A Shabbat Story: The Rebbe Who Refused to Sign on Shabbat

The home of Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe of Zvhil, Rebbe to thousands of Hasidim, was more than just a house, it was a haven of Torah, kindness, and quiet courage. Even under Soviet rule, when Jewish life was driven underground, the Rebbe continued to welcome guests warmly and teach Torah with devotion. Among the guests, though, were spies sent by the Communist regime to monitor and eventually punish him for teaching Judaism, which was strictly forbidden at the time.

Despite knowing their identity, the Rebbe never turned them away. He treated them kindly, like fellow Jews. Still, he never stopped teaching Torah or guiding his followers with deep faith and self-sacrifice.

It didn’t take long for the punishment to come. For the “crime” of spreading Judaism, Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe was sentenced to prison in Siberia indefinitely.

The prison conditions were unbearable. During the day, the Rebbe was forced to perform hard labor. At night, he shared a freezing, overcrowded cell with dozens of other prisoners. Food was scarce. Disease was rampant. Rats and mice ran freely, and many prisoners died from sickness and starvation.

But the Rebbe never gave up.

After seven years of unimaginable suffering, a miracle happened. Rabbi Gedaliah Moshe was informed that he would be released. He gathered his few belongings, his tallit and tefillin and was brought before the camp commander on Shabbat, together with another Jewish prisoner whose sentence had also ended.

The commander handed them papers and ordered them to sign. “After you sign, you’re free to go.”

The Rebbe looked at the paper and calmly said, “Today is Shabbat. I won’t sign.”

The commander’s face turned red. “You’re still stubborn with your religion? Seven years of prison haven’t broken you? If you don’t sign today, you’ll stay here for the rest of your life!”

But the Rebbe stood firm. “I will stay, but I will not sign on Shabbat.”

The commander turned to the other Jew. “Then you sign.”

Normally, that man would have signed immediately. But witnessing the Rebbe’s strength gave him courage. “Today is Shabbat,” he said, “and I won’t sign either.”

The commander was furious. Just as he was about to explode in anger, the Rebbe of Zvhil did something unexpected.

He stepped forward and said, “Let me sign for him.”

The officer looked confused.

The Rebbe gently explained, “For him, staying here is pikuach nefesh, a matter of life and death. In Jewish law, saving a life overrides Shabbat. I’ll sign for him. But for myself, I will not desecrate Shabbat.”

This heartfelt explanation spoken with pure sincerity pierced through the hardened Soviet officer’s cold exterior. Without asking for another signature, he released both of them and allowed them to return home.

The Rebbe’s love for Shabbat, his willingness to sacrifice his own freedom while protecting another Jew, remains a powerful reminder of the strength of the Jewish soul even in the darkest places.