World of Belz

The Frierdige Rov

וישב אהרן אל משה אל פתח אהל מועד והמגפה נעצרה (קרח יז:טו)

Ahron returned to Moshe at the entrance of the Ohel Moed, and the plague had been checked.

Short stories of Segulahs that helped cease plagues and heal illnesses:

Harav Hachassid R’ Itcha Ausberg z’’l related that a few ‘heimishe Yidden’ passed away in Krakow during a short time. The Chassidim were scared and traveled to Belz to Maran Reb Yissochor Dov zt’’l and asked for a blessing for protection.  Maran told them to learn Minshnayos in the shtiebel (Beis Hamedrash) every night between Mincha and Maariv – and the plague stopped.

Harav Hachassid R’ Naftuli Gottesman z’’l retold an episode in the name of Harav Hachassid R’ Haenich of Radim z’’l.  

A rare disease was circulating in the city of Belz.  Maran, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt’’l, told Harav Hachassid R’ Shraga Feivish of Hivniv z’’l to check the kashrus of the tzitzis from all the city’s inhabitants.

A gentile shepherd once came to Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt’l, bemoaning his fate.  He said there was a terrible plague amongst his animals, and they were dying out.  

Maran asked him where his animals graze. Was there a water well nearby?  The shepherd answered in the affirmative, and Maran told him to find a different field where his animals should graze and that they won’t die anymore. 

The shepherd was amazed by Maran’s answer, saying he was an ‘angel’ that sees everything.  However, Maran didn’t want the gentile shepherd to talk about it, so Maran simply told him, “The well caused the earth to be moist, which causes the animals to catch colds and that’s why they died.”

ומדוע תתנשאו על קהל ה’ (קרח טז:ג)

Why do you exalt yourself over the congregation of Hashem…

It was the last Motzei Yom Kippur in Belz during WWII when a young chassid received a telegram from home commanding him to return immediately. The young man was perplexed about what to do.

(Belzer Chassidim knew it wasn’t a good omen to shake hands and take farewell from the Rebbe before the famed “Hamavdil Tish” conducted Motzei Yom Kippur.)

Since the Frierdige Rav zt’’l was very stringent about this custom, his son, Maran, Reb Aharon zt’’l, was very rigid about it.

The yungerman approached Reb Moshe zt’’l, the son of Maran, Reb Aharon, to consult what he should do – since he needed to leave and wanted to bid farewell to Maran.

Reb Moshe suggested that he stand by the entrance, and when Maran passes, he should ask Maran what to do.

When Maran passed, the Yunderman told Maran that he received a telegram to return home immediately. Maran told him: “Oy, but my father was makpid – stringent not to give a hand before ‘hamavdil’…” And Maran added, “אבער א איד טאר נישט אויספירן, אבער דער טאטע ז’’ל האט דאך נישט געגעבן די האנט פאר המבדיל. אבער פונדעסטוועגן, א איד טאר נישט אויספירן – A Yid isn’t allowed to always have his way, but my father didn’t give a hand before hamavdil. Even so, a Yid isn’t allowed always to have his way.”

And so, Maran wrapped his hand in a towel and bid farewell, “Go home – לחיים ולשלום!”

ויבא עד חברון (שלח יג:כב)

And he arrived at Chevron…


Rashi says that Kalev went to daven at the Kivrei Avos of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

One year when Maran, Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz zt’’l, went to visit the tzion (the grave) on the day of the Yahrzeit of his holy grandfather, the Sar Shalom zt’l, Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz related a story to his chassidim.

“There was once a simple Yid who lived during the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh zt’’l times and was extremely connected with the Baal Shem Tov.  The Yid didn’t have children and was always “mazkir” (mentioned his needs) to the Baal Shem Tov. 

After a few years, he was blessed with a son.  Three years passed, and his son became ill and died.  He hadn’t seen the Baal Shem Tov since his son was born, and without thinking twice, he traveled to Mezibuz with  lifeless child in hand.  When he arrived in Mezibuz, he heard that the Baal Shem Tov wasn’t alive anymore, so he went to the tzion of the Baal Shem Tov and place his lifeless child upon it, saying: “Heilige Rebbe! A live child I received in your merit, but this child isn’t alive anymore, and I don’t need such a present! Rebbe, I’m not taking him back dead!’ 

