The Din Torah

Rav Mordechai Dov of Horensteipel, author of Emek Sheala, was the grandson of Rav Yaakov Yisroel of Cherkas, who appointed him to the position of rebbe in Horensteipel.

The Tsherkaser once summoned his grandson from Horensteipel. 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, you summoned me here and here I am. Why have you called for me?”

“I summoned you to decide a dispute,” said the Rebbe. “Your grandmother and I have a disagreement, and we both decided that there is no one more fitting to resolve it than you. Whatever you decide, so shall it be.”

The Rebbe summoned 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. Then where will her income come from, and how will 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 render a verdict.”

The Horensteipler responded, “On the one hand, Grandmother is correct, and 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 5636 the Tsherkaser Rebbetzin, the daughter of the Mittler Rebbe of Chabad, passed away. Shortly afterwards, in Elul of the same year, the Rebbe followed her to Olam HaEmes.