Bound to the Tzaddik Until the Final Moment

The "Frankfurter",  Reb Yisroel of Stolin zt”l

Does a Man Sentenced to Murder Have a Path to Salvation?

A chasid once came before the Stoliner Rebbe, Reb Yisroel of Stolin zt”l, known as the Frankfurter, carrying a crushing weight upon his heart. He had become entangled in an extraordinarily severe criminal case. A grave offense he had committed under Russian law placed him in mortal danger, for according to the laws of the Russian Empire, his crime carried the possibility of the death penalty.

Broken and terrified, the chasid sought counsel and blessing from the holy Rebbe. The Rebbe listened with deep attention and great pain, and then said to him: “Sadly, I see no advice and no path of salvation for you. The wrongdoing you committed against the Russian authorities is exceedingly grave, and I see no way for you to prevail in this trial or to escape the death penalty. May Hashem have mercy upon you.”

The chasid left the Rebbe shattered. He now clearly understood what awaited him. With humility and submission, he accepted the Heavenly judgment upon himself, whispering in his heart, ‘תהא מיתתי כפרתי’—May my death be an atonement.

His attorneys exerted every possible effort to reduce the sentence or exchange it for a lesser punishment, but all attempts failed. The judges ruled that the crime was too severe and that Russian law allowed no leniency. The verdict was issued: death by hanging. A date was set, and all preparations were completed. No influence, effort, or bribery could alter the decree.

As the chasid counted his final days in prison, he made a resolute decision: “If I am destined to die, then I will die as a chasid—bound to my Rebbe.”

He resolved that from that moment onward, he would constantly envision the holy image of the Frankfurter Rebbe and would not allow his thoughts to stray from it for even a single instant, so that he would remain attached to the tzaddik until his final breath.

And so he did. Throughout his imprisonment, he sat and vividly imagined the Rebbe’s image before his eyes. Even during the most terrifying moments—when the guards came to escort him to the gallows—he refused to let his mind wander.

When he stood beneath the gallows, stripped and prepared for execution, his entire consciousness was filled with one thought alone: the image of his Rebbe. “והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך”—“Your eyes shall behold your teacher.” The rope was placed around his neck, yet his mind remained calm and focused, the Rebbe’s image standing clearly before him.

They lifted him up by the rope. In those final moments, he merited not to lose his focus for even an instant. Suddenly—at that very moment—the rope snapped apart, tearing in two, and the chasid fell to the ground.

According to the law of the land, if the rope breaks at the final moment and the condemned man falls, it is considered a sign that he is innocent and undeserving of the punishment. The sentence must be annulled immediately.

The chasid was released at once and set free.

Returning to the Tzaddik

Without delay, he traveled to Stolin to see his Rebbe. When the holy Frankfurter zt''l saw him alive and standing before him, he expressed great wonder at the miracle that had occurred.

The chasid then related the entire story, explaining how throughout the ordeal he had never ceased visualizing the Rebbe’s image and had not allowed his thoughts to be distracted for even a moment.

The Frankfurter zt”l said to him:

“Now we understand why this miracle occurred for you. Even though we ourselves saw no path of salvation, this unwavering attachment was your salvation.”