What makes a beautiful Succa?
Reb Mottle of Chernobyl moved to Israel in the late 1880's. One of his most prized possessions was the succah of his great-grandfather. With every successive generation - the succah seemed to grow in holiness. People from all over Jerusalem would come to sit in the magnificent succah.
1914 proved to be a difficult year. World War I closed the sea-lanes to Israel. Basic commodities were almost impossible to find. Food and fuel were at a premium. That year, people came to visit the Rebbe and found him sitting a plain shack. The beautiful succah was gone! No one could muster the courage to ask Reb Mottle what had happened.
A great festive meal was held the following Chanuka. One of the participants asked to be allowed to speak. "You probably are still wondering what happened to Reb Mottle's wonderful succah. My newborn grandson was seriously ill. The doctors recommended he received warm baths twice a day. The fuel shortage was so dire that bathing him twice a week would prove challenging. I went to Reb Mottle to ask his advice. Without hesitating, the Rebbe said, 'Take the Succa.' As much as I protested, the Rebbe would not hear of it. 'This is a matter of life and death. Of what importance are a few boards in comparison?' With a heavy heart, I took an ax and broke the boards into firewood. I am happy to report that my grandson was pronounced healthy today."
© 2010 by Herschel Finman.
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