Weekly Chasidic Story #904 (s5775-27 / 3 Nisan 5775)

One Seder for All the Town

Word was brought to Rabbi Yehuda Assad of Szerdahely that a gang of robbers was preparing to attack the town, while all the Jews were sitting at their Seder tables.

Connection: Seasonal -- Passover

One Seder for All the Town

The year 5608 (1848) saw many wild outbreaks of violence in Eastern Europe. Not surprisingly, the Jews were the first victims.

Word spread in Szerdahely (in Hungary near Budapest,) that a gang of robbers was preparing to overrun the town on the first night of Pesach, while all the Jews were sitting at their Seder tables. When the news was brought to the chief rabbi of the town, Rabbi Yehuda Assad, he decreed that all the Jews in town should join together to conduct one large communal Seder.

Immediately after the Evening Prayer for the first night of the Passover festival, the Jewish families of Szerdahely arranged themselves around large tables in a central hall. Rabbi Assad at the head of the main table, and spoke words of encouragement to the frightened citizens.

When the scout came running in with the news that the robbers were approaching the town gates, Rabbi Assad went out alone to meet them. Clad in his long white kittel (robe), he walked confidently toward the violent men. On coming within sight of them, he lifted a shofar to his mouth and began to blow.

Confusion overwhelmed the robber gang. They began running wildly in all directions. A number of them were trampled to death by their companions' fleeing horses. A statue was later erected on that spot, to commemorate the events of that night.

The town's gentiles were driven to fury by the Rabbi's feat. They decided to attack him and waited in ambush in the town square. When the rabbi approached, the bakery owner -- a violent man -- ran out brandishing a sword. R' Yehuda Assad continued to walk toward him, unafraid.

Furious, the baker raised his sword with all his might, intending to bring it forcefully down on the rabbi. But a miracle occurred, and instead of piercing the rabbi's body, the sword swerved and cut off the baker's own hand.

The gentiles' respect for R' Yehuda rose sharply after this incident, and because of him they were careful to treat the entire Jewish community respectfully as well. As for the crippled baker, he wandered through the town for years, no longer able to work, warning his fellow gentiles and reminding them of what awaited those who dared harm a Jew.

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Source: Adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Stories my Grandfather told me" (Mesorah) by Zev Greenwald.

Biographical note:
Rabbi Yehuda Assad (1796-1866) is the author of several volumes of Responsa as well as an important commentary on Pirkei Avot. Born in Assad, north of Budapest, he served as Rabbi of Szerdahely from 1853 until his death. After the passing of the Chasam Sofer, he was regarded as the head of Hungarian Jewry. He was also known to be a proficient Kabbalist, yet humble to an extreme (see Addendum, below).

Connection: Seasonal -- ten days until Seder night

Addendum:
Once, a delegation of leading Jewish rabbis went to visit the Austro-Hungarian Kaiser, Franz Josef, on an important communal matter. In the waiting room, before their audience, they were discussing among themselves who among them should address the Kaiser first.
The waiting room had mirrors on all its walls. The holy rabbi of Szerdahely, Rabbi Yehuda Assad, the most senior rabbi there, happened to glance over to the other side of the room. There, he saw in the mirror opposite him his own reflection. For Rabbi Assad, it was the first time in his life that he had ever seen his own appearance, for out of his piety and humility he had never looked at his reflection in a mirror!
So what was his reaction? Seeing a Jew whose face shone with holy dignity and beauty, he pointed at the image in the mirror and whispered to some of his colleagues in the delegation, "Look at that elderly Jew there. You can see the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, on his face! We should let him be the first to speak."

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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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