Chassidic Story #258

The Plate in the Sukkah

Before Rabbi Yissacher Dov of Radoshitz became the Rebbe, he lived in abject poverty. Many times he fasted simply because there was no food in the house.
One year he had nothing to eat for several days in a row before Yom Kippur, and after the fast had to content himself with a few meager pieces of bread and nothing to drink except water.

Immediately after Yom Kippur the Jewish world begins preparations for the ensuing festival of Sukkot, but he was so poor he could not afford anything at all. After the evening service on the first night of the festival he remained in shul, for why should he hurry home if there was nothing to eat.

He studied by himself until he figured whoever was eating in the communal sukkah at the shul had finished and returned to their houses, at which point he left and returned home.

When he entered his sukkah, he was greeted by a happy surprise. Shortly before the onset of the festival his wife had found a small piece of jewelry among her possessions, She had promptly hurried off to sell it and to buy with the money loaves of challah, candles and potatoes.

He was overjoyed to see candles and challahs on the table. He washed his hands, recited Kiddush, and sat down to eat. By this time he was virtually starving. As soon as his wife served him the potatoes, he began to eat them ravenously, with great desire.

While he was eating, a thought flashed in his mind. "Berel," he said to himself, "you are not sitting in the sukkah; you are sitting in your plate!"

And he instantly stopped eating.

[Translated and adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles from A Treasury of Chassidic Tales (Artscroll), vol. II - Festivals, pp. 109-110.]

Biographical note:
Rabbi Yissachar Dov [1765-18 Sivan 1843], the "Sabba Kadisha" (holy grandfather) of Radoshitz, was a disciple of the Seer of Lublin and of the Holy Yid of Peshischa. Famed as a miracle maker, he lived in poverty as a simple tutor.