Weekly Story: Recognizing His Greatness

by Rabbo Sholom Avtzon

Since Chof Daled Teves was this week, I am posting a story that I said at a farbrengen in connection to the Alter Rebbe.

As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

RECOGNIZING THE ALTER REBBE’S GREATNESS^[1]

When the Alter Rebbe’s future in-laws took him as a chossan for their daughter, their endearment towards him was unlimited. Regardless of his young age, he was considered one of the greatest scholars of the time.

Their admiration slowly eroded, however, upon observing that his way of serving Hashem (which was based on the teachings of the Shaloh HaKodesh), and especially his davening at length, was foreign to them. When he returned from Mezeritch and lived publicly as a chossid, their feelings for him turned to anger and hostility.

I am unaware if this story took place before he became a chossid or afterwards.

One erev Yom Tov, the Alter Rebbe’s mother-in-law had a halachic question on the meat being prepared for their meal. As was customary, she thought to send one of her helpers to ask the Rov the question, however, he wasn’t available then.

A few moments later she thought, “While I personally don’t understand my son-in-law’s ways, everyone says he is a true Torah scholar. Since time is of the essence, I will ask him the same question, and if he says it is kosher, surely the Rov would say so as well. This way, I will be able to save some precious time by preparing it earlier, especially as there is a lot to do this erev Shabbos.”

Taking the actual piece of meat in question, she knocked on the door to the room where he was learning, entered, and asked him the question she had.After hearing the question and examining the piece of meat he said, “It is one hundred percent kosher without any doubt.”

Delighted with his answer, she told the cook to begin preparing the meal using the rest of the meat. However, when her helper arrived, without mentioning that her son-in-law already gave a decision, she sent him to the Rov with the original piece just to make certain.

Some time later, when the dish was almost ready, the messenger returned with the Rov’s decision: “It is treif.”

She was dumbfounded! Not only were her son-in-law’s customs and ways of conduct strange to them, but he was evidently an ignoramus as well. How he was able to fool so many people into thinking that he was a scholar of the highest caliber was beyond her. Here he says there is no question what-so-ever, it is kosher beyond a doubt and the respected Rov declared it not kosher.

Her distress turned to bitterness as she unleashed her anger at her son-in-law: “Not only can’t you do anything in business; you don’t know Jewish law either! Why are we supporting you all these years? So you can sit and dream as if you know it all?! You just made my whole kitchen treif!”

Hearing her tirade, the messenger quietly slipped out of the house and rushed back to the Rov, informing him of the storm brewing in Reb Yehudah Leib Segal’s house. The Rov once again reviewed the shaalah and came to the same conclusion that the animal was treif. However, not wanting to cause friction among others, especially as he regarded the Alter Rebbe in the highest esteem, he decided to discuss it with another Rov.

After a thorough review, they both concluded that it was unequivocally treif. When the second Rov asked the first Rov what bothered him so much that he would spend why so much time onan obvious halachah, the Rov replied, “Reb Yehudah Segal’s illustrious son-in-law paskened that it is kosher, so now there is a battle brewing in the house of the Rosh HaKahel!”

“So let him come and explain his reason to us,” said the second Rov.

“No!” replied the first Rov. “I heard many scholarly explanations from him, and I also stood by his open window many nights listening to his learning. He is definitely greater than I, so it is only right that I go to him.”

The two Rabbonim walked together to Reb Yehudah’s house, and when they arrived at the door were shocked as they overheard the mother-in-law’s emotional tirade that was still going on. Knocking on the door they waited outside until one of the helpers opened the door and informed her of her distinguished guests Mrs. Segal greeted them respectfully and asked in bewilderment why the honored Rabbonim had come and if they needed anything. They informed her that they had come to discuss the shaalah of hers with her knowledgeable son-in-law.     

“Wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Maybe when he is informed of his terrible mistake, he will finally listen to reason and change his ways. I kept the food in the pots on the side, so my husband will see what our son-in-law did.”

When the Alter Rebbe was told that the Rabbonim had come and would like to discuss the question with him, he came out of his room and greeted them warmly.

They asked him, “On what basis did you pasken that the animal is kosher, as the Shach clearly writes that if this is seen on in an animal, it is treif?”

“I beg to differ,” responded the Alter Rebbe. “It is the Shach himself who paskens that it is kosher,” and he then began to review the Shach verbatim. As the Rabbonim listened, they immediately recognized their mistake in the meaning of the Shach’s words and told the Alter Rebbe in amazement that he was correct.

In order to show that they meant it and weren’t just saying it to make peace in the house, they requested that she bring them a small portion of the dishin question, and they ate from it before leaving.

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^[1]. Compiler’s note: Concerning this story and the following one, which I said in my father’s name. At that time they were unknown and when I repeated them, some questioned their validity. However, a few years later, they were printed in Kerem Chabad, Vol. IV, part 1, from a manuscript of a grandson of the Rebbe Maharash. This is testimony to the authenticity of all of his sippurim, and therefore I normally don’t make reference to other seforim of sippurim where the story is also mentioned, or the differences between them.