A Sukka Built to Stand

An epidemic raged through the town of Nadvorna as Sukkos approached, and the physicians warned the townspeople to take every hygienic precaution for fear of contagion. The local judge, an unusually wicked man, was told that Rav Mordechai had just built a sukka. He at once sent a messenger with a court order to demolish it immediately, claiming that it violated the municipal health regulations. The Rebbe ignored the message.

Within minutes a squad of police arrived at his door to warn him of the consequences of defiance. He answered, "I built my sukka in order that it should stand, not in order that it should be demolished."

The judge then sent the Rebbe a summons. When this too was ignored, he decided to come himself. He ordered the Rebbe in harsh terms to dismantle the sukka at once and warned of severe punishment for any further disobedience. None of this shook the Rebbe's calm. He answered coolly in the same words he had given the police, that he had built his sukka in order that it should stand, not in order that it should be demolished.

The judge was furious and was about to pour out more abuse when the Rebbe remarked, "I would like you to know that Rav Meir'l of Premishlan was my great-uncle." The judge exploded. "Who cares who your great-uncle was? Just demolish that thing, and that is all."

The Rebbe repeated what he had said and then asked the judge calmly to wait a moment, for he wanted to tell him an interesting story. Taken by surprise, the judge gave a brief nod, and Rav Mordechai began.

"Once there lived a priest who had ten sons, all as robust and strong as cedars. He owned a beautiful big park, full of trees that delighted Hashem and man alike. One day he decided to add grace to the grove by planting a little flower garden beside it. So he uprooted some of his trees and planted fragrant flowers in their place. But no sooner had he finished than his sons fell ill, one after the other. First the oldest weakened and died, then the second, and so on, until the youngest fell ill.

"The priest was at his wits' end. He summoned the most expert doctors and even consulted sorcerers, but nothing helped. At this point several people advised him to travel to Rav Meir of Premishlan, who was reputed to be a holy man. Salvation might come through him. He had no other choice, and he desperately wanted to save his last surviving son. So with a heavy heart he traveled to Premishlan.

"When he arrived, he told the holy man of all the trials that had befallen him, and that now even his last son was dying and no physician could cure him. Only Heaven could help him now.

"'You had a beautiful garden full of goodly trees,' Rav Meir told him, 'but because you wanted a flower garden as well, you chopped down the trees of Hashem. That is why He has chopped down your trees, as the pasuk says, "Man is a tree of the field." But since you have come here, and your time has not yet run out completely, I promise you that your youngest son will be helped from Above and will soon be cured.'

"The holy man then prayed that Hashem heal the priest's son, so that His Name would be sanctified wherever people heard of the story. The prayer was accepted, and the son grew to manhood.

"I want you to know," Rav Mordechai concluded, "that you are the son of that priest. So tell me now, is this the way you repay the kindness my great-uncle showed you by saving your life?"

The judge fell at his feet and wept. "True, true, I know it all," he sobbed. "Forgive me, Rav, for what I have done to you. You can build even ten of those things, only promise that you will forgive me."

The promise was given, the humbled judge went on his way, and the Rebbe of Nadvorna enjoyed his sukka in peace.