The value of a Chossid

The Mitteler Rebbe’s daughter, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah, was married to Reb Yaakov Yisrael of Cherkassy, son of Reb Mordechai of Chernobyl. Thus she became exposed to the customs of her husband’s family, Poylisher Rebbeim, with which she had not been familiar in her youth.

[It is related that once, while her husband was conducting atisch with his Chassidim, she was surprised to note how the Chassidim were grabbing all of the shirayim, a practice that had not taken place in Lubavitch. She was worried that her husband was left with no food. ‘The way they grab all of the food’, she subsequently complained to her husband, ‘there is nothing left for you to eat!’

To this he replied: ‘From the shirayim that the Chassidim grab on Shabbos, we have what to eat the entire week’]

Once, when they were preparing for a trip to Lubavitch, Reb Mottel of Chernobyl summoned his daughter-in-law. “ I understand that you are preparing for a trip to Lubavitch,” he said to her, “and I would like to request of you to convey a message to your father.”

The Rebbetzin was very happy to have this great zechus of bringing the message between these two great tzaddikim, and she listened attentively, so that she would be able to carry it our precisely. “Tell your father”, commanded R’ Mottel, “that one of my Chassidim has become attracted to Chabad Chassidus, and is thus becoming a chosid of your father. Inform your father, therefore, that if he doesn’t return to me the chosid that was stolen from me, then he can keep his daughter, and should not expect her to be accepted back!”

The anticipation that the Rebbetzin had felt to be carrying out such a holy mission had been suddenly, understandably, turned to dread. She wasn’t sure how to react, but of one thing she was certain: she would do anything in her power to avoid fulfilling her esteemed father-in-law’s instructions.

However, when she arrived, her father sent for her, and it was impossible to avoid him. Although she still didn’t volunteer any information, the Mitteler Rebbe, on his own initiative, asked her: “Did your father-in-law perhaps give you a message for me?”

Finding herself pushed into a corner, she could no longer escape her predicament, and she repeated the harsh words of Reb Mottel to her father.

“Go and tell your father-in-law”, was the Mitteler Rebbe’s response, “that one chosid is more precious to me than seven daughters!”