Every night, they would rise at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzos, and afterward, they would learn Torah until sunrise, and Daven Shacharis at the Vasikin Minyan. After Davening, they would eat a small meal and return to their learning, and they dedicated most of the day to learning Torah.
One day, the Maggid began speaking to Rebbe Pesach about the disgrace of indulging in luxuries, elaborating at length on the spiritual harmfulness of this behavior. At first, Rebbi Pesach thought that the Maggid was simply trying to reinforce the message for both of them, and was not directing his words at him personally. However, after several days where the Maggid did not stop raising the issue, even to the point that it took away from the time they were supposed to be learning, Rebbi Pesach realized that the remarks were indeed aimed at him.
Understanding this, Rebbe Pesach questioned the Maggid in astonishment, and said, “What ‘luxuries’ have you found in me? My children wear clothing where even the patches have patches, and we barely have enough food to eat. I am like any of the other poor people in the city who lives a life of deprivation and hardship. Why would you accuse me of indulging in luxuries?”
The Maggid revealed his reasoning and said, “I was in your home on Rosh Chodesh, and I saw a beautiful silk tablecloth of considerable value on your table. I ask you, is that not a luxury? How can you justify using such an expensive tablecloth when it is possible to use an ordinary one?”
Rebbe Pesach responded to the Maggid and said that it had never crossed his mind to purchase such a tablecloth, nor had he spent a single coin on it. He then recounted how the tablecloth came into his possession:
“While I was serving as a Rav abroad, it happened that a wealthy man in my town fell gravely ill, and his condition was life-threatening. He required a type of daily care that involved great effort. There was no one in the town who was suitable for this task, except for me. So, I took it upon myself to care for him, and I began attending to him diligently every day. Each day, I went to his home, looked after him, and also learned Torah with him. Baruch Hashem, my efforts made a significant impact on him, and gradually, he made a full recovery. Once he regained his health, he wished to thank me by giving me a generous gift. However, I of course did not want to trade the Mitzvah for any material compensation, and I refused to accept anything from him.
“This wealthy man lived a long life and passed away only a short while ago. A few days after his passing, a messenger arrived carrying this tablecloth along with a letter. The letter was from this man’s children, and it explained that their elderly father had passed away, and in his will, he had instructed them to give me this tablecloth as a token of gratitude for the time I had devoted to caring for him during his illness.
The truth is,” continued Rebbe Pesach, “that I did not want to use the tablecloth, just as I did not wish to accept any reward at the time. I had considered returning it to the children of the wealthy man. However, before reaching a decision, it occurred to me that the children might feel bad if they would see that I did not value the gift from their father. Also, there is a Halachic principle of the obligation to fulfill the wishes of the deceased. Therefore, I reluctantly decided to use the tablecloth.”
Hearing this explanation, the Maggid was appeased and understood that his special Chavrusah was not guilty of indulging in Gashmiyus. Nevertheless, he still felt uneasy about using something he considered to be a luxury. Together, they deliberated over what should be done about the matter. Since they could not reach a conclusion, the two agreed to present their case to the Rav of Yerushalayim at the time, Rav Shmuel Salant, zt”l, and seek his ruling on the matter.
Rav Shmuel, with his wisdom, surprised them with his decision. These were his words: “Rebbi Pesach is correct that the tablecloth should not be returned, as it was given in fulfillment of the deceased’s wishes. At the same time, the Maggid’s argument is valid, that using it constitutes a form of indulgence. Therefore, my advice is as follows: use the tablecloth in a way that eliminates any enjoyment from it. Lay it on the table, but cover it with the old, simple tablecloth that you have been using until now.”
Rav Gamliel said, “From this story we can see how meticulous the righteous of previous generations were in avoiding even the slightest hint of indulgence!”
Reprinted from the Parshas Emor 5785 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’ Tefilah.
