על פי התורה אשר יורוך… (שופטים יז:יא)

When the Divrei Yoel of Satmar zt”l arrived in Switzerland on כ”א כסלו תש”ה after being freed from captivity by the Nazis y”s, he stayed in Geneva in the home of the renowned Belzer Chassid Reb Moshe HaKohen Gross a”h. (Reb Moshe was sent to Switzerland before WWII by Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt”l, to accompany an ill bochur (Torah student), which in essence saved Reb Moshe from the fate of so many unfortunate people.  As a Swiss resident, he was instrumental in securing the escape of Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt”l and his brother, the Bilgoray Rav zt”l, who arrived in the holy land on the 9th of Shevat 1944).

Reb Moshe dedicated himself to look after the Satmar Rebbe and his Rebbetzin, ensuring all their needs were met so that – after their harrowing ordeal under Nazi rule, they should find some comfort. Before Pesach, Reb Moshe ensured that the Satmar Rebbe should have shemura matzos for the Seder night.  On Erev Pesach, Reb Moshe and the Satmar Rebbe’s gabbai Reb Yosef Ashkenazi a”h traveled for two hours to bake matzos for the Satmar Rebbe.

Since Reb Moshe had other guests at the Seder, the Satmar Rav asked for a list of all the guests and asked that no more should be added. While Reb Moshe was baking matzos, an esteemed guest arrived at his home: the gaon Reb Yehoshua Mendel Ehrenberg zt”l, known as the “Krakow Illui,” whom Reb Moshe knew from Belz.

When Reb Moshe returned from baking matzos, the Satmar Rebbe asked, “How come you invited another guest if we already created a list of Seder participants?”  Reb Moshe explained that Reb Yehoshua Mendel was an acquaintance of his from Belz, and – as this great Torah scholar did not have anywhere to spend the Yom Tov of Pesach, he invited him.

During the Seder, the Satmar Rebbe sat at the head of the table, and the Gaon Reb Yehoshua Mendel and other guests sat around the table.  After the Seder, the Satmar Rebbe thanked Reb Moshe for having had such an esteemed guest as Reb Yehoshua Mendle present at the Seder. He enjoyed sharing Divrei Torah and Chassidic thoughts with him throughout the night.

Years later, when the Satmar Rebbe was in Eretz Yisroel, he met Reb Yehoshua Mendel and asked him what he did. Reb Yehoshua Mendel replied that he serves as the Rosh Beis Din in Tel Aviv.  The Satmar Rebbe tried persuading Reb Yehoshua Mendel to leave his position and come to America, where he would ensure a notable position for him.  Reb Yehoshua Mendel replied: “I have a responsibility since I asked my Rebbe Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt”l what position to hold, and Reb Aharon replied: ‘In such a big city as Tel Aviv where tough questions arise (on Gittin and Kedushin – divorces and marriages) who then, if not you, is worthy of this position?’”

The Satmar Rebbe paused briefly and replied: “Correct!”.