R’ Shlomo Engel z”l was a devoted chassid of Rav Shaya’le of Kerestir who never missed a Motzaei Shabbos Melave Malka in his Rebbe’s Holy Court. R’ Shlomo was tasked with ladling out steaming bowls of borscht and serving them to the many guests who flocked to the Rebbe’s tisch.
One late Motzaei Shabbos, a unit of Jewish soldiers from the Hungarian army arrived in Kerestir and asked to join the Melave Malka and fill their empty stomachs.
R’ Shlomo peered into the pot and saw that its contents were almost depleted, without nearly enough to satisfy the hungry platoon of Jewish soldiers.
Turning to the tzaddik, he whispered frantically, “Rebbe, the men are hungry, and we don’t have enough food! The borscht is almost gone!”
The Rebbe gazed back at him wonderingly. “There’s always enough, Reb Shloime. Just stir and ladle out, stir and ladle out!”
The tzaddik rose from his seat, took the ladle from his chassid’s hand and gave the pot a vigorous stir. Before R’ Shlomo’s disbelieving eyes, he produced an overflowing ladle of steaming borscht and cubed potatoes which he poured into a bowl. Dipping the ladle back into the pot, Rav Shaya’le removed another ladle, and another… The tzaddik continued stirring the pot and ladling out generous portions of borscht until all the soldiers had eaten their fill!
Chassidim recount that every Erev Shabbos, right before the onset of Shabbos, Rav Shaya’le would enter the kitchen, pick up a ladle and give the pots containing the Shabbos food cooked for his many guests a stir.
Once, a chassid heard him whispering: “Ribono shel Olam! We have so many guests this Shabbos. Please help me that I shouldn’t be ashamed and there should be enough food for everyone…”
On another occasion, a large group appeared unexpectedly in Kerestir several minutes before Shabbos. Rav Shaya’le’s gabbai entered the Rebbe’s sanctum, fretting that the cooked food would never suffice for everyone.
Replied the tzaddik: “Please go tell the Rebbetzin.”
The gabbai hurried to fulfill the tzaddik’s wish and inform the Rebbetzin of the guests’ arrival. The Rebbetzin, who was already dressed for Shabbos and waiting to light candles, wasted no time. Changing her clothes, she hurried to the kitchen, opened the simmering pots and stirred them vigorously with her giant ladle… Miraculously, there was more than enough food for all the guests!
