A Shabbat Story: When Two Torah Giants Came for Dinner

There is a verse in this week’s Torah portion that sets the tone for our Shabbat story: “According to the Torah that they will teach you and according to the judgment that they will tell you, you shall do.”

In the Jewish community of Vilna, the tailor’s wife was struck with panic just before Shabbat. She had prepared a chicken for the Friday night meal, only to notice something troubling, one of its legs was crooked. She feared this might mean the chicken wasn’t kosher.

Worried, she sent her husband to seek a halachic (Jewish legal) ruling from Rabbi Shmuel, the chief rabbi of the city, who lived all the way on the other side of town. It was nearly time to light the Shabbat candles, but this felt urgent.

Only a few minutes passed before she regretted sending him. After all, they lived right near the home of the Gaon of Vilna, Rabbi Eliyahu, one of the greatest Torah sages of the generation. She realized she could simply send one of their children to ask the Gaon the question.

So she did.

The child came back quickly with the Gaon’s answer: the chicken was not kosher.

Later that night, after Shabbat prayers, the tailor returned home with Rabbi Shmuel’s ruling: the chicken was kosher, and the family could eat it with peace of mind.

Now they had a problem. The husband hadn’t known his wife had already asked the Gaon. Unsure what to do, he went back to Rabbi Shmuel and explained that the Gaon of Vilna had ruled the chicken forbidden.

Rabbi Shmuel was quiet for a moment. Then he wrapped himself in his Shabbat coat and asked the tailor to walk with him. Together, they made their way to the home of the Gaon of Vilna.

The Gaon was surprised to see the city’s chief rabbi at his door on a Shabbat night, but warmly invited them in.

Rabbi Shmuel apologized for the hour and for interrupting the Gaon’s Shabbat meal. Then, with humility and clarity, he said:

“As the Mara D’Atra, the halachic authority of the city, I ruled that the chicken was kosher. It’s true that your wisdom and greatness in Torah surpass mine, but part of preserving Torah law means establishing respectful boundaries between teachers and students. Therefore, I ask that you join me in visiting the tailor’s home. Let us eat the chicken together, to show that it is permitted.”

The Gaon of Vilna, known for his humility, agreed.

When they arrived at the tailor’s modest home, the family was stunned. The two greatest Torah leaders of the generation were standing in their doorway.

At the husband’s request, the wife hurried into the kitchen to serve the food. The children stood to the side of the room, eyes wide with wonder as they watched the two rabbinic giants seated in their home.

She returned carefully, holding the most elegant bowl they owned, filled with beautifully arranged pieces of chicken. The aroma filled the room. As she passed under the chandelier, something unexpected happened.

One of the tallow candles slipped from its holder and fell directly into the bowl of chicken.

Tallow, animal fat used in candles is biblically forbidden to eat. Now, even if the chicken had been perfectly kosher, the tallow had made it entirely prohibited. No one could eat it.

Rabbi Shmuel was visibly shaken. He turned to the Gaon of Vilna and said, “Please forgive me for troubling you. I only wanted to uphold the Torah properly. But now I see that your ruling was right, and I regret having caused you this inconvenience.”

The Gaon smiled gently and reassured him.

“Rabbi Shmuel, please don’t be upset. You acted exactly as the Torah requires of you. As the community’s rabbi, it was your responsibility to decide the halachah, and your ruling is valid. In fact, according to some opinions, your decision to permit the chicken was correct. I simply chose to follow a stricter opinion.

Since I personally ruled it was forbidden, for me, it becomes completely prohibited to eat. From Heaven, I was protected from eating something that’s forbidden to me and that’s why the candle fell into the bowl.”