In honor of the 238th yahrzeit of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk
When Reb Shlomo Bobover zy”a was a young bochur, he once traveled to Lizhensk to daven at the kever of the great Tzadik, Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk. Upon arriving, he inquired among the locals if anyone in the city was still alive who had met Reb Elimelech, hoping to find someone who could share firsthand accounts of the Tzadik’s ways. The townspeople confirmed that a 97-year-old woman, who had worked in Reb Elimelech’s kitchen as a young girl, still lived there..
Eager to learn something about the Tzadik, Reb Shlomo sought out the woman and asked if she could recall anything from her time in the kitchen of Reb Elimelech.
The elderly woman shared a memory that had left an indelible mark on her soul, something she still reflected on every single week:
“Reb Elimelech would welcome many guests for Shabbos, and I was part of a group of young girls who spent the week preparing the meals. At times, the workload became overwhelming, and in moments of stress, we would lash out at one another, speaking harshly and bickering.
But every Erev Shabbos, as the holy day approached, the holy Tzadik Reb Elimelech would stand at the kitchen doorway and begin to weep. With tears in his eyes, he would plead with us: “Perhaps I did not treat you well this week. Maybe I did not show you enough respect. I beg you, please forgive me! How can I enter Shabbos if I have wronged even one of you?” He would then turn to each of us individually, humbly asking for forgiveness, promising that in the coming week, he would certainly treat us better.
And then we—the ones who had truly wronged each other—would break down in tears. Overcome with emotion, we would embrace, begging one another for forgiveness for the way we had acted during difficult moments.
Afterward, Reb Elimelech would go to each of his family members—his Rebbetzin, his children—and one by one, he would beg for their forgiveness as well. Only after completing this sacred task, would he accept upon himself the holiness of Shabbos.
The elderly woman concluded, “If you have never been in the kitchen of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk, you have never truly experienced Yom Kippur!”
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 28.