The shochet looked at the stranger in surprise and asked, “What do you mean?”
“In Chad Gadya we find that the shochet kills the ox and is immediately killed in turn by the Malach HaMaves.
“This is most perplexing. After all, what has the slaughterer done that he is deserving of death? He has just fulfilled the mitzvah of shechita according to halacha. Why, then, the punishment?
“Seeing your behavior has given me the answer. After all, Chad Gadya is said at the end of the Seder, after the four cups of wine. The shochet has now slaughtered while he is under the influence of wine and this is the reason why he is punished…”
Two Honored Guests
Rav Yaakov, aside from his great scholarship, was a very good man. He hated to see anyone suffer and he used his keen mind to comfort those who were in pain.
Once, he and Rav Akiva Eiger traveled to the city of Warsaw on communal business and went to one of the local shuls to daven on Shabbos.
While the people were honored and overjoyed to have two such gedolim in their midst they did not know which of the two Torah giants should be given Shelishi, the third reading in the Torah, which is a great honor.
After intense deliberations, the rav of the shul decided that they would give Rav Akiva Shelishi and Rav Yaakov Shishi, the sixth reading, which is considered among Chassidim a great honor.
Rav Akiva, being a modest person, was greatly distressed when he saw that he had been chosen over Rav Yaakov for Shelishi.
During the services that followed he could not concentrate, thinking that Rav Yaakov might, in some way, feel slighted. When the services were over and the two rabbeim walked home together, Rav Yaakov noticed that Rav Akiva was in a solemn and depressed mood and did not meet his eyes.
He understood that Rav Akiva was disturbed over the fact that he had been slighted.
“I see that you are distressed,” said Rav Yaakov. “I assure you that you need not be.”
“Why?” asked Rav Akiva. “How can I help not being sad when the great Rav Yaakov of Lissa was slighted?”
“You need not worry about me being slighted. I am quite sure that the reason why you received Shelishi was not because the people considered you greater in learning than myself.
“You see, the city of Pozen, where you serve as rav is larger than the city of Lissa where I serve. The people of the congregation simply decided the order of being called up to the Torah on that basis.”
When Rav Akiva Eiger heard these words he felt greatly relieved and his spirits returned to him.