נושאים מטוב מצרים…(ויגש מה:כג)

Rashi says that Yosef sent a geshmak, aged wine that is praiseworthy by older adults.

The last Bar Mitzvah celebrated in Belz before WWII was for the bochur R’ Shlome’la Frankel zt’’l, hy’ ’d, a grandson of Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt’’l.

The Bar Mitzvah took place on Friday, Erev Shabbos Parshas Zachor.  Maran used to partake in the Shachris prayer, but that morning, the crows of chassidim waited until 11:30 AM to start davening. Maran didn’t arrive, so they started davening.

The Bar Mitzvah seudah was celebrated in the afternoon, in the ‘Groiser Shtib”, since it’s customary in Belz to make a seudah on the day the bar mitzvah boy puts on Tefillin for the first time, even if it falls on Friday.

As Shabbos was approaching, Maran Reb Aharon joined the Bar Mitzvah seudah and honored the bochur, who was wearing a ‘kulpik’ on his head, to recite his “p’shetel” (bar mitzvah speech.) Maran used to interrupt the speech with a ‘Mazel Tov!’ But since the p’shetel was so deep, it seemed that Maran was dozing, and the crowd didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, someone called out “Mazel Tov,” and Maran lifted his head and said, “Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!” thus, finishing the speech.  Maran then said, “It’s late, it’s late!”

Maran honored the Bar Mitzvah bochur to bench and handed him a cup of strong wine.  The bochur’s father, Reb Shmiel Frankel zt’’l, told Maran, “He’s still young!” (he can’t drink wine.) Maran replied, “That’s why I’m giving it to him!” (He’s no longer a child; he’s bar mitzvah and can already get a taste for wine.)