הכנסת אורחים בסוכה הקדושה
Hosting guests in the holy succah
The renowned Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Linisk, the father of the holy Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz, was very particular about having a guest at his table for the meals during Succos, especially on the first night of Succos, which is the Ushpizin of Avraham Avinu, the great host of guests. It is mentioned in sifrei kodesh that one must be very diligent about this, and if there is no guest with him in the succah, the holy Ushpizin do not enter.
One year, on the first day of the chag, the harsh winter was already in full swing, the roads were difficult and exhausting, and no guest could be found in the city. They searched everywhere, but not a single Jewish guest could be found. The hour grew very late, but the Tzaddik of Linisk did not want to enter the succah to partake of the Yom Tov seudah without the holy Ushpizin, and in the absence of a guest, there would be no Ushpizin!
His son, Rebbe Naftali, who was a clever and wise child—later known as ‘Chachima d'Yehudai’ (The Sage of the Jews)—saw his father's great distress. As the hour was getting late and the mitzvah of eating in the succah had still not been fulfilled, he went out again to search thoroughly. But when he still could not find any Jewish guest, he devised a plan: he approached a local non-Jew, offering him a good and hearty meal. He dressed him as a Jewish traveler and instructed him not to speak at all, only to sit quietly and eat his meal!
Soon, the boy returned with the new "guest," brought him home, and joyfully declared, "At last, I found a guest!"
However, in the middle of the meal, after the rebbe examined the guest a few times, he realized that this person was a complete non-Jew. He asked his son, "Why did you pull such a prank?"
The child wisely responded, "Isn't today the day of the Ushpizin of Avraham Avinu? And Avraham would also welcome non-Jewish guests! As is clearly stated at the beginning of Parshas Vayeira, he warmly welcomed the men who appeared to him as Arabs. Therefore, on the day of Avraham's Ushpizin, even a non-Jew is a fitting guest!"
‘Tiv HaZikhronot’, The Holy Rebbe of Ropshitz