In a unique and seldom-seen moment, the Rebbe of Chernobyl paid a special visit last week to the home of the Belzer Rebbe.
At the start of the visit, the Chernobyler Rebbe inquired after the health and wellbeing of the Belzer Rebbe, who responded, “Baruch Hashem, better now.”
The Belzer Rebbe then asked, “In Chernobyl, was it customary for the sons of the holy Rav Aharon of Chernobyl zt”l to say Torah publicly?”
The Chernobyler Rebbe replied, “They did not. Rav Aharon himself would say Torah in a whisper.”
Curious, the Belzer Rebbe asked whether the Rebbe himself delivers Torah discourses.
His son, Rav Aharon Twerski, answered on his behalf: “My father shlit”a only repeats teachings from holy seforim; he does not say his own. The tzaddik Rav Moshe of Koristshov zt”l, son of Rav Mordechai of Chernobyl zt”l, also refrained from saying Torah. One time, when he wasn’t feeling well, he told his son to go lead the tish and say Torah.”
The Belzer Rebbe honored his guest by inviting him to share something of his own.
In response, Rav Aharon Twerski recounted a story: “The holy Rav Mordechai of Rachmastrivka zt”l was once on a ship en route to Eretz Yisroel. One of the great rabbonim aboard asked him to say something, and Rav Mordechai responded, ‘If the rav is like an angel of Hashem, then seek Torah from his mouth.’”
The two Rebbes then made a l’chaim, blessing one another over wine.
The Belzer Rebbe shared a thought: “It’s said about the Me’or Einayim that he would say many divrei Torah, and the ones printed were only those he didn’t offer himself.” He added, “The seforim ask why the Torah uses the phrase ‘zos chukas haTorah’ when it only discusses Parah Adumah. Why not ‘zos chukas haParah’? The Me’or Einayim explains that although there is a reason given by Rav Moshe HaDarshan, the fact that teshuvah itself works is a chok — a Divine decree beyond reason.”
The Belzer Rebbe then asked if the Chernobyler Rebbe planned to travel anywhere to rest during the summer.
“Maybe to Switzerland,” the Chernobyler Rebbe answered.
“Where is your yeshiva currently located?” asked the Belzer Rebbe.
“In Elad,” replied the Chernobyler Rebbe.
“And who is the rosh yeshiva?” the Belzer Rebbe continued.
“There are ramim,” he replied, “but no official rosh yeshiva.”
Rav Aharon Twerski added, “The holy Rav Aharon zt”l once said that a yeshiva requires barrels of gold.”
To which the Belzer Rebbe responded, “The idea is that barrels of gold come from the yeshiva.”
Turning to their family histories, the Belzer Rebbe asked, “Did your grandfather, Rav Chaim Yitzchok Twerski zt”l, live in Chernobyl?”
The Chernobyler Rebbe responded, “He lived in Kyiv. Originally, he was from Mazyr in Russia, where he was born, and then later moved to Kyiv.”
“Your father, Rav Meshulam Zusia zt”l, came to Eretz Yisroel miraculously,” noted the Belzer Rebbe.
“Yes,” replied the Chernobyler Rebbe. “It was unheard of at the time. Back then, only the elderly would move to Eretz Yisroel. No one understood how he was able to come. My grandfather zt”l left for Eretz Yisroel just before the war. In 1939, he was sent from Poland to Jerusalem.”
“Your father spent Shabbos in Belz,” recalled the Belzer Rebbe.
The Chernobyler Rebbe confirmed, “Indeed, he wrote it down, though not explicitly. He hinted that he went to daven at the kevarim of the avos, and he spent a Shabbos during Elul in Belz.”
“I remember that when he lived in Eretz Yisroel, he would frequently visit my uncle, the Rebbe zt”l,” the Belzer Rebbe said.
The Belzer Rebbe added, “Your grandmother a”h, the mother of your father zt”l and daughter of Rav Yitzchok Yeshaya of Tshakhow zt”l, who was a grandson of the Rebbe Rav Yehoshua zt”l — she also lived here in Eretz Yisroel.”
The Chernobyler Rebbe replied, “Yes, she was born in Belz…”
The Belzer Rebbe concluded, “I remember she was present at my bar mitzvah celebration.”
The visit ended with warm brachos exchanged between the two Rebbes.
{Matzav.com Israel}
