The Zlotchiver Rebbetzin merited to see Eliyahu Hanavi in the Sukkah every year.
The heilige Magid Harav Yechiel Mechal of Zlotchev was the son Harav Yitzckok from Druhobich who was a talmid of the Baal Shem Tov. His son Harav Yosef the Rebbe of Yampale Ztz’'l - (24 Teves 5572) was his oldest son. He once told about the greatness of his mother, who the daughter of Rabbi Meir Popirosh ztz’'l. His parents lived in dire poverty, and one year as it was approaching the month of Tishrei there was barely enough money for some old hard bread and water, let alone money to buy a Lulav and an Esrog. However, my father, was strong and had Bitachon o that he would still be able to attain a nice Lulav and an Esrog but when it came to Motzei Yom Kippur and he had no Lulav and Esrog, he could bring himself to eat anything.
In the morning, my mother asked him to eat something because it was dangerous for him to fast for so long, he answered her, how can I eat when I don’t have a Lulav and Esrog! My mother had pity on him and she told him that she had put away a gold coin that she kept to give as dowry for the wedding of their first child, and since you need a Lulav and Esrog, she was ready to give him the gold coin to buy Lulav and Esrog, and in merit of the mitzvah, Hashem will return the gold coin to me!
The Zlotchiver Magid became full of joy and gave a blessing to his wife. He sat down to eat something and decided to go buy a Lulav and Esrog. He asked his sons to build the Sukkah as he was not sure if he would be back in time to put up the Sukkah. The children said that they would to put up the Sukkah, and my father traveled with great joy to find a very beautiful Lulav and Esrog. My father came to the city and went to an Esrog merchant to look for a suitable Lulav and Esrog. Hashem helped him find one by a merchant who asked for a gold coin and my father didn’t haggle, took out the gold coin, and handed it over to the merchant. The trip home was full of thanks to Hashem and my father came home full of joy with a beautiful Lulav and Esrog.
My father was a different person and made his preparations for Yomtov, and he looked at the Sukkah which was well-built. Afterward, he went to the Shul to prepare himself for Yomtov. After davening, my father came home and went to the Sukkah and prepared to make Kiddush. He called my mother to come to hear Kiddush in the Sukkah. He was immersed in the Kiddush and didn't notice that his wife was crying the whole Kiddush. One of the children told my father that our mother cried at Kiddush and he did not understand why she cried, but he decided not to ask her about it. The next morning the Magid prepared the Lulav and Esrog and made the blessings and he summoned my mother to make the blessing on the Lulav and Esrog. However, as soon as she entered the Sukkah she began to cry. This time the Magid asked her what happened this year and she always cried when she entered the Sukkah.
The Rebbetzin replied, how can I not cry, when every year as I enter the Sukkah I see Eliyahu Hanavi, and this comforts me even though we live in great distress, but this year when I entered the Sukkah I did not see him! I'm sure that it was my actions that caused Eliyahu not to appear to me! This caused my father great pain and calmed her and said “I will find out the reason Eliyahu has not come this year. Give me a few minutes and will have an answer.” My father went into a deep trance for a few minutes and when he woke up he told his wife: God forbid! Your deeds are very great. The reason Eliyahu didn’t come to our Sukkah this year is entirely my fault, and I promise that I will correct this today and at Kiddush tonight when you enter the Sukkah, Eliyahu Hanavi will appear in our Sukkah.
The Rebbetzin became calm and waited for that night. Indeed, that night when my father called her to hear Kiddush, she entered the Sukkah, and she smiled because she saw Eliyahu Hanavi! We asked our father what happened. My father asked my mother to come and hear. He began in the distance there is a high church whose shadow shines a little on our Sukkah even at night because of the full moon, and this caused Eliyahu not to enter our Sukkah. Now every year, I build the Sukkah exactly that the shadow of the church should not shine on our Sukkah. However, since I was busy this year I asked the children to build the Sukkah, and it seems they did not know how to avoid the shadow.
Since it was Yomtov and cannot build a new Sukkah, I begged Hashem that it should be cloudy and the shadow of the church will not reach our Sukkah, and Eliyahu Hanavi will come visit us. I promise this will not happen again. The Magid gave her a blessing that there should be prosperity by them. In a short while, there was plenty of money for food and other needs, and my mother was able to put away many gold coins for future doweries.
