"The essential point is: the blessed Lord may be served with joy, with merriment and vigor and not, God forbid, in sorrow and need. Sorrow leads a man to sin. Sorrow is compared to "avodah zarah" (strange worship) and a chasid should avoid it with all his might. And though joy comes from the depths of the soul, it is no offense to drive out sorrow. And for this wine, which rejoices the heart, is so important. "Wine rejoices the heart of man." Indeed true chasidim enjoy a little drink, which is accompanied by a tune, a Shevet achim gam yachad-- together and, it is understood, speaking of the torah. Drinking a dram of spirits on Shabbat and holidays is not drinking in general. It is a mitzvah"
The congregation listens with devotion and each understands what he hears, in his own way. But drinking is a mitzvah, every chasid surely understands. And what Disna chasid is not prepared to do a mitzvah?
Reb Mendl the shochet has ended, and none dares disturb the silence and begin to speak out of respect for Reb Mendl and dibrei torah.
Suddenly Eli Hirshl son of Benyamin-Brod, starts to sing the Rebbe's Song [Lubavicher, 18th c.]. Quiet, softly, and even a bit sadly at the beginning, the song becomes broader and louder, till it gathers up all those seated around and is transformed into a wave of enthusiasm and ecstasy. Eyes closed, beard swaying, brow furrowed, fingers snapping to the beat, they are all enthralled by fervour and sweetness.
"Ay-ay-ay" -- these are the words of the song. "Ay"-- cries out a chasid with a catch-- all is vanity-- and turns around with his "Ay" in the Rebbe's Song together with all the "Ay"ers ... till the "bitul chish". And then the song begins to fade, the rhythm slows, the voices are quieter and softer, like a stream, flowing slowly, after passing over a waterfall. One by one the singers drop out, till Eli is left alone.
Chaya-Musie, the wife of the shochet, knows from experience that it is time to come to the table, and with her son begins to bring the chibud (buffet). There was also chibud on the table earlier: cakes, covered with flour, and other baked goods, over which you only need to make mazonot and need not wash.Now they bring to the table chopped herring, chopped liver, stuffed kishke. And Shabbat is also honored by a potato kugl, or a noodle dumpling, which "weeping" with chicken fat droppings rejoices the hearts of the hungry chasidim. And all that is devoured with a little glass of spirits.
On the 19th of Kislev, the day the Alter Rebbe [Schneur Zalman] was frred from prison [1798, "Chasidic Rosh Hashanah"] the l'chaim meal was celebrated with latkes. And to avod any error, I must also explain the difference between present day latkes and Disna latkes. True latkes are made from potatoes, fried in goose or chicken fat. After they are fried, they are laid out in a "shtorlie" (?) with gribenes (rendered schmaltz and skin) between the layers, one covers it up and puts it in the oven to "tush" (to "polish"?). Who can find words to express the flavor of the golden-brown, life-sustaining latkes?
How can one not greet the latkes with a l'chaim? Everybody eats, refreshes himself and never stops praising the lady of the house's creativity in cooking and bakinng. And then Moshe-Zalman the
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scholar's voice is heard, the old dedicated Lubavitcher chasid:
"And what about a little drink?"
All are in accord, that they must make a l'chaim. But what can one do? All the little bottles of spirits have already been emptied. Soon they are making a "skladka" ("fold"). Each one participates with a small sum of money. But Moshe-Zalman sees that the "corporation " will see no spirits and as quick as a cat he springs up on the table with a piece of herring, left over on the table, in his hand and cries out: "We have a piece of herring and a potato skin for sale. Whoever will pay the most--may take possession of them!"
As soon as Moshe-Zalman is up on the table, everyone has begun to rescue the plates, glasses, spoons, forks, tableware, so that the paunchy, heavy Jew might not break or trample it. He pays little attention. The shochet's family continues the rescue work and Moshe-Zalman, thoroughly indifferent to the cutlery, auctions off his merchandise with great enthusiasm and success.
With all scraps of herring and potato skins sold off, soon the drink is brought in, and good humor rises.
And since the heart is well and the breath is full of fervor, Leibke Baruch's melody continues. He cannot sing a variety of melodies like all the chasids but this melody alone he can sing. A melody that comes, as it appears, from the first chasids in the Ukraine. A sad, sentimental, Ukrainian melody, with Ukrainian words, which tell of an old cossack, who floats alone in a boat on the Dniepr and trust in God's will...
"Ad, ti kozachak, chumachak bedenki" (Oh, you cossack, you poor fool) etc., he sings the goy words with a solidly Jewish accent.
Done singing, he turns to Hirshl Benyamin-Bruch's, who is sitting by him. "Would you like me to convince you that I am the most important Jew in the world?"
Hirshl Benyamin-Bruch's, a clever Jew and a joker, doesn't understand ostensibly:
"How so?"
"Quite simple-- answers Laybke Baruch's-- as is known, the Jews are the chosen people of the world, "atah bachratenu". Most unfortunately, this people has divided itself into chasidim and mitnagdim, But the mitnagdim are scarcely men, so only the chasids are left. All the chasids in various parts are foolish compared to us, the Lubavitchers. And just between us, we know however, that all of our chasids are, begging your pardon, cattle. So that leaves the two of us: you and me. And everybody knows you ..."
Moshe-Zalman takes Laybke Baruch's, drags him up on the table and they begin to dance. All the chasids accompany them, clapping their hands, and "V'taher libenu l'avdekhah b'emes vhanchilenu"... (Purify our hearts ...) flows forth with spirit and charm.
