Rav Yisrael Salanter, ZT”L, would travel to many small towns in France and Germany doing kiruv (outreach). On one trip, a wealthy talmid (student) of his said that he’d very much appreciate it if the Rav would come for the Friday night seudah. This talmid would host lavish and very long Shabbos meals, sometimes lasting six hours. Rav Salanter agreed to come on the condition that the meal would last no longer than half an hour.
On Friday night, Rav Salanter showed up. They started the meal, and about thirty minutes later, it was over. Afterward, the talmid felt slightly uneasy, since he wasn’t used to such short Shabbos seudos.
This talmid’s chef was a widow struggling to support her only child. After the meal, Rav Yisrael apologized to her: “I know that usually you work at a more leisurely pace on Friday nights. I’m sorry for rushing you today.”
She responded, with glassy, tear-filled eyes, “Rebbe, this was the greatest night of my life. Normally, I’m stuck here until midnight. I have one twelve-year-old son who is in yeshiva all week, and Shabbat is the only time I can see him.
“On Friday nights, he stays up late to have a quick meal with me before I fall asleep from exhaustion. This is the first time since my husband died that I’ve been able to spend a proper Shabbos meal with him. Thank you.”
That’s when Rav Salanter turned to his talmid and said, “You see why the half-hour meal was a much greater Mitzvah than the six-hour meal.”
Reprinted from the Parshas Beha’aloscha 5785 email of Torah Sweets.