The Yid left the tzion, and after a short time, he heard his child crying, “Tatte, tatte!”  He ran back inside and joyfully embraced his child.  The child told his father that the Baal Shem Tov came and revived him, saying, “ שריי טאטע ווי לאנג דער טאטע איז נאך דא – Call out to your father as long that he’s still here!”

Maran concluded: “On the day of a tzaddik’s yahrzeit, his neshama is among us, and he hears what we request and takes our requests to shamayim to daven on our behalf.  We must take advantage as long as it’s day. “לאמיר שרייען טאטע ווי לאנג דער טאטע איז נאך דא!”

ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ה’ (קדושים יט:יח)

During WWI, the Bilgoray Rav zt’’l was summoned to the military for duty.  His mother, Rebbetzin Chaya Devora a’’h, gave a kvittal to Maran Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz zt’’l, that the Bilgoray Rav should be freed from military duty.

Maran read the kvittal once, then again, and again.  Each time Maran read the kvittal, he gave a ‘krechtz’ – moaned. His rebbetzin asked in wonderment: “Thousands of yidden come to you with requests for yeshuos. Why is it so hard for you to daven for a yeshua for our son?”


Maran answered his rebbetzin: “It pains me that a kvittal for my son pains my heart more than a kvittal from other Yidden!” 

לא תקיפו פאת ראשכם (קדושים יט: כז)

You shall not round off the edge of your scalp.

A chassid came to The Frierdiger Rav, Maran Reb Yissocher Dov zt’’l with his peyos (sidelocks) hidden behind his ears so they shouldn’t be seen.  The Rav zt”l looked in wonder, wanting to understand why? Since before WWI, the chassid had his peyos exposed.  

The chassid excused himself, saying that due to the war, he hid his peyos so he won’t be recognized as a Yid. The Rav zt”l answered, “Actually if you had your peyos tucked out, then it would’ve protected you that no harm shall befall you.  As it says in the pasuk: “וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה’ נקרא עליך ויראו ממך” – all the nations will see that Hashem’s name rests upon you – and they will fear you!”

בזאת יבא אהרן אל הקודש (אחרי טז:ג)

On Motzei Yom Kippur, there was a minhag (custom) by the Rebbes of Belz that following Havdalah at home, they would return to the Shul and walk around all four sides of the Shul.  Chassidim understood that they were ‘collecting all the prayers’ that didn’t ascend the heavens, and with this act, they were making the prayers ascend high.

When Maran Reb Yissacher Dov of Belz zt’’l was brought into the Shul on his last Motzei Yom Kippur of his life, when they arrived at the door, Maran requested to turn his chair facing the Aron Kodesh, and he turned to the crowd. He said: “You probably think that my grandfather, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt’’l, and my father, the Mittler Rav zt’’l, returned to shul to collect  the tefillos, I’m telling you that since they were so occupied with the holiness of the day, they were accustomed to return to the shul on Motzei Yom Kippur to soak in the holiness of the walls from the Shul.”

וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו… (תזריע יב:ג)

When Maran Reb Yissachar Dov of Belz zt’’l vacationed in Holchitz, Galicia, after WWI, many people came with ‘kvitlach’ and asked for brachos and yeshuas.

A Yid from Belarus, White Russia, asked the Rebbe for a bracha that his son would be willing to learn Torah.  Maran inquired whether his child had a seudah following his Bris Milah.  The Yid replied that he didn’t have money for a meal, so they just drank a ‘l’chaim.’ 

Maran explained: “When you make a Bris Seudah and sing, the song gets seeped into the baby’s ears and infuses the child with a willingness to learn Torah in the future.  Go home, and make a seudah – sing praise to Hashem, and your child will connect to Hashem’s Torah.”

ואת החסידה… (שמיני יא: יט)

Rashi asks, why is this bird called a חסידה? Since it does חסידות- חסד with her friends by feeding them.

If so, the chassida should have been a kosher bird since, according to the Ramban, the impurity of a bird is because of its cruelty. The Chiddushei Harim zt’’l explains: True that the chassida does chessed, but the chessed is just with her friends – she doesn’t feed those who aren’t her friend, and thus she can be considered a non kosher bird – because when providing another, there shouldn’t be a difference between friend and foe.


