After the kever of Rabbi Shimon in Meron, Reb Shayele’s tziyun in Kerestir is one of the most frequented kevarim in the world where Jewish people are mispallel. You are now in the midst of rebuilding his shul. You and your father get a lot of credit for keeping Reb Shayele’s legacy alive.
Well, we are Reb Shayele’s einiklach.
How are you a grandson of Reb Shayele?
Through Reb Shayele’s son Reb Avrumele, who succeeded his father and was the rebbe in Kerestir for 20 months. Reb Shayele passed away on 3 Iyar 5685 (1925), and Reb Avrumele passed away on 18 Adar I 5687 (1927). He was succeeded by his son-in-law, Reb Meir Yosef Rubin, who was around 30 years old at the time. He served as rebbe until the war, when he was murdered in Auschwitz. Only three of his 14 children survived; my zeide was the oldest to survive. After coming to America, he lived in Williamsburg before moving to Boro Park, and he became a very big chasid of the Satmar Rebbe. He also had a brother named Reb Berish, who was the Kerestirer Rebbe of Boro Park, and a sister who was the Koson Rebbetzin.
Was this brother older than your zeide?
No. He was younger. My grandfather was married before the war but his brother wasn’t. After the war, my zeide decided to look for a shidduch for his brother before he himself got remarried. He made a shidduch for his brother with the daughter of the Sorvosher Rav, but the Sorvosher made a condition that my zeide had to give his brother the rabbistive. My grandfather was happy to do so, and he gave it to him in writing.
Rav Shayele originally lived in Liska, where his rebbe, the Ach Pri Tevuah, whom he was meshamesh, resided.
That’s correct. In fact, he would sign his name “Shaya ben Reb Moshe, who was a meshamesh bakodesh of the tzaddik of Liska (the Ach Pri Tevuah).” He went to him around the time of his bar mitzvah, and he was there for ten or 11 years.
How did he later get to the neighboring town of Kerestir?
In the late 5630s (1870s), shortly after the Sanzer Rav passed away, Rav Mordechai of Nadvorna was living in Kerestir. It is said that Rav Mordechai lived there for a year and a half. Reb Shayele went to Rav Mordechai to tell him that he was suffering in Liska due to disagreement over who should be the successor to the Ach Pri Tevuah. Rav Mordchele told him to move to Kerestir.
Why did he consult Rav Mordchele?
Reb Shayele had three rebbes: the Ach Pri Tevuah, the Sanzer Rebbe and Rav Mordchele of Nadvorna. The Sanzer Rav wanted him to remain in Liska and become the successor to the Ach Pri Tevuah. The Sanzer Rav also wrote a teshuvah stating that there’s no such thing as yerushah when it comes to being a rebbe. Reb Shayele told him that he couldn’t handle the disputes, but the Sanzer Rav insisted: “Blut zol zich gissen, zolst blaiben in Liska—Even if blood should flow, you should remain in Liska.” He later told the Yetev Lev that he couldn’t withstand the redifos, and the Yetev Lev told him to leave. Reb Shayele said, “But the heilige Rav said that I should stay.” The Yetev Lev replied, “The Sanzer Rav was an ish milchamah, and he was able to deal with such things, but this isn’t for you. Go somewhere else.” “Where should I go?” Reb Shayele asked. “It doesn’t matter,” the Yetev Lev replied, “because even if you go to a mountaintop, you’ll have people coming to you.”
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