Let me now recount before you an extraordinary story, from which we may learn how even the observance of a small ancestral custom — performed unintentionally — once saved the soul of a Jewish man from descending into the pit of destruction, and through the merit of that attachment to the ways of his forefathers, he merited to return to his source in complete teshuvah.
It once happened that our master, the holy gaon, the Minchas Elazar of Munkatch zt”l, embarked on a long journey by train. Not far from him, in the same carriage, sat a man with his head uncovered, appearing in every way like a non-Jew. During the ride, the man took out from his bag his meal and spread it out on the small table before him. He laid upon a napkin a slice of bread, then drew from his bag a piece of sausage — of forbidden, impure meat, Heaven have mercy — and again took another slice of bread, placing it atop the sausage to ”close” the sandwich properly.
When it was all prepared, he began cutting the sandwich into small pieces, preparing to partake of his sumptuous meal. Suddenly, the holy Rebbe of Munkatch was seized with a spirit of holy zeal. Watching the man‘s actions from nearby, he turned to him and exclaimed:
”Teiere Yid! — Precious Jew! It is forbidden for you to eat this! How can you dare so brazenly to transgress such a grave prohibition of the Torah?”
The man, however, ignored him, and with a smirk replied, ”Why does the rabbi think that I am a Jew?” He then prepared to continue eating.
But the holy Rebbe, whose heart burned with a fiery zeal for Heaven, continued to protest, warning the man repeatedly of the severity of his sin. He even explained why he repeated his rebuke again and again, though it seemed to have no effect — for we are commanded in our holy Torah (Bava Metzia 31a) concerning the pasuk, הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ - You shall surely rebuke your fellow (Vayikra 19:17) — ”even one hundred times!”
The Rebbe would not rest nor remain silent, and continued to admonish the man from the depths of his heart: ”Remember that you are a holy Jew! Be aware that Chazal taught (Sanhedrin 44a), ’A Jew, even though he has sinned, remains a Jew.‘ And has not the wisest of all men already warned us in Koheles (11:9),ִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּטוְדָע כִּי עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה יְבִיאֲךָ הָאֱלֹק - But know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment.”
The Rebbe‘s words, spoken with such deep emotion and evident concern for the man‘s soul, penetrated the hardened heart of that distant Jew. Suddenly, his heart broke within him; in a storm of feeling, he threw his entire meal into the trash and burst into bitter tears. He rose trembling from his seat, approached the holy Rebbe, and asked in astonishment, ”How did you know that I am a Jew? For it is already many long years since I have drifted far from my people and faith, and none of my friends or acquaintances even know that I am a Jew at all!”
The Rebbe of Munkatch embraced him lovingly, kissed his head, and explained gently, ”As I watched how you prepared your meal, I noticed that you did not bite directly from the loaf, nor did you hold the whole sandwich in your hands to bring it to your mouth. Instead, you cut small pieces from it with a knife. From this I discerned that you are a Jew, for this conduct is none other than an ancestral custom!
”This manner of eating is found only among Jews, as ruled in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim (170:10) in the laws of proper table manners, ’A person should not bite off a piece of bread and place the remainder on the table.‘
”Such a manner is not found among the nations, for its source is the Shulchan Aruch! Hence, I realized that you are a Jew, and this practice of yours is a remnant of the ways of your forefathers — instilled in you by your upright and faithful parents among the people of Yisrael.”
The man was deeply moved by the Rebbe‘s insight and the holiness of his words. Overcome with emotion, he admitted that every word was true:
”Indeed, I was born and raised in a proper Jewish home. My father and mother were good and faithful Jews, loyal to Hashem and His Torah. I remember well how they would always cut the bread at the table before eating and would never bite directly into it like the gentiles. From them I learned this upright practice. But in the upheavals and troubles that befell our people during the First World War, I cast off the yoke of Torah and mitzvos, Heaven spare us, and was swept away by the winds of the secular movements of that difficult generation — until I sank to the lowest depths.”
When the Rebbe saw that a small opening of repentance had been formed in his heart, he drew him close with great love and affection. Throughout that long journey, the Rebbe seated him at his side, speaking to him words of mussar and encouragement, assuring him faithfully that there is never cause for despair — for we are promised (Shmuel II 14:14): וְחָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבִלְתִּי יִדַּח מִמֶּנּוּ נִדָּח - For He devises means that none be banished from Him.
Our holy sefarim explain that even those who are ”banished” are never entirely lost, and a good rectification may yet be found for them.
Ultimately, that man did not take leave of the tzaddik until he had repented completely. He accepted upon himself to be meticulous in observing every detail of Torah and mitzvos, whether minor or major, in full accordance with the Shulchan Aruch. From that time forth, he became a devoted chassid of the holy Rebbe of Munkatch zy”a. We learn from this true and faithful story to what extent the influence of ancestral ways can reach — that even a Jew who has fallen to the very lowest depths, through maintaining, even casually, a small custom he saw practiced in his parents‘ home, may find in it a doorway and a vessel for returning in complete teshuvah to his Father in Heaven.
