A Holy Argument Between In-Laws

One of the sons of Rav Yissocher Dov Ber was getting married. The chuppah stood ready and everyone was about to go to it, when the Rebbe realized that he and his mechutan, another holy Rav, had not yet carried out the teaching of Chazal that no match is made without an argument. It is commonly believed that such an argument carries mystical power to help the new couple.

So the Rebbe began to argue with his mechutan, but not as people usually do, by raising himself up and putting the other down. He argued the opposite way. He asked how a righteous man who knew the Torah so thoroughly could have thought to join in marriage with a lowly ignoramus like himself. He went on to say so many harsh things about himself that the one who recorded the story said they are not fit to print.

When the mechutan heard this and saw how far the Rebbe had lowered himself, he argued back. "How can you say these things about yourself? Are you not a truthful man? All these faults you name are true of me, and I am far lower than you, to my shame." This went on until both had humbled themselves to the dust. Finally Rav Yissocher Dov Ber said, "Now we can go to the chuppah."