Kerestir (Hasidic dynasty)

Kerestir is a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rebbe Yeshaya Steiner. Kerestir is the Yiddish name of Bodrogkeresztúr, a town in Hungary.

Lineage

• Rebbe Yeshaya Steiner (1852–1925)
  • Rebbe Avrohom Steiner (1883–1927), son of Rebbe Yeshaya ('Rebbe' 1925-1927)
  • Rabbi Shmuel Gross, son-in-law of Rebbe Yeshaya
  • Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, son-in-law of Rebbe Yeshaya
  • Rabbi Yisroel Avrohom Alter Landa, son-in-law of Rebbe Yeshaya
    • Rebbe Meir Yosef Rubin of Kerestir, son-in-law of Rebbe Avrohom
    • Rebbe Naftoli Gross of Debrecen (died 1988), (brother of Rabbi Shmuel Rabbi Yeshaya's sol in law) son-in-law of Rebbe Avrohom
      • Rebbe Rafael Gross (1928–2007) - Kerestir Rebbe of Miami Beach, Florida, son of Rebbe Naftoli
      • Rebbe Yeshaya Gross - Present Kerestir-Berbesht Rebbe of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, son of Rebbe Naftoli
        • Rabbi Yoishua Moishe Baruch of Woodmere - ainekle of Rebbe Naftali

History

The Famous Mouse Story- Affectionately known as Reb Shaya'le (Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir), the Kerestirer Rebbe lived around the beginning of the 20th Century. He was a very pious man and extremely humble, always referring to himself in the diminutive (Shaya'le). He was known as a "miraculous" person. His greatest pleasure was to host a very elaborate Melave Malka, the meal that follows Shabbos, on Saturday night. Often he would have his chassidim shecht fresh chickens for his meal. One motzo'ay Shabbos, while Reb Shaya'le was eating this special melave malka meal, a chossid came to him with an urgent request. He was a man who had a warehouse full of foodstuffs and he made his living by buying an selling food. For the past number of months, his warehouse had been taken over by mice who were eating his grain and other commodities and his entire livelihood was threatened. He asked Reb Shaya'le for a blessing that the mice should leave his warehouse. At that time, each small town in Europe was ruled by the local church pastor. Some of the pastors were kind towards the Jews and others were very harsh. Reb Shaya'le asked the chossid if the pastor of the town he lived in was kind or harsh. The chossid replied that he was very harsh toward the Jews. Reb Shaya'le then instructed the chossid to go to his warehouse and to tell the mice, "Reb Shaya'le says to go to the estate of the pastor." The chossid followed the Rebbe's advice and instantly hundreds of mice raced out of the warehouse all heading in the direction of the pastor's estate. The chossid's business was saved and ever since Jews who have been plagued with this problem have used Reb Shaya'le's picture to accomplish the ridding of mice from their homes.

References