in his town. This thought caused such a great shock, that he fainted. All of his colleagues around him tried to revive him. He came around, but as soon as he remembered why he had fainted, he fainted again! This kept happening over and over again, and his friends were at a loss as to what to do. Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kotzk was standing on the sidelines watching this whole thing. He offered a suggestion and said that the next time he comes to, tell him that the news wasn't true and his fortune is intact. These words took his students by surprise, since the Rebbe from Kotzk was famous for never saying an untruth. However, when our friend revived, they had no choice but to follow their Rabbi's words and one of them whispered into his ear that the message was a mistake and he was still wealthy. With a sigh of relief, the man got up and dusted himself off. Just then, a harried messenger came in, ran up to him and told him that the first message was a mistake, and he was still wealthy. Astounded, the students turned to the Rabbi, waiting for an explanation. He said, "Hashem never gives a person a test with which he cannot cope emotionally. When I saw our friend faint again and again, unable to live with the news he had received, I knew the news couldn't possibly be true."