Seudat Mitzvah, or How to Silence the Accuser
A Jewish man asked that the Maggid of Chernobyl be the sandak at his son's brit.
The Maggid asked, “Will there be a seudat mitzvah after the Brit Milah?”
The man replied that he was very poor and could not afford to host a meal. The Maggid said, “If you want me to be the sandak, you must promise that you will observe the custom and host a seudah.” He advised him to borrow money from his employer.
The Maggid explained: “The angel of Esau is Sama-el, and this is an acronym for the words:
סעודה מילה אין לעשות
‘Seudah milah—ein la'asot’—(not to make a brit milah meal).
That is, when broken down by its letters:
סעודה ס Seudah (meal)
מילה מ Milah (circumcision / Brit Milah)
אין א Ein (cannot, not)לעשות ל La'asot (to do).
The yetzer hara does everything in its power to prevent us from hosting these three particular meals. Unfortunately, when it comes to a siyum (the meal held after completing the study of a tractate of the Talmud or a section of Mishnah), it often succeeds. But I will not let it stop us from hosting a meal after the brit, which is why I insist on this.”
“Bat Ayin”—Rabbi Avraham Dov of Ovruch was present during this conversation. Some time later, he explained why Satan cannot tolerate meals celebrating the completion of a tractate, a Brit Milah, or other special mitzvot.
Satan appears before the L-rd and says: “So-and-so committed this transgression, and another committed that transgression.” The angel Michael immediately responds: “Look at the broken heart of the person—even when he sinned, he did not want to do so. But look at the Jew who completed a tractate, fulfilled a mitzvah, or performed a brit milah for his son. How happy he is! He even hosted a feast to rejoice in his fortunate lot!”
This argument silences Satan. That is why he tries so hard to prevent us from hosting a seudat mitzvah.
(Based on “The Well of Torah” on “Behar” by Rabbi Elimelech Biderman)