In the year 1848 a war raged between Austria and Hungary.
It so happened that a Chasid, Rabbi Israel of Skoli, was travelling through Hungary and was in the town of Deberzin on business. It was his misfortune that while he was still in the town, the Austrian army surrounded the town and lay in wait to besiege it.
Rabbi Israel was trapped.
When he realized that he was unable to leave the town, he decided to prepare himself for the duration of the crisis, and he went to the market and bought food that would last him for a while. Then, he steeled himself to wait out the hostilities.
Every day Rabbi Israel went to the synagogue to pray, recite Psalms and pass the day studying Torah. He was very careful not to engage in business or do anything else that might raise suspicion, for the soldiers of the Hungarian army patrolled the streets day and night looking for trouble.
One morning as he walked down a quiet side street on his way to the synagogue, he was stopped by an army patrol.
"Who are you?" demanded the soldiers.
"I am a Jew and my name is Israel," was the straightforward reply.
"Where do you come from and what are you doing here?"
He couldn't help but answer the truth, that he was a merchant travelling from Austria. They immediately arrested him on suspicion, and in the tense atmosphere of war, they threw him into prison, although he was innocent.
Poor Rabbi Israel was put on trial before a wartime military tribunal and found guilty of spying for Austria. The shocking sentence was read and he was given the death penalty, to be carried out the following Shabbat.
The condemned man sat in his dark cell for the next few days, desperately reciting Psalms and beseeching G-d to have mercy on him and rescue him from this terrible fate.
Shabbat arrived.
Rabbi Israel prayed as usual.
He had just completed his prayers when he heard the sound of marching in his direction. The sound stopped just outside his door which swung open to reveal armed soldiers.
"Prepare yourself, for we have come to bring you to the place of execution," the leader announced. They bound Rabbi Israel's arms and marched him toward the courtyard as he lifted his eyes towards Heaven.
As the condemned man and his captors walked past a group of soldiers, one officer looked directly at the prisoner and called out, "Srulke, where are you going?"
Rabbi Israel turned and stared at the officer, but he didn't recognize his face at all. Reb Israel replied bitterly, "I am going to die."
"Why is that?" the officer asked, with a smile on his face.
Rabbi Israel went on to explain that he had been arrested as a spy and sentenced to death. The officer let out a loud laugh. "Ha! You, a spy! That's a good one! I know you're an honest fellow.
"Soldiers," the officer barked, "Take this man back to his cell!" But the soldiers replied that they had other orders.
"Wait here. I am going to get new orders."
In a few minutes the officer returned with the orders to return Rabbi Israel to his cell. Once there, the astonished man sat down and opened his book of psalms to resume his heartfelt prayers.
That very day the Austrian troops captured the town. When they went to the prison they found Rabbi Israel sitting over his book. "What are you doing here?" they asked.
He retold his tale, and the Austrian soldiers freed him and treated him like a hero. When they asked what they could do for him, he only said, "I would like to get my fruit and wine back, please." But when they went to the place he specified, his provisions were gone.
Rabbi Israel returned to his home and went at once to visit his Rebbe, Reb Meir of Premishlan.
When Rabbi Israel entered the room the Rebbe turned to his shammes [attendant] and said, "Do you remember that Shabbat when we ate Reb Israel's dried pears?"
It happened to be the same Shabbat that Rabbi Israel was to be executed in Deberzin and had been miraculously rescued. And with that, the Rebbe asked that the pears be served. "If you only knew whom I was forced to trouble in order to rescue you!"
