The Cook in Lyuban

His sister, Rebbetzin Chanah, related that while Rav Moshe was rov in Lyuban, before he married, a woman was appointed to cook for him. Her food was practically inedible, but embarrassing a Jewish woman was unthinkable to him, and he finished every meal to the last crumb. Thinking the rov enjoyed it, the cook served larger portions, and he finished those too.

One day Chanah visited and joined him for lunch. She barely tasted the food and nearly gagged. "How could you eat such disgusting food?" she asked. His answer was simple. "I force myself in order to avoid embarrassing the cook." He later told her she had done him a great favor that day by stuffing the food into her bag, so that for once he did not have to eat it.

On another occasion a talmid drove him home. When Rav Moshe stepped out of the car, the talmid shut the door on his hand. The pain was unbearable, but Rav Moshe held himself back so the talmid would not be mortified.