Adapted from the Memoirs of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Rachel, the grandmother of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidut, was a remarkable Torah scholar in an age when that was highly unusual. She was the daughter of Baruch Batlan who was a follower of the Baal Shem of Zamotsch, and was given an excellent and wide-ranging Torah education, in keeping with the unusual custom of Chasidim to educate their daughters.
Practically from the time she could speak, she learned Torah, progressing from the simplest blessings taught to all Jewish children to more advanced studies, even mastering the intricacies of the Talmud. She became particularly expert in the study of the Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law.
Whether out of modesty, for fear that people would regard a learned girl as odd, or to avoid an "evil eye," Rachel's father kept her scholarship a secret. When Rachel became engaged to Rabbi Shneur Zalman (the paternal grandfather of the Alter Rebbe) who did not approve of women engaging in serious study, her scope of knowledge was not mentioned. Thus, she merely smiled when her husband said to her that he assumed that her mother had taught her all the laws that a Jewish woman was required to know.
Rachel's knowledge of Jewish law was so extensive that she knew the differences in the customs which prevailed amongst the various Jewish communities. To the extent that sometimes, what was regarded strictly in one town, was treated more leniently in another.
Soon after her marriage, it happened that Rachel's whole family was walking home one Shabbat from shul. The men, Baruch Batlan, his son Benjamin and his son-in-law, were in front. The women followed behind, Rachel among them. The women wore gloves as there was an "eruv" in Posen [a marked area where carrying is permitted on Shabbat]. Benjamin was also carrying books which he had borrowed from the synagogue, so that he could study at home.
As they were walking, the synagogue caretaker ran up to them, announcing that the eruv had broken. They all stopped in bewilderment, not knowing what to do with their gloves and with the books that Rachel's brother had under his arm [since without the eruv, carrying was no longer permitted]. Should they drop everything, or just remain where they were?
Baruch Batlan now called out to his daughter: "Rachel, you are an expert in Jewish Law. Tell us what are we to do?" Turning to the men, he remarked: "We are so busy studying Talmud and other such subjects, that when we are faced with a practical question of law, we do not know the answer. So, we therefore must turn to Rachel."
Her husband, Rabbi Shneur Zalman opened his eyes in wonderment! Was this a joke?
Rachel blushed. She feared that now her husband might be upset with her. She would not have given away her secret, but her father had "put her on the spot," and she had to answer him.
She then proceeded to provide a very detailed and thorough answer to resolve each halachic dilemma. "There is no need to take off our gloves," she ventured quietly, "for this is a case of 'Bedieved' - a halachic classification for an after-the-fact situation and there is also no concern of anyone removing their gloves and carrying them since we are in the presence of other company who can remind one another not to carry them. As for the books, these should be transferred from hand to hand without anyone walking with them over 4 cubits, until we reach a private courtyard etc., and concluded by outlining exactly how to deposit them once they reached that area."
None of those present knew whether Rachel had quoted the law correctly, but her father said that they had no alternative but to accept her ruling on the matter, under the circumstances. As soon as they reached home, they looked up the case in the Shulchan Aruch - Code of Jewish Law, and found it exactly as Rachel had prescribed!
As Rachel had foreseen, her husband was adversely affected by this incident and took every opportunity to make snide and sharp comments. Once he remarked: "The Talmud says that 'The wife of a scholar is regarded as if she too were a scholar,' but in my case, it appears that I must be content with merely aspiring to my wife's stature." Rachel was deeply saddened by his attitude and his sense of inferiority.
Her father was aware of the situation and he once countered: "The Jerusalem Talmud says that 'The wife of a criminal is also considered so.' I have given my daughter to you. It now remains to be seen what you make of her. She can either become the wife of a 'scholar' or the wife of a 'criminal.' It is entirely up to you!"
Rabbi Shneur Zalman understood the implication of his father-in-law's words, and from that time, changed his harsh and critical attitude. On the contrary, he began to be proud of his wife, appreciating at last her scholarship and wonderful qualities.
