A QUICK THIRST QUENCHER

During the Day of Atonement the sexton told Rabbi Hayyim Sandzer that a congregant, who was both wealthy and miserly, had fainted due to the fast and asked if he could give him some water.

"According to the law, you can give him a spoonful of water," the rabbi said.
A few minutes later the sexton reported to the rabbi that the man was revived but had fainted again and asked for more water.

This time the sage decreed differently: "Tell him that he can drink as much water as he requires provided he donates one hundred gilden to charity for each spoonful of water."

As soon as the rabbi's ruling was told to the revived congregant, his thirst disappeared and he felt sufficiently refreshed to continue with the Yom Kippur prayers.

 

From "Hasidic Tales and Teachings" The Yom Kippur Anthology, ed. Philip Goodman (JPS, 1992)