Sick of Money and Food

Rav Feivel of Gritza, the father of Rav Yechiel of Alexander, once came to the Saraf of Kotzk with good news. The wealthy Tamarel was due to arrive the next day, he said, and then there would be some money to ease their terrible poverty.

The Kotzker bellowed, "Money? Fech, disgusting." Rav Feivel later related that from that moment money so disgusted him that he could not handle any without becoming nauseous, almost to the point of vomiting. It took him over six months before he could touch money again without feeling sick.

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

When he traveled for Shabbos to the Gerrer Rebbe, the Chiddushei HaRim, the Chiddushei HaRim would order borscht cooked for him, so that he could delight in the taste of oneg Shabbos. Otherwise, what would he enjoy?