Maran Rebbe Yissocher Dov of Belz zt’’l explained with a beautiful parable what it means to care for another when someone needs help.

A student studied at a medical university for many years to become a doctor. After completing his semesters, he took his final exam and excelled with every answer.  As his professor was about to sign his doctorate, he told the student he had one more question to be answered. “What do you do when someone is injured, and blood is gushing from his wound?” The student replied, “You prescribe a medication that stops the bleeding.” 

“And if the medicine isn’t available, what do you do?” continued the doctor. “You apply a special acid to stop the bleeding.”

“And if that acid isn’t available?” countered the doctor. “Then you burn a piece of cloth and apply the ashes to the wound,” replied the student. “And if you don’t have a piece of cloth, what do you do?” continued the doctor, and the student stayed dumbstruck, not knowing what to reply.

The professor took the doctorate and ripped it to pieces while grabbing the student’s shirt. “If there isn’t fabric to burn, you tear off your own shirt and tie it around the wound to stop the bleeding. If a patient’s situation doesn’t touch your heart and you don’t feel their pain enough to tear off your shirt to help another, you can’t be a doctor!”

ושחט אותו… (ויקרא א:יא)

And you shall slaughter it…

R’ Shulem Shochet (Etner) a’’h was from the pious elders in Belz living in the “East Side” of New York, who merited knowing The Frierdige Rav, Maran Reb Yissocher Dov Rokeach zt’’l, when he served as a shochet in the town of Lizensk.  

R’ Shulem once visited a town near Lizensk and heard that the Frierdige Rav was staying in a town nearby for Shabbos. So R’ Shulem came to greet the Rebbe. The Frierdige Rav smiled and said, “Shulem, you came in perfect timing.”  R’ Shulem asked, “What does the Rebbe mean?” The Frierdige Rav replied, “I need to slaughter two chickens for Shabbos and don’t feel comfortable using the town’s shochet. I’m not saying he’s not a conscientious shochet, which would cause him to lose his position. However, I have my own personal reasons, and since you arrived, please slaughter two chickens; no one has to know about it.”

R’ Shulem slaughtered the chickens, and the Frierdige Rav was grateful to Hashem for sending him this messenger and preventing him from humiliating the local shochet. Being in a happy mood, the Frierdige Rav told R’ Shulem that he could choose a reward to live long or be cognizant throughout his life.  R’ Shulem was torn between the two but chose clarity, for if one doesn’t always have clarity, what is worth living for.

And the Frierdige Rav respnded. “You know what, I’ll bless you with both!” And R’ Shulem merited longevity – and clarity; he passed away at age 98, fully aware.

נפש חי תחטא…או גזל… (ויקרא ה:כא)

If someone shall sin or steal…

The Bilgorai Rav zt’’l was appointed as the Rav in Bilgorai after the passing of his father, Maran Reb Yissocher Dov Rokeach zt’l. His brother, Maran Reb Aharon of Belz zt’l, traveled to Bilgorai to spend the Shabbos of his brother’s coronation there.

The townspeople prepared a pompous ceremony to honor the Belzer Rebbe’s visit.  On Motzei Shabbos, the mayor from Bilgorai came to visit, which caused a commotion in town.  Perhaps the mayor was angry that they didn’t request prior permission for the grand affair on Erev Shabbos.  However, the mayor came specifically to visit the two holy brothers.

He shared that the chief of the police department in Belz had a special relationship with the Sar Shalom of Belz zt’’l, retelling a story. 

A robbery occurred in the home of the Sar Shalom, and the chief of police was summoned to investigate.  The thief was caught, arrested, and subjected to severe punishment.  The chief of police told the Sar Shalom that the thief was a Jew.  The Sar Shalom was distraught and requested that the head of police release the prisoner, which the chief of police declined.  “If you release the prisoner, I promise you three generations of greatness and leadership.” The Sar Shalom promised the chief of police.

The mayor concluded, “I am a grandson of the chief of police in Belz, and I’m in awe of Belz and its rabbis.”