Page 52 - HaMizrachi Australia Sukkot 5781

STORY FOR THE TABLE

An Etrog for

Berditchev

Rabbi Hanoch Teller

hen it came any Jewish wagon driver you see
to securing and inquire whether he has an etrog.
a beautiful We must spare no effort to fulfill
etrog for Almighty’s commandments!”
Sukkot, no
Wone was This was followed by a unique prayer
more particular than the famous and he had composed himself: “Ribbono
saintly Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. Shel Olam, Master of the Universe,
Months before the holiday season, he let us make a deal. I will give you my
would begin his search for an etrog sins, transgressions, and errors, and
that was truly mehudar. You will give me children, life, and
By and large, etrogim are grown in sustenance.
Eretz Yisrael and shipped all over the “The Greeks contend that their god is
world. One year, however, the ship the Lord, but I disagree.
carrying the precious cargo from the
Holy Land to Berditchev never arrived. “The Romans contend that their god
Distraught, Reb Levi Yitzchak – also is the Lord, but I disagree.
known as the Berditchever Rebbe – “The Indians contend that their god is
sent messengers to all the outlying
areas, hoping that they would discover the Lord, but I disagree.
an etrog somewhere in their travels. “And the Russians contend that there
But the messengers returned emp- is no G-d, but I, Levi Yitzchak ben Sarah
ty-handed. Their efforts had borne Sushah, say, ‘Glorified and sanctified
no fruit. be G-d’s great name…’”
One week before Rosh Hashanah The next day, as per the Rebbe’s
– only three weeks until Sukkot – instructions, one of his chassidim at
there was still no hope in sight. So the
Rebbe sent out a new group of messen- the northern entrance to Berditchev
gers, instructing them to bring back accosted Berel the spice merchant who
an etrog – any etrog – at any price! But was returning home from the summer
their mission, too, was a failure. fair. Lo and behold, Berel had an etrog,
a very beautiful one... but he had no
On Yom Kippur, the Rebbe implored interest in parting with it. Anxious to
the Almighty to allow him to fulfill return to his family, he didn’t appreci-
this mitzvah as he always had. “Master ate being buttonholed and questioned
of the Universe, we wish to obey Your
command,” he cried, “but there isn’t a by a persistent chassid.
single etrog in all of Berditchev or the “I’ve been away from my family for
surrounding countryside!” the entire summer,” the merchant
Just before the Neila service, Reb Levi argued. “I’ve earned plenty of money,
Yitzchak issued a moving plea to the baruch Hashem, so none of your offers
hundreds of worshippers gathered can tempt me. This little etrog will be
in his shul: “I ask each one of you to the highlight of my family’s Sukkot; it
take to the streets tomorrow, stop will be our simchat Yom Tov.”

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