The Din Torah

Rav Mordechai Dov of Hornosteipel, author of Emek She'ela, was the grandson of Rav Yaakov Yisroel of Tsherkas, who had appointed him Rebbe in Hornosteipel.

The Tsherkaser once summoned his grandson from Hornosteipel. When Rav Mordechai Dov arrived, he waited patiently for some explanation of the invitation. When none came, he presented himself before his grandfather and asked, "Zeide, please, you summoned me here and here I am. Why have you called for me?"

"I summoned you here to decide on a dispute," said the Tsherkaser. "You see, your grandmother and I have a disagreement, and we both decided that there is no one more fitting to resolve it than yourself. Whatever you decide, so shall it be."

The Tsherkaser Rebbe called for the rebbetzin, and when she arrived, he presented the argument. "Your grandmother says that she must leave this world before I do. Her reasoning is that if I die first and she is left a widow, no more chassidim will come to Tsherkas. If so, where will her livelihood come from, and how can she bear the loneliness? And I say that I must be the first to depart. My reasoning is that if she dies first and I am left like half a body, how will I manage without her?"

"Now, my grandson, you have heard our arguments. We trust and rely on you to reach a decision and render a verdict."

The Hornosteipler answered, "On the one hand, Grandmother is correct, for her life as a widow would be difficult indeed. However, since you, Zeide, are of a different opinion, I do not wish to go against you. Therefore my decision is that when the time comes for you both to depart this world, you do so together, in the same year."

And so it was. In Sivan of 5636, the Tsherkaser rebbetzin, a daughter of the Mittler Rebbe of Chabad, passed away. Shortly afterward, in Elul of the same year, the Rebbe followed her to Olam HaEmes.