An unknown anecdote recounts a question posted to the Chofetz Chaim by Harav Eliezer Pupko about whether to accept a rabbinic position in a city of Lubavitcher Chassidim. The Chofetz Chaim had special things to say about them.
By Anash.org writer
Two weeks ago, Rabbi Mordechai Dovber Pupko, a descendant of the Mitteler Rebbe, passed away. He was the son of Rabbi Yitzchok Pupko, who merited to have a very warm relationship with the Rebbe and the Frierdiker Rebbe.
In last week’s Here’s My Story, an interview with R’ Mordechai Pupko was published, in which he shared how his family’s relationship with Lubavitch first came to be. He recounted that it began after his grandfather, Harav Eliezer Pupko, accepted a rabbinic position in the city of Velizh, an enclave of Lubavitch Chassidim.
An interesting anecdote, not included in the interview, describes how Reb Eliezer Pupko became the Rav of Velizh after consulting with the Chofetz Chaim, R’ Yisroel Meir Kagan of Radin.
This story was originally published in the Algemeiner or Tog Morgan Journal as part of a feature titled “Dramatic Memories of the Velizher Rabbi, Rav Eliezer Pupko Z”L, for His Twentieth Yahrtzeit.” It was written in Yiddish by his son, Rabbi Dr. Baruch Aharon Pupko.
A newspaper clipping of this article was kindly shared with Anash.org by shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan of Maryland.
“My father studied in the Telz, Slabodka and Volozhin yeshivos and received semicha from Harav Rafael Shapiro and Harav Mordchai’le Ashminer, z”l, amongst others. He was a rav in Belovezh and Kalush before receiving the offer to serve as the rabbi of Velizh. Velizh was a town with 19 shuls, over 50 chadorim [schoolhouses], an advanced yeshiva and was full with well-known and learned Lubavitch Chassidim.”
“With the consent of his father (my grandfather), the gaon Harav Yakkov Sapir z”l, the rav of Saratov, my father travelled to Radin to consult with the Chofetz Chaim whether it would be advisable and appropriate for a student educated in the Slabodka and Volozhin yeshivos, to accept a position in a city dominated by Lubavitcher Chassidim.”
“The Chofetz Chaim answered my father: ‘In Hashem’s army, the Chassidim are the most trusted soldiers, they stand on the front lines of the battlefield. Effective soldiers and especially the Lubavitcher Chassidim are moser nefesh for Torah and yidishkeit. They learn Torah and they love Torah. To be a general by such trusted and dedicated soldiers of Hashem is a tremendous kavod and a rare z’chus!’
Thanks for sharing!