The Maharsha's Successor

When the Jews of Ostrog built their shul, they needed to raise a large sum of money. The groundbreaking and the laying of the cornerstone were therefore held with great pomp and a lavish ceremony, to which a great crowd was invited. The honor of laying the cornerstone was sold to a wealthy Jew for a bag of gold coins. He in turn gave the honor to the Maharsha.

The Maharsha asked him what he could grant him in return. The rich man asked for a son who would be as great as the Maharsha.

"This is very difficult. Ask for something else," said the Maharsha. But the rich man would not change his mind and stubbornly insisted on this and nothing else.

"If so," said the Maharsha, "I can grant it, but you will die when your wife conceives, and she will die in childbirth. I will adopt and raise the child for you. Only in this way can I fulfill your wish." The couple agreed, and so it was.

The Maharsha raised the orphan, who seemed ordinary in every respect, his greatness hidden. Before the Maharsha passed away, he ordered the orphan he had raised to be his successor.

The new Rav never took part in the funeral of any of the important people of the town, and the people ridiculed him for this strange behavior. At the next such funeral he told his attendant to let him know, and this time the Rav came. When he approached the body, he lifted the shrouds, and the horrified crowd saw angels of destruction carry the body away before their eyes.

"You see?" the Rav said. "These are your important citizens. How do you expect me to honor them?"

From that day on, the people recognized his greatness as the Maharsha's successor.