8 Kislev · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Aharon Twersky
Rabbi Aharon, son of the Chernobyler Maggid, was born in 1784 in Chernobyl
Yahrzeit - 8 Kislev
Resting place - Chernobyl
His upbringing was actively guided by his grandfather, the Rebbe - the author of the "Meor Einayim" - who put tefillin on him for the first time and promised him that he would live to see the coming of Mashiach.
The Rebbetzin was unable to nurse her newborn son due to a difficult birth, so a wet nurse was sought for the child. At that time, a couple of paupers with a nursing infant had settled in the "hekdesh" of Chernobyl, a free charitable hostel. The gabbaim came up with the idea of giving this woman a chance to earn some money by offering her services as a wet nurse to the Rebbe's family. The woman agreed. They asked the "Meor Einayim" for his opinion. He gave his consent, and the woman was brought into the house.
But the baby refused to take her breast. None of the tricks women usually resort to in such cases helped. The baby would not eat. They told the Rebbe about this. He told them to wait two or three hours, saying perhaps the child simply wasn't hungry yet.
Three hours later they tried again. The baby clearly wanted to eat - he was crying loudly - but still refused to take the woman's breast. They reported this to the Rebbe, who asked that the woman be brought to him and began questioning her about who she was and where she came from. It thus became known that she had borne a child not from her husband - may the Creator save us from such a thing. The woman was sent back to the hekdesh, and another wet nurse was found for the Maggid's son.
Many years passed. One day an elderly woman came to see Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl. She said that she had been the tzadik's wet nurse, and that it had been far from simple. When arranging for the work, the Rebbe of that time, the "Meor Einayim," had given her strict instructions on how to behave with his grandson, so that he would grow up in special purity and holiness from the very start of his life - strict modesty of dress, even at home while nursing, obligatory washing of hands, and so on.
In merit of having fulfilled all of the Rebbe's requirements, the woman asked for one thing.
Since she was now old and her hour was surely near, she asked the Rebbe to say Kaddish for her after her passing. Rabbi Aharon agreed and instructed the gabbai to find out where the woman lived and to inform him in due course of her passing. He personally took part in the woman's funeral and said Kaddish.
After this, she came to Rabbi Aharon and asked him to stop saying Kaddish for her.
The tzadik's Kaddish, she explained, had raised her so high that she found herself in a place that did not at all correspond to her level, and she found it hard to be there. It would be better if only her own children said Kaddish for her, so that she could attain the place truly fitting for her.
According to the Arizal, Kaddish is not merely a text established for mourners to rectify the soul of the departed.
Kaddish is also a tikun for the prayer service itself, necessary for its acceptance by Ha-Shem. Its purpose is to raise the portion of the prayer that preceded it up on High. Therefore, if a mourner is present in the minyan, he is given the right to say Kaddish, since this helps the soul of the departed. But when there are no mourners present, Kaddish should be said by someone who has the right to say it. This is usually someone whose parents are no longer living, or whose parents have given permission for the reading of Kaddish. This rule applies to all the "Kaddish Yatoms" found in the siddur. They are necessary for the elevation of our prayers.
May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(From the book by Rav Yaakov Doctor, "The Chernobyl Constellation")