Weekly Chasidic Story #623 (s5770-08 / 16 Mar-Cheshvan 5770)

The Non-bleeding Challah

Rabbi Yitzchak of Kalisch kept an open house for travelers. Once, a gentile man entered and asked for piece of bread.

Connection: Weekly Reading - Jewish hospitality  

The Non-bleeding Challah

Rabbi Yisrael-Yitzchak Kalish, the subsequent Rebbe of Vorki in Poland and the brother of Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, kept an open house. All travelers were welcome. One Friday, a gentile man came in and asked for a piece of bread. The Rebbe's wife had only whole challahs in the house at that moment - challahs that she had just baked in honor of the Shabbat. She did not want to cut into one of these challahs, but the Rebbe urged, "Cut the challah, blood won't come from it."

She did as her husband asked, and gave the gentile as much bread as he needed to satisfy his hunger.

Some time later, Rabbi Yisrael-Yitzchak had to travel to Hungary. His route went through the Carpathian Mountains. There, he was seized by a gang of robbers who took away everything he had. Then they marched him to their leader, who would decide whether or not to kill him.

The leader of that gang of robbers turned out to be the very same man to whom the Rebbe's wife had fed her challah! He recognized Rabbi Yisrael-Yitzchak at once, and told his men, "This Jew kept me alive. Do not kill him - and return everything that you have taken from him!"

The robbers did as they were ordered, and Rabbi Yisrael-Yitzchak was allowed to leave in peace.

Upon his return home, he addressed his wife and said, "As I told you: 'Cut the challah, blood won't come from it.'"

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[Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Stories My Grandfather Told Me" (Mesorah) by Zev Greenwald]

Connection: Weekly Reading - Jewish hospitality

Biographic note:
Rabbi Yisrael-Yitzchak Kalish [1779 - 22 Nissan 1848] was the founder of the Vorki dynasty in Poland. Previously, through travel with his teacher, R. David of Lelov, he became a disciple of R. Yaakov Yitzchak (the "Seer") of Lublin and of R. Simchah Bunem of Pshischah. Some of his teachings and stories involving him appear in Ohel Yitzchak and Hutzak Chein. His son R. Yaakov David founded the Amshinov dynasty, while his son R. Menachem Mendel continued the Vorki dynasty.

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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.

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