A Story with an Echo

Several distinguished chassidim once visited the Rebbe Rayatz for the Tishrei holidays. One Sukkos morning, as they were waiting for the lengthy Shacharis prayers to begin, his younger son-in-law—our Rebbe—entered the sukkah to eat something before the morning prayers. One of the chassidim politely suggested that since the Shulchan Aruch does not clearly permit eating before the morning prayers, it would be more fitting for the Rebbe’s son-in-law not to be seen eating at that time.

The Rebbe replied: “This is the custom of chassidim, and there’s no need to be bashful about a chassidic custom.”

See the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, sec. 89.