לא תעשה לך פסל וכל תמונה (יתרו כ:ד)

The Bilgorai Rav zt’’l related that when he and his brother Maran Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt’’l arrived in Chalev, Syria, during their escape from Europe, many dignitaries from Eretz Yisroel were there to greet them. Included were Harav Herzog zt’’l, the Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisroel, his son Dr. Yakov Herzog, Mr. Yonah Cohen, and Mr. Rachamim Nechmod, a community representative from Chalev.

Mr. Nechmod wanted to capture a picture of this ‘historic moment.’ Maran Reb Aharon first refused to allow taking a picture, but after Mr. Nechmod begged to take a photograph, Maran acquiesced. Before taking the photo, Maran related, “My father, Maran Rebbe Yissocher Dov of Belz zt’’l, never let himself be photographed. When he was once in Marinbad, a photographer wanted to take a picture of my father.  His gabbaim didn’t allow it.  But when my father saw the commotion, he said, ‘A thing that thousands of Yidden do, I will also join in doing,’ and he allowed himself to be photographed.”