She Chose Her Faith—and the Chafetz Chaim Blessed Her Future

In Vienna, Austria, there lived a Jewish girl named Rachel Schiff, who was blessed with a rare and beautiful singing voice.

One day, people from the prestigious Royal Vienna Opera heard about her gift. They invited her to perform with them on stage. Even the world-famous conductor Gustav Mahler personally offered her a place in his choir. It wasn’t just about honor and international fame—they promised her a generous amount of money as well.

Rachel went through a deep inner struggle. This was everything a young artist could dream of. But then she made her choice.

She answered simply and firmly: “I’m sorry. I’m Jewish. According to Jewish law, it’s forbidden for a woman to sing in front of men.”

No matter how much they tried to convince her, she held her ground. She was unwilling to give up her values, even for fame or wealth. Her decision created a powerful kiddush Hashem—a public sanctification of God’s name. It showed how deeply a young Jewish woman could honor her faith.

Some time later, the Chafetz Chaim—one of the greatest Torah sages of the generation—came to visit Vienna. Many people came to his lodgings to greet him, including Rachel’s father.

When her father introduced himself as “Schiff,” the Chafetz Chaim asked, “Are you related to the young woman who sanctified Hashem’s name in public?”

With joy, the father replied, “Yes, she is my daughter.”

The Chafetz Chaim was visibly moved. He looked at him and said, “Because of the kiddush Hashem your daughter made, she will be blessed with a wonderful match. And she will have a son who will light up the world with his Torah.”

Not long after, Rachel married. In time, she gave birth to a son—Shmuel Halevi Wosner—who truly lit up the world. He grew up to become one of the greatest Torah scholars of the generation, inspiring and teaching thousands.

Courtesy of the 'Dirshu' website.