A debate broke out between the Rozovsky family and the residents of Grodno regarding who would take over after Reb Michal David Rozovsky, the Rav of Grodno, passed away. The Rozovsky family wanted Reb Yehoshua Heshel, the older brother, to replace the Rav, but the townspeople wanted Reb Shmuel to become the new Rav, as they felt he was a greater talmid chacham and was thus more fitting for the position.
They decided to ask Reb Chaim Ozer, zt”l, to rule the quandary. The two opposing sides were scheduled to come to Reb Chaim Ozer at ten in the morning. Eight o’clock, that morning, Reb Shmuel came to Reb Chaim Ozer, telling him that the matter was not up for debate. “There’s no need for deliberation,” he told Reb Chaim Ozer. “I’ve decided not to be the Rav; my older brother should be the Rav.”
Two hours later, the delegation arrived at Reb Chaim Ozer’s desk. They discussed the issue, and Reb Chaim Ozer ruled in favor of the older brother, Reb Yehoshua Heshel.
A year later, the city was still not at peace with Reb Yehoshua Heshel. The community eagerly yearned for R’ Shmuel, because of his brilliance, charisma, and personality. Reb Shmuel realized that as long as he lived in Grodno, his personality would cast a shadow over his older brother, preventing Reb Yehoshua Heshel’s influence from spreading to the community. Although his older brother was fitting for the position, the city wouldn’t fully accept him as long as Reb Shmuel lived there.
Reb Shmuel made a goral haGra (using a Chumash to know what to do and where he should go). The goral fell on the pasuk telling Avraham to leave his homeland and settle in the land that Hashem would show him. Reb Shmuel understood that this was telling him to move to Eretz Yisrael to protect the dignity of his brother. He came to Eretz Yisrael without family, but he felt that it was a worthwhile sacrifice for his brother’s honor and for avoiding machlokes.
Some years later, the war broke out. The Germans killed the entire city of Grodno al kiddush Hashem, including Reb Yehoshua Heshel. Reb Shmuel, however, was the sole survivor of his entire family.
He ended up becoming the world-famous Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, whose brilliance lights up the entire world. Where did his salvation come from? It came from avoiding machlokes.
This story teaches us (a) you never lose from being mevater. Reb Shmuel was mevater becoming the Rav, and that saved his life. (b) Even when things seem bad, it’s all good. In Grodno, Reb Shmuel was appreciated and sought after; in Eretz Yisrael, he was a stranger. But that move and those hardships saved his life. All the Torah that he taught and continues to teach through his sefarim and students is the product of those initial difficult years in Eretz Yisrael.
