An outstanding chassidishe woman held in high esteem by the Tzemach Tzedek and Rebbetzin Rivkah‘s grandmother, Rebbetzin Leah Golda was was always calm and collected, never getting angry over wrongdoing or complaining when she suffered.
Rebbetzin Leah Golda was a great chassidishe woman who lived in the days of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek. She was the great-granddaughter of Reb Avrohom Broida, the author of Eishel Avrohom on Shluchan Aruch, and her wisdom, profound understanding, and great piety was outstanding even amongst the chassidim.
She married the chossid Reb Moshe of Shklov, and their fourth and youngest son Reb Aharon married the youngest daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, Rebbetzin (Chaya) Sarah, whose daughter Rebbetzin Rivka married the Rebbe Maharash.
The Tzemach Tzedek held Rebbetzin Leah Golda in high esteem, calling her a tzadeikes and a great bar daas (astute). She once sent a message to the Tzemach Tzedek that she wished to meet with him. When the messenger arrived, he found the Tzemach Tzedek pacing back and forth in his room already awaiting her arrival, all the while praising her great attributes.
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Rebbetzin Leah Golda possessed exceptional character traits and was especially cautious to avoid getting angry. Her grandchildren once tested her patience by telling her that the cook was lax about keeping the fleishig and milchig separate. She was shocked at hearing this, but said nothing, and she immediately went to the cook’s home.
When she arrived there, she did not yell, but began speaking in a pleading tone: “Sterkele, my daughter, what’s the matter with you? It seems you made a mistake and mixed up the dishes. But we are only human, such things happen. Now, tell me the truth.”
The cook had no idea what she was talking about since in fact nothing had happened. It was henceforth obvious that she could not be angered.
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Throughout her life, Rebbetzin Leah Golda suffered greatly, yet she never cried or complained. When her son Reb Hirshel Aizik, a great lamdan, passed away at age nineteen after completing Shas for the seventh time, she tore kriah and recited the bracha, “Boruch Dayan Hoemes,” and then said, “Ribono Shel Olam! I thank you that you gave us such children, tzadikim and lomdim, and I am even more thankful that I am returning them to you as tzadikim.”
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