Bread and Borscht

Rav Feivel of Gritza, the father of Rav Yechiel of Alexander, once came to the Seraph of Kotsk and told him that a wealthy woman named Tamarel was expected the next day, so there would finally be some money to ease their terrible poverty. The Kotzker cried out, "Money? Fech, disgusting." Rav Feivel related that from that moment, money disgusted him so much that he could not hold any without feeling nearly sick. It took him more than six months before he could touch money again.

Rav Chanoch Henich once told the Kotzker that he was preparing a seudah that night of fish and meat. The Kotzker thundered back, "Meat? Fish? Who needs those? Bread and borscht are plenty." Rav Henich admitted that from then on, for the rest of his life, he could taste no flavor in any food except bread and borscht, and every other food was loathsome to him.

When he travelled for Shabbos to the Chiddushei HaRim in Ger, the Rebbe of Ger ordered that borscht be cooked for Rav Henich, so that he could taste the oneg of Shabbos. Otherwise, what would he enjoy?