The Garments Like Diamonds

Rav Mottele Rachmastrivker used to tell this story when he lived in Yerushalayim. In the month of Marcheshvan, Rav Nachum of Czernobyl, the Meor Einayim, passed away, and all of Czernobyl sat in mourning. Even the non-Jews of the town grieved for the tzaddik. Into that sorrowful place came word that Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, was coming to pay a shiva call. He was a famous talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch and a colleague of the departed Rebbe.

The whole town lined the streets to catch a glimpse of him. As he passed, no one dared to greet him or to offer a hand, so great was the fire in his eyes. When he entered the house of mourning, he went to Rav Mordechai, who was sitting shiva for his father, and said to him:

"My teacher, the Maggid of Mezritch, once said that he had the power to bestow a lofty soul on one of his talmidim, but that he did not know who was worthy of it. When Rav Aharon Hagadol of Karlin left this world, the Maggid sent your father, Rav Nachum of Czernobyl, to Rav Aharon's tziun at the cemetery. He was to announce there, in the Maggid's name, that Rav Aharon's orphaned daughter, Chaya Sora, was to be married. Since Rav Nachum was soon to have a son, Rav Mordechai, the two were to be betrothed. Your father traveled to Karlin, stood at Rav Aharon's tziun, delivered the message, and returned to the Maggid and to his home.

"The following year a son was born to Rav Nachum, and he named him Mordechai. In time Mordechai married Chaya Sora, Rav Aharon's daughter. Their sons were Rav Yaakov Yisrael of Tsherkas, Rav Moshe of Karistshuv and Rav Aharon of Czernobyl, and their daughter Malka later became connected by marriage to Rav Yosef of Yampola and to Rav Boruch of Mezhibuzh.

"The teno'im, the engagement contract between this orphan girl and Rav Mordechai, were drawn up in the home of the Maggid of Mezritch, with all his talmidim and the chevraya kadisha present. The Maggid honored Rav Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, author of the Pri HaAretz, to read the teno'im aloud. When Rav Menachem Mendel reached the bride's name and read, 'Chaya Sora, daughter of Rav Aharon, who stands at the side of the kallah,' he fainted. No one could revive him until the Maggid came, laid a hand on his shoulder and said, 'Why are you so frightened? Have you never met Rav Aharon?'

"When Rav Menachem Mendel recovered, he said, 'Rebbe, my master, I was overcome with awe because I saw Rav Aharon clothed in white garments that blazed and sparkled as if they were made of diamonds and precious stones. The tradition I received is that only one or two people in a generation merit such garments, and I never knew that Rav Aharon had reached such heights.'"