When Rabbi Shmelke was a little boy, a local peasant gave him a toy soldier that he became very attached to. But Shmelke’s grandfather, Rabbi Itchy of Borough Park, did not think this was an appropriate toy and took it away from him. When Shmelke missed it, Rabbi Itchy told him that the soldier had died.

After this, Shmelke would often ask Rabbi Itchy whether his toy soldier would be waiting for him in heaven when he died. Itchy would only say, “Time will tell.” This question and answer was exchanged between them again and again over the years, even when Shmelke had grown up and become Rabbi of Gowanus.

When Rabbi Itchy died, Shmelke said kaddish for him for a year, as if for his own father; but at the end of the year, he went to Itchy’s grave and yelled down into the earth, “Have you found my G.I. Joe yet, you son of a bitch?”

The hasidim were very moved.