THE GUEST

Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev had the biggest sukkah in the city. It had to be big. After all, it had to have room for his family, all his students, and plenty of other guests besides.

You see, every year on the first night of Sukkot, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak would invite all the strangers in the synagogue to come to his sukkah for dinner. Most of the visitors were very excited by this. After all, it was an honor to be invited to the sukkah of such a great rabbi as Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev.

But one year there was a stranger in the town, who turned out to be a very rude guest. While everyone sat quietly around the table, waiting for the rabbi to make kiddush, the stranger poured himself some wine and started picking at the salads. And when people suggested that he should wait, all he said was, “What’s taking so long.”

Pretty soon, everyone was annoyed - everyone, that is except the rabbi. Finally, the rabbi’s wife decided to ask her husband how he tolerated such a guest.Rabbi Levi Yitzhak smiled at her and said: “In just a few minutes we will be welcoming Avraham Avinu (Avraham Our Forefather) to our sukkah as our ushpizin guest.

I wonder how he can bear to be with people like us. But he does, and every year he comes back again. If he can put up with people like us, I’m sure we can make this special guest feel welcome.” And everybody did just that.

[HOME]      [BACK TO RABBI LEVI YITZHAK]