I heard this story this past Shabbos from a heilege rebbe.
Reb Leibele Eiger was once in Kotzk, if I recall correctly, for Yom Kippur. He was told it would be amazing, so he went. At a certain point of davening on the day of Yom Kippur the chassidim said that they were going to break for kiddush. Poor Reb Leibele thought this was all a bad joke. But when he saw the chassidim rearranging the table and bringing out the shot glasses he was mamash beside himself. He exclaimed that Yom Kippur is a fast day, Shulchan Aruch says it's assur to eat or drink! But they simply replied that the kiddush would a real mechayeh, he'll see for himself.
Reb Leibele started quoted a list of sources for the prohibition of breaking the fast in desperation to stop the insanity. He would through Gemaras, rishonim, achronim, etc. But it was all to no avail. He even thought to himself, these chassidim are kabbalistic, and tried quoting the Zohar and other holy sfarim. But the chassidim just kept going with their kiddush preparations. Finally, at the last moment when they brought the shotglasses up to their lips, in desperation Reb Leibele cried out "Hakadosh Baruch Hu zukt nein!" Hakadosh Baruch Hu said no!
The chassidim put down their glasses and said to Reb Leibele, now you get it. It's not that the Gemara or Shulchan Aruch said no, mamash not. We have to realize that it's only ever because the Ribbono Shel Olam said either yes or no!
2 comments:
This is an embellishment of the Kotzker's comment that Chassidim have Yiras Shomayim while Misnagdim have Yiras HaShulchan Aruch. Accordingly, the story had to take place before Reb Leibele "converted" to Chassidus. Not that I believe the story is true...
Granted, but it is a good embellishment. And true or not, it has a good point. As Rav Zevin says, stories are the aggadita of Chassidish Torah.
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