He Stood with One Foot on the Mantel Throughout the Maamar

Reb Boruch Sholom, the eldest son of the Tzemach Tzedek, had a special relationship with the Alter Rebbe. Once during a packed maamar, he tried climbing onto the fireplace, but unable to move, he remained with just one foot on the mantel for the duration of the maamar.

Reb Boruch Sholom, known as the Rabash, was the eldest son of the Tzemach Tzedek. Born in 5566, his great grandfather the Alter Rebbe, expressed a profound love for him.

The Rabash was extremely modest and refused to become the Rebbe after his father’s passing, unlike his other brothers who all became Rebbes. Both the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe Maharash would seek his counsel regarding communal matters.

He passed away on the 16^th of Shevat, 5629 (1869). 

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When Reb Boruch Sholom was six years old, the Alter Rebbe taught him dikduk, and when he was around seven years of age the Alter Rebbe taught him the various trop (tunes) of Tanach, including the special tunes, such as those used for Az Yashir, the Asseres Hadibros, Nevi’im, and Kesuvim, each of which has unique tunes.

Reb Boruch Sholom later taught them to his younger brother, the Rebbe Maharash. Though the Rebbe Maharash had a long breath, singing these notes would strain his heart.

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When the Alter Rebbe left Liadi to escape Napolean, young R. Boruch Sholom traveled in his great-grandfather’s carriage, and slept in his room at inns where they stopped along the way. The journey lasted about five months. R. Boruch Sholom later told the Rebbe Rashab, “I merited to be in the immediate vicinity of my holy great-grandfather for 142 days and nights.”

His bond with the Alter Rebbe was so strong that after the Alter Rebbe passed away, Reb Boruch Sholom became utterly broken – for the rest of his life.

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When he was born, R. Boruch Sholom was missing some fingers on his right hand. When it came time for him to put on tefillin, a question arose as to which hand he should lay them on since his right hand was deformed, yet it was still his stronger hand.

The Tzemach Tzedek dedicated multiple teshuvos to discussing the issue (Orach Chaim 4-7), and also communicated about it with R. Nechemia of Dubvorna and the leading posek of Galicia, R. Shlomo Kluger.

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The Rebbe Rashab was once in the home of Reb Yuzik Gurevitz in Warsaw, and there were many chassidim there; the house was packed, and some attendees began pushing.

The room quieted, and the Rebbe Rashab began relating, “Once, when the Tzemach Tzedek was saying Chassidus, his eldest son Reb Boruch Sholom put his foot on the fireplace and wanted to lift his second foot unto it as well. However, because the room was packed, he was unable to lift his foot, and was forced to remain in that position for the duration of the entire maamar.”

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