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Weekly Chasidic Story #884 (s5775-07 / 10 Cheshvan 5775) Long-Time Guests Reb Baruch-Mordechai of Warsaw had an open house.
People came and went as they pleased, never asking permission, taking everything
for granted.
Long-Time GuestsReb Baruch-Mordechai of Warsaw had an open house to anyone who wished to enter. People came and went as they pleased, never asking permission, taking everything for granted. They really felt at home there. And R. Baruch Mordechai did not care. That is how he wanted it! Reb Shabsai Yofel of Slonim described it well: "When R. Baruch Mordechai takes a nap on a couch at home," he commented, "it is not as if it were his couch. Rather, it is because he happened to find it unoccupied first, before anyone else lay on it." R. Baruch Mordechai himself came and went just like the others. He had no special place at the head of the table. He was served his meals just like the rest. He did not want anyone to make of fuss over him. Small wonder, that when a poor man came to this house and stayed for several weeks, he did not even recognize R. Baruch Mordechai as the master of the house. He thought he was just another guest! Once this poor man turned to R. Baruch Mordechai and asked innocently, "I see that you are a steady guest here. You probably know what is customary here better than I do. Tell me, do you think that they would mind if I stayed a few weeks longer?" R' Baruch Mordechai shrugged his shoulders and reassured him, "No. I am sure you are welcome to stay on. I have been living here - eating and sleeping - for a long time and no one has ever said anything...." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Connection: The mitzvah of hospitality is an featured in this
week's Torah reading, both at the beginning and near the end. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.