[Page 192]

The main reason that led to the scandal of the Rebbe was the conflict in his household. The hatred he had for his rabbinical wife from the time he had received her for the first time increased every day ^[1].

He liked the object of his hate, but was fed up with it.

And did not want to live with her, and wanted to divorce her, the ugliness of his wife. Not just get Divorced ^[2].

But his guards, who ruled and looked at him with seven eyes, apparently according to the commandments of his family and relatives, used all the tricks, and in all kinds of efforts they succeeded to force him not to take this shameful step.

But they never did really succeed. The devil, who was already dancing in the sanctuary and disturbing the peace of the house, not only overcame them, but spread out his fortress to hunt the righteous man in his bitterness and dressed in the beautiful sister–in–law of the Paritz (Rich Christian neighbor). The Rebbe would often walk in the court of the learned friar and close to the church. There gathered some of acolytes, and with them he often collided in discussions, and they could not convince him, and not only for the purpose of learning Torah they argued with him, but in order to save his precious soul. And put it under the wings of the other God ^[3]. And for this purpose he was presented to the beautiful and graceful girl, the brother–in–law of the Paritz…

Satan on the inside and the devil on the outside became his demons and led him as he came out of his surroundings … into another environment … to the foreign god.

For about ten days he spent in the yard of the Paritz and with great difficulty his close associates succeeded to lead him away. And actually there are two versions. Some say that until was taken from him by some trick, the box containing his father's Talitim and Yarmulke they could not get him out. Others say that he was given an intoxicating drink, and so he was not able to resist and did not stay at the court of the Paritz, and this is also not agreed by all, that Amalek nearly succeeded and convinced him to baptise. And also some say to the contrary that she became convinced to convert to Judaism.

The escape was of course at night by special dispatchers from Sadagura when he was bound and brought to the border in a closed carriage, and on the border at Dorohoi was dressed in a woman's clothes and one of the Hasidim carried him on his shoulders through the river with great devotion, because the border guards chased them and shot at them.

And so he was brought to Sadagora out of danger.

Only one of all his brothers from Sadagura he loved, Husiatyn Tsharkav. He was the brother–in–law of the Rebbe R. Mendele of Viznitsa. Throughout his stay with Dr. Reitman in Czernowitz, he was one of the few who had the opportunity to come to his residence. Thanks to the special friendly attitude between them, and thanks to the popularity he had among those interested in this whole matter, that is to say, in the circles that brought him from Sadagura to Czernowitz and allowed him to visit his brother–in–law sometimes. And yet he, too, could not get him out of his ways in more than a short time, and when he pleaded with him, he found nothing in his heart.

The Wiznitzer Rebbe did not despair. He spared no effort, and almost every week he went to Tchernowitz. And finally he succeeded.

And on the day of Purim there was another spirit within him, and he expressed his desire to return home with mercy.

So the rabbi of Viznitsa managed to save his brother–in–law from ruin, what his brother could not do.

In the great and glorious court of Sadagura, he was given a small house on the side, separated and reserved out of way of the people, and thus he was alone there without appearing until he died.

All sorts of legends have been told by the Hasidim who have exagerated and we do not want to change them.

Then the famous dispute broke out between Sancz and Sadagora. Rabbi Chaim of Sanz, who was already envious of the processions and behavior of the Ruzhinian court, now found the time to arbitrarily boycott all those who supported them.

And again, the one who made this exception was the Rebbe of Viznitza, with whom he exchanged letters on this subject, and he succeeded in silencing the Sanczian's anger a bit and putting an end to the quarrel.

Footnotes

1. In the days of his engagement, when he learned that behind the curtain his bride's face was being disguised, he tried to ask to be able to see her, and they did not permit that in any way until after their wedding. Return
2. Interesting: before his death he declared:
   I do not forgive any of my relatives who have given me all these troubles. It is their fault that I go alone without sons, whereas I wanted to expel the woman I hate, and to marry a woman of valor and have sons. Return
3. All the time from the time he began to walk in the company of his friends, most of them modestly, there were signs and signs of change and eyewitnesses and hearing witnesses competed in their testimony. And so far their testimony is far from being the absolute truth. Return

* From Radautz

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