Why Weren’t You Zusya?

Once, the Hasidic rabbi Zusya came to his followers with tears in his eyes. They asked him:

"Zusya, what's the matter?

And he told them about his vision. "I learned the question that the angels will one day ask me about my life."

The followers were puzzled. "Zusya, you are pious. You are scholarly and humble. You have helped so many of us. What question about your life could be so terrifying that you would be frightened to answer it?"

Zusya replied; "I have learned that the angels will not ask me, 'Why weren't you a Moses, leading your people out of slavery?' and that the angels will not ask me, 'Why weren't you a Joshua, leading your people into the promised land?"'

Zusya sighed. "They will say to me, 'Zusya, why weren't you Zusya?'"