Forty Families in Pest

Rav Yoel's strength in tzedakah was very great, and he gave large sums to the poor and the needy. When he was Rav in Kruly, in his younger years, he asked his gabbai to invite the wealthy Rav Chaim Shtern of Pest to come, saying that he had an urgent matter of business to discuss with him.

When Rav Shtern arrived, Rav Yoel told him that in Pest there were about forty families he knew of who were so poor that they could not put bread on their tables. He asked him to make sure that at least their needs for Shabbos were taken care of.

Rav Chaim answered that he would gladly do what the Rav asked, on one condition: that the Rav would not make him a chassid. Rav Yoel smiled and answered warmly, “My precious child, if you do what I ask and care for the needs of the poor, then I will be your chassid.”