Weekly Story: Being Mehader

Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

As this Monday is chof-zayin Adar and all Anash are contemplating on the fact that it is thirty years since the Rebbe suffered his first stroke, I would like to relate the following story that I recently heard from Reb Moshe Klein, who was in the Rebbe’s room from then on for the following two years. 

This story shows how the Rebbe conducted him in a time of his pain, and in our time of pain, perhaps we should emulate him. As always your feedback is appreciated. 

I am writing it in first person as if it was written by Reb Moshe Klein.

After chof-zayin Adar, I was in the Rebbe’s room and the mazkirus (Rebbe’s secretariat) also hired a non-Jewish nurse to attend the Rebbe. In general, I attended to the Jewish aspects, such as wrapping the teffilin on the Rebbe, while the nurse attended to medical and hygiene aspects. 

One of his responsibilities was to cut the Rebbe’s nails every week or so. However, whenever he attempted to cut the nails on the Rebbe’s hand, the Rebbe did not allow him to do it. Either he moved his hand or covered the paralyzed hand with the hand that he could move.

While it bothered the nurse, however, initially it wasn’t perturbing, as it wasn’t interfering with the Rebbe’s overall care. However, after a while, the nails were growing longer and on the paralyzed hand, where the fingers were bent forward and clutched into his palm the nails began cutting into the skin causing it to bleed, and it was quite apparent that it was causing the Rebbe considerable pain.

Nevertheless, when the nurse attempted to cut or even trim them, the Rebbe continued preventing him from doing so. 

But now it was affecting the Rebbe’s wellbeing and we all were at a loss as to what we should do.

Reb Moshe continued, I thought if the Rebbe was my father or grandfather what would I do in this circumstance?

After a few moments of thought I went over to the Rebbe and said “If the Rebbe would allow me to cut his nails, I will do as it is prescribed in Shulchan Aruch (see chapter 260 halacha 3 in the Alter Rebbe’s shulchan Aruch).”

Hearing this, the Rebbe nodded in agreement and no longer moved or protected his hand.

Reb Moshe continued, this past year I was in Eretz Yisroel and I visited the Tolna Rebbe in Yerushalyim. He asked me to relate some stories of the Rebbe and one of the stories I related was this one.

He responded in astonishment, Reb Moshe are you aware that the Arizal writes that this custom of skipping nails and beginning from the index on the right hand has no basis in Halacha and the Alter Rebbe writes (in that halacha in Shulchan Aruch) that while some mock this custom, one who is stringent upon himself is blessed, so he also agrees that it is not an obligation. 

Yet, even when the Rebbe was paralyzed etc. and needed the assistance of others, he was so meticulous in what they did that he prevented them from cutting it for many weeks and suffered tremendous pain just to uphold a hiddur of a minhag.

Reb Moshe continued, in appreciation the Tolna Rebbe then related to me a story that he heard when he was learning together with the Gerer Rebbe, HaRav Pinchos Menachem Alter, known as the Pnei Menachem. But that is for another time.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com