The Story Reb Itche Never Told the Frierdiker Rebbe

By Hershel Rosenbluh

13 Elul is the yahrtzeit of Reb Yakov Yisroel Twersky of Cherkas, son-in-law of the Mitteler Rebbe and son of Reb Mottele Chernobler. He passed away in 5636 (1876).

The Cherkasser was also the zeide of the Frierdiker Rebbe. His daughter, Chanah, married Reb Yosef Yitzchok of Avrutch, whose daughter was Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, the mother of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

The chossid Reb Shmerel Batumer (Sasonkin), in his memoirs, relates a remarkable story told to him by Reb Itche Der Masmid.

Around 5688 (1928), Reb Itche was visiting Nevel, where Reb Shmerel was staying at the time. Reb Shmerel shared with Reb Itche a thought he had regarding the Rambam’s description, at the end of Hilchos Melochim, of the identity and qualifications of Moshiach. The Rambam writes that ya’amod melech miBeis Dovid, that Moshiach must be from the House of Dovid Hamelech, among other qualifications.

Reb Shmerel told Reb Itche that he believed the Frierdiker Rebbe fit that description. He was from Beis Dovid, and he was the one leading the fight for Yiddishkeit in the Soviet Union, which was itself among the qualifications mentioned by the Rambam.

Reb Itche responded that he had a story to tell him about this, but that now was not the time to tell it.

Reb Shmerel repeatedly asked him to tell the story, but Reb Itche always answered that the time had not yet come.

Until finally, the opportunity arrived.

One winter night, Reb Itche was sitting with the bochurim in Nevel and farbrenging. He spoke about learning Torah lishmah, and introspective niggunim were sung.

At the conclusion of the farbrengen, when most of the bochurim had already fallen asleep, Reb Shmerel and the mashgiach, Reb Shia Korf, approached Reb Itche and reminded him about the story he had promised to tell them. This time, he agreed.

Reb Itche began:

Among chassidim, it is known that the Maggid of Mezritch said that Moshiach would be descended from either his oldest or his youngest talmid. The oldest was Reb Nochum Chernobler, who had already been by the Baal Shem Tov, while the youngest was the Alter Rebbe.

The Alter Rebbe wanted to make a shidduch with a descendant of Reb Nochum, thereby removing any doubt that Moshiach would be descended from both of them.

The Alter Rebbe had a grandchild, and Reb Nochum had a grandchild. The Alter Rebbe therefore traveled to Chernobel to see what could be done about a shidduch between the two families.

While there, the Alter Rebbe and Reb Nochum walked together to the well to draw water. It was a clear summer night, and the two tzaddikim became so engrossed in their discussion that they lost all sense of time. Only in the morning, when locals began arriving at the well, did they realize that they had spent the entire night there.

They returned home, and the Alter Rebbe told Reb Mottele, “Do you know why I came here? Let’s make a shidduch.”

Reb Nochum agreed and said that the Alter Rebbe could choose whichever child he wished.

At the time, Reb Nochum’s married children lived in his home, as was the seder. The Alter Rebbe entered the room where the young children were sleeping and began feeling their heads, one after another. He continued until he found one child who found favor in his eyes. “This is the child with whom I want to make the shidduch,” he said.

Reb Nochum agreed and asked that the child be moved to a separate corner of the house.

When Reb Boruch of Mezhibuz, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, heard about this, he too came to Chernobel to make a shidduch. He also wanted that same child for his eynikel, but he was told that the shidduch had already been taken.

That child was Reb Yakov Yisroel, who later became known as the Cherkasser and married Devorah Leah, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe.

The Frierdiker Rebbe was descended from that shidduch.

On Purim 5687 (1927), the last Purim the Frierdiker Rebbe spent in Leningrad, Reb Itche was at the Frierdiker Rebbe’s seudah and farbrengen. He very much wanted to tell the Frierdiker Rebbe this story about the shidduch.

He took a considerable amount of mashkeh and announced that he had a story to tell, but the Frierdiker Rebbe told Reb Itche that he had no need for his stories.

Reb Itche responded that this particular story affected the Frierdiker Rebbe. To this, the Frierdiker Rebbe replied: “The stories that are nogeia to me, I already know.” The story was not told.

At the end of the night, however, after the mashkeh had worn off, the Frierdiker Rebbe told Reb Itche to tell him the story. But by then, Reb Itche no longer had the courage to tell it.