(Adapted from Yalkut Lekach Tov on Succos, p. 53, citing Sippurei Chassidim)
It was only a short time before the Yom Tov of Succos, and there were no esrogim in Berditchev. The tzaddik Rebbe Levy Yitzchak together with the entire village were very anxious. The Rebbe sent out men from the village to wait by all the crossroads nearby, maybe they would meet someone who had an esrog. And indeed, they found someone on his way home for Yom Tov and he had an exceptionally beautiful esrog. The only problem was that he didn't live in Berditchev. The messengers begged him to at least come and speak to the Rebbe, and he agreed.
The Rebbe implored him to spend Yom Tov in Berditchev so the entire shtetl would be able to perform the mitzvah of lulav and esrog. The Yid refused and stated emphatically that he had to get home. How could he spend Yom Tov without his family? The Rebbe promised him wealth and children, but the man stood his ground. He was already wealthy, and he had children. He didn't need a berachah. The tzaddik added, “If you fulfill my wish, I promise you that you will be with me in my place in Olam Habah”. Once the man heard that, he agreed and remained in the shtetl for Succos. The Rebbe couldn't have been happier, nor could the Chassidim. Even this Yid was happy.
With the approach of the Yom Tov, Rebbe Levy Yitzchak ordered everyone in Berditchev not to let this man sit in their succos. They were all astonished by this, but no one had the audacity to ask the tzaddik for an explanation. Everyone complied. The first night of Yom Tov arrived, and after Ma’ariv the Yid went back to his lodgings and found wine for kiddush, candles, challos, and a table set for the Yom Tov meal. He stood there wondering to himself, “The owner of the inn, a religious Jew, doesn't have a succah?” So he went downstairs and out to the yard and found very fine succah with the innkeeper and his family sitting inside. The guest asked to come in and join them, but they refused.
Why is he getting such treatment? What had he done wrong? But he was not given any explanation, and was forced to leave humiliated.
He then turned to the succah’s of the neighbors and asked if he could sit with them for the Yom Tov meal. But he wasn't welcome there either. After wandering from succah to succah, he realized that the Rebbe must be behind this scheme.
He immediately ran in a frenzy to the Rebbe and asked, “What did I do wrong! What crime did I commit?!” Rebbe Levy Yitzchak calmly answered him, “All you have to do is absolve my promise about Olam Habah. Then I'll immediately order everyone to let you into their succah’s.”
The Yid stood there in silent shock. He was totally taken aback. His head started racing trying to figure out what to do. On one hand the Rebbe had promised that he would be together with him in Next World. On the other hand he was missing out on the mitzvah of sitting in a succah. In the end the succah won. He said to himself, how can one even imagine the thought of not being able to sit in a succah? He had never missed this mitzvah his whole life. How can the entire Jewish nation be sitting in succah’s, and he would sit and eat in the house like a non-Jew. So, the Yid forgave the tzaddik's promise and they shook hands as per the Rebbe's request. Then he went back to the inn to sit in the succah.
After Yom Tov the Rebbe called the man back. He said, “I am giving you back my agreement. I never had any intention of backing out on my promise. However, everything I did was for your benefit. I didn't want you to gain your Olam Habah like a wheeler dealer merchant. I wanted you to merit your Olam Habah because of your good deeds. Therefore, I arranged that you should be tested with the mitzvah of succah. You withstood the test and showed that you were willing to sincerely sacrifice your Olam Habah in order to perform the mitzvah of sitting in a succah. Now you honestly and truly deserve to be together with me in my place in the Next World." (R’ Eliezer Parkoff)
