Rav Yisrael Yitzchak Kalish of Vurka

Testimony Against One’s Own Family

It is told that the first time Rav Yitzchak came to the court of the Chozeh of Lublin, accompanied by Rav Dovid of Lelov, it was Rosh Hashanah. The Chozeh did not come out for tekiyas shofar for a long while. At last Rav Dovid went into the inner room, bringing in with him the Vurker, who was then a young lad.

“What halachos are you studying?” asked the Chozeh. “I am studying the laws of eidus, witnesses and testimony,” he answered. “Have you come up with any chiddushim?” asked the Chozeh.

Yitzchak said that a question was troubling him. Why is a relative of the accused disqualified as a witness, unable to testify even against the accused? It is understandable that a relative cannot testify in his favor, since he may not be impartial, but why can he not testify against him together with the prosecution?

“What did you answer?” asked the Chozeh. “The pasuk speaks of two people standing as witnesses,” replied Yitzchak, “so the witnesses must be actual human beings. But someone who testifies against his own family cannot be considered a person. He loses his status as a human being, because he lacks humanity, and therefore he is disqualified from serving as a witness.”

The Chozeh’s eyes lit up, and he said joyfully, “Now we can go out and blow shofar, for the harsh decree has passed. We are Hashem’s children and He is our Father. How can He accept testimony against His own family?”

A Talmid Like the Rebbe Reb Melech

Rav Yeshaya of Pshedburz once expressed his wonder at Rav Yitzchak’s deep attachment to Rav Simchah Bunim of Peshischa. Rav Yitzchak told him that Rav Bunim had the same power as Eliyahu HaNavi.

“When he takes hold of your hand, or even the hand of one of the simplest and lowest of his talmidim, you are immediately filled with fiery excitement. Your heart is filled with such a fierce love for Hashem and His Torah that you become willing to sacrifice yourself for His sake, even to die al kiddush Hashem.”

The affection was mutual. Rav Simchah Bunim once remarked, “One day I will raise up a disciple as great as the Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizensk.” The Kotzker later revealed that this talmid was none other than Rav Yitzchak of Vurka.

The Ka’as Kapote

Vurka was marked by such intense ahavas Yisroel that the Rebbe nullified himself and his own person for the sake of his chassidim. “I nullify myself like a sugar cube in a glass of hot water,” the Vurker Rebbe used to say.

The Rebbe owned a special garment called his ka’as kapote, literally the coat of anger. Whenever he absolutely needed to become angry, he would order the ka’as kapote to be brought to him. By the time it arrived he had usually calmed down.

Once there was a matter that upset the Rebbe greatly. Since he was filled with ahavas Yisroel by nature, he could not stain himself with a middah as base as anger. Yet the matter required anger, so he ordered the ka’as kapote brought to him. By the time it arrived and the Rebbe put it on, he turned to his devoted attendant, Reb Feivel Shamash, and said, “Feivel, you get angry for me. I just cannot do it.”

Who Needs a Key?

The Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz would relate that a G-d-fearing chassid once came to Rav Yitzchak of Vurka and cried out, “Rebbe, please open my heart so that I can repent and do teshuvah.”

The Rebbe replied, “But I do not have the key to your heart.”

“So what, Rebbe,” answered the chassid passionately. “Who needs a key? Rebbe, take a hatchet and hack away until it breaks open.”

Patience and Peace

In his younger years Rav Yitzchak was a man of means, and he travelled from time to time to the Chozeh of Lublin. On one visit the Chozeh remarked that if a fitting opportunity arose to work as a private teacher, it would be wise to take it. Rav Yitzchak was sure that the Chozeh had someone else in mind. Why would a man of property want the small wage of a tutor? Out of respect he said nothing and went into the Rebbe’s beis medrash.

A moment later a villager from near Ternigrad came to the Chozeh in tears. His sons were growing up coarse for lack of a good teacher, and he would pay whatever was asked for a devoted one. The Chozeh told him that if he could pay forty gold rubles, he should hire the young man who had just left the room. The villager found Rav Yitzchak and offered the sum, on condition that he travel back with him at once. Now Rav Yitzchak understood that the Chozeh had meant him, though he still did not know why. He accepted the Rebbe’s word without a second thought and went.

Before leaving Lublin he wrote to his wife to explain his delay. Her answer came after several days: he had done well to take the position, because the French, then at war with Russia, had marched through their town and plundered all they owned, even the fodder. The boys, however, were slow and grasped nothing. Troubled, he travelled back to Lublin. “Pray for them,” said the Chozeh. He did, and from then on the work went well.

The village had a minyan of exactly ten men, and once one of them refused to join the others because of a grievance. Another villager quoted the words about Yissachar, “He saw that rest was good, and he bowed his shoulder to bear,” and explained that a man who understands the value of tranquility is willing to bear anything. Whoever carries life’s trials calmly, and is never angry at another, has peace.

When his term ended, the villager asked him to stay on. Rav Yitzchak said that since he had come only on his rebbe’s orders, he must ask him. In Lublin the Chozeh told him that his time as a teacher was over, and then asked whether he had heard any worthwhile Torah thought in the village. Rav Yitzchak had no answer. The Chozeh asked again, “Is it possible that in half a year there you heard nothing?” Then Rav Yitzchak remembered the villager’s words about patience and peace and repeated them. “If so,” said the Chozeh, “you have heard a great deal.”

Years later, as a renowned Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak told this story and added that soon afterward he became wealthy again and gave away what he had earned as a tutor. As for the villager’s remark about patience and peace, he said, “I am still working on it today.”

The Red Heifer and Love of One’s Fellow

Rav Yitzchak taught that the essence of the Parah Adumah, the whole procedure of purifying those who are spiritually impure, is the mitzvah to love one’s neighbor. His descendant Rav Mendel of Vurka explained why. The kohen who takes part in the purification becomes impure himself through the very process that purifies the person who came to him. Giving up something of your own in order to help another is the ultimate love for a fellow Jew. When one truly loves another, he feels pleasure in every sacrifice made on his behalf.

On Bamidbar 19:7 (Parshas Chukas)

Alone, Yet Among Others

Rav Yitzchak said that solitude is good for the soul, and indeed good for everything. But the key is to be alone while still in the company of others. Those who are completely alone and silent cannot claim that they have conquered their appetite for speech.

Saying of Rav Yitzchak of Vurka