One year, there was a big potato shortage in Hungary. During the year, it was OK to go without potatoes, but when Pesach came around, it was almost impossible. The gabba’im came to Reb Shayele and told him that without potatoes, they would not be able to feed all the guests.
Reb Shayele said that he would daven to Hashem that He give kimcha d’pischa in the form of potatoes!
There was a merchant who had loads of potatoes and was on his way to Budapest to sell them to the wealthy Yidden before Pesach and thereby make a big profit. As he was passing Kerestir, his horses halted and wouldn’t budge. He tried all the tricks in the book, but they just wouldn’t move.
He then remembered that Reb Shayele lived right there, and went to ask him for a bracha that his horses should move. Reb Shayele told him that these potatoes were Hashem sending kimcha d’pischa for the Yidden in Kerestir. If you are willing to give us whatever we need, the horses will move, and you will have a major hatzlacha selling the rest. If you don’t want to give us, the horses will not budge! The Yid right away gave loads of potatoes to Reb Shayele, and the horses miraculously moved on!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Nekuda Tova Listing.