The Shach's Berocha

Rav Meir was born to the Shach's sister's daughter. Here is the legendary tale of how it happened.

In the year 5415, a war broke out, and the Shach, his brother Yona and their younger sister fled Vilna for their lives. As they fled they were separated and could no longer find one another. The Shach finally settled in the home of Rav Yitzchok Ashkenazi, one of the community leaders. As was his custom, he stayed up late into the night studying Torah, and he learned with a niggun. Suddenly he heard crying from one of the rooms. He approached and found a young girl sobbing hysterically. When he asked what was wrong, she explained that she once had a beloved brother, a talmid chochom and a great Torah scholar, who learned with that very same niggun.

"During the war, as we fled our father Rav Meir's home in Vilna, we were separated, and I never found him again. Hearing that niggun again left me heartbroken."

Before she could continue, the Shach burst out, "My long-lost sister." Their joyous reunion became even happier when her coming marriage to the recently widowed Rav Yitzchok, the parnas, was announced. The Shach blessed them that their offspring should light up the world. It is generally accepted that the Panim Meiros was the outcome of this berocha.