Chassidic Story #257

The Horse Etrog

Before Rabbi Morechai of Neshchiz decided to accept a rabbinical position, he was a merchant. Each time he completed a business trip, he would set aside a small portion of his profits toward the purchase of an etrog, until he had accumulated enough to acquire one in the weeks before the Sukkot festival.

One year he succeeded to save six silver rubles in this manner. With the money in hand, he set out for Brody, the nearest big city to where he lived at that time, in order to buy an etrog. On the way he encountered a water-carrier, who was groaning and sobbing bitterly on the side of the road next to his wagon. His old horse had died suddenly; he had no means to replace it, which meant he would no longer be able to eke out even the bare income he somehow managed to live on. The rabbi murmured a few words of comfort, and then took the six silver rubles from his pocket and gave them to the poor man, instructing him to use it to buy a new horse.

The tzadik pondered the situation that he no longer had any money for his annual purchase. He said to himself: "Nu, what difference does it make? Acquiring an etrog is a mitzvah commanded by the Almighty, and so is this a mitzvah commanded by the Almighty."

Then he added jokingly: "Everyone else will recite their blessing on an etrog; I'll say mine over a horse!"

After he returned home, shortly before the festival, someone brought him an excellent quality etrog. Thus, he made his blessing not only on the horse, but over an etrog too.

[Translated and adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles from A Treasury of Chassidic Tales (Artscroll), vol. II - Festivals, pp. 115-116.]

Biographical note:

R. Mordechai of Neshchiz [1740 - 8 Nissan 1800] was descended from the Maharal of Prague and Don Yitzchak Abarbanel. He was a disciple of R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. The ill and the unfortunate came to visit him from long distances. It is recorded that he never uttered a negative word about another person. He actively supported settlement in Eretz Yisrael. He was succeeded by his son, R. Yitzchak of Neshchiz. His sayings were collected in Rishpei Eish.