Rav Mordechai’s first rabbinical position was in Meza-Telegd near Grossvarden, with the help of his rebbe, who gifted him the position in 5632 (1872) at the young age of twenty-eight. Rav Yitzchak Aharon entered the gates of Meza-Telegd together with Rav Mordechai, telling the townspeople (who were under his jurisdiction as Rav of Grossvarden): “I come to you twice a year to deliver a derashah; this time my derashah to you is: ‘A young rabbi stands before you, who is fit to serve as the head of your community. I ask that you hire him, placing the crown of the rabbinate on his head!’” The community wholeheartedly accepted the Rav’s words and appointed Rav Mordechai. His rebbe eventually bestowed several other small towns from within his jurisdiction to this favored young talmid chacham.
[This is a tribute not only to Rav Mordechai’s abilities, but to Rav Yitzchak Aharon’s sterling middos. The custom in those times was for a rav to reserve such coveted appointments for his sons and sons-in-law, yet Rav Yitzchak Aharon gifted them to his talmid! He didn’t merely grant Rav Mordechai a letter of recommendation to be used as he set out on his own search for a position; he gave away to him a portion of his own salary-paying constituents! (Temunas HeGedolim - Rav Katzburg)
Before he assumed his first position, Rav Mordechai, in his humility, turned to his rebbe and protested, “They want me to move there and assume the rabbinate in two weeks, but how can I be worthy of doing so when I have not yet even received semicha ordination for hora’ah?!” Rav Yitzchak Aharon replied to his student that his having learned all of Chullin, Niddah and Mikvaos together with all their commentaries by heart was enough, and that he would write up the semicha and have his fellow dayanim sign it without delay!
Rav Meir Perels, Av Beis Din of Kruli, once visited Rav Yitzchak Aharon, who boasted how he’d given Rav Mordechai the position as Rav of Meza-Telegd. Rav Perels tested Rav Mordechai, and the two spoke about many shailos and intricate sugyos of Shas. The Rav was so impressed that he granted Rav Mordechai semicha on the spot. Similarly, Rav Avraham Yissaschar Leichtag also granted him semicha when Rav Mordechai studied in his father-in-law’s town of Honiyad.
As was customary with other disciples of the Chasam Sofer, Rav Mordechai established a yeshivah, raising talmidim in Torah study and spiritual growth. He also gave well-received derashos on Yamim Tovim and special occasions.
Rav Mordechai began to study with other gedolim. He travelled to study with Rav Avraham Shaag of Kobelsdorf when he learned that the latter was leaving for Eretz Yisrael. He exchanged letters and responsa with Rav Yehoshua Aharon Weinberger of Margareten. He even wrote to Rav Simcha Bunim Sofer, the Shevet Sofer of Pressburg, regarding the practice he found among the shochtim in his province of Telegd, who claimed that it was perfectly acceptable to kasher the meat above the thirteenth rib. This did not sit well with the young Rav, and when he wrote to the Shevet Sofer, despite how busy he was with his own communal affairs, promptly responded, backing him up and encouraging and supporting him to veto this flawed practice. He asked shailos in STA”M to Rav Shmuel Ehrenfeld of Mattersdorf, who responded with respect and admiration, as did others who admired, supported and respected the new Rav and budding talmid chacham.
