From where should I have meat to give to this entire nation…? (11:13)

Moses was unable to lower himself to the task of providing Israel with meat; his soul was far too lofty to deal with so mundane a need.

- Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch

The surging crowd pressed close to the table at which Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch was seated. It was Simchat Torah of 1919, the Rebbe was farbrenging, and everyone wished to hear the Rebbe's words. Soon the table, no longer able to bear the mounting pressure, collapsed.

Not wishing to disturb the Rebbe's talk, the chassidim carefully lifted the splintered table piece by piece, and passed it hand over hand out of the room. Only when he concluded his talk did the Rebbe notice what had happened and exclaimed in surprise: "Where is the table?"

"I will tell you a story" he said. "Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Barditchov had concluded his study of shechitah and was preparing to slaughter his first hen. He took the bird in his left hand, and diligently prepared it for the shechting. In his right he held the chalef.1 With great concentration and ecstasy, he recited the blessing over the mitzvah which he was privileged to observe for the very first time. In the meantime, the hen decided that, under the circumstances, it was high time she ran for her life…

"The Barditchover concluded the blessing and exclaimed (the Rebbe quoted in Polish-accented Yiddish): 'Vi is di hin? Where is the hen…?' "