Give away your challah or get slapped

The renowned tzaddik Reb Zelig Braverman zt'l and his Rebbetzin would bake and distribute challos on

erev Shabbos, to the poor of Yerushalayim.

Once, a poor person came to his door late on Friday afternoon and asked for two challos. Reb Zelig

replied,  "I'm so sorry, but all the challos have been distributed. Nothing is left."

The man got angry and smacked Reb Zelig on his face, twice. Reb Zelig immediately took the two

challos that were on his table for the Shabbos meal and gave them to the poor man.

When the poor man left the house, the family members asked Reb Zelig, "Why did you give away our

challos? We need them for the seudah. And does he deserve anything after he slapped you?"

Reb Zelig explained that if this poor man slapped him, he probably neededs the challos desperately.

Reb Zelig understood that the poor man's wife would be angry if he came home without challos, and

there would be a serious shalom bayis problem in their home.

"As for us," Reb Zelig said, "we can manage this week with some matzos."

Then, Reb Zelig closed himself in his room, and from outside the door, people heard him say, "Zelig, 

why did you need to be slapped twice before you learned that you must give away from yourself to

others?"

He rebuked himself for not helping this poor man immediately.

(Torah Wellsprings, Kedoshim, 5782)

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