Rashi teaches that vows and oaths apply only when one seeks to render prohibitive that which is permitted. One cannot, however, utilize oaths and vows to permit that which is forbidden. Horav Meir Shapiro, zl, was an individual known by many titles, one of which was Lubliner Rav. He followed a long line of distinguished rabbonim, one of whom was the famous Maharshal who preceded him by four centuries. The Maharshal was a formidable gadol, a talmid chacham, Torah scholar without peer, and a Kabbalist of great renown. The following story was often related by Rav Meir Shapiro. He had discovered it in the pinkas, ledger, of the Chevra Kadisha, Jewish Burial Society of Lublin.
The Maharshal had a student whose wife had passed away. The husband was overwrought from the tragedy and just could not overcome the deep depression that enveloped him. His distinguished Rebbe called for him and asked for an explanation. At first, the young man demurred from divulging the reason for his melancholy. Finally, the student gave in and informed the Maharshal of his vow. Apparently, when his wife was ill, he had given her his word that he would never remarry. His Rebbe countered that such an oath has no validity, since it is contrary to the Torah. One is to marry and procreate. It was, therefore, not only permissible for him to remarry, but it was actually incumbent upon him to do so.
The student listened to the Maharshal and remarried. A short time later, the city went into a frenzy when, one morning, the young man who had followed his Rebbe’s instructions – died! When the Maharshal was informed of this turn of events, he immediately summoned the members of the Chevra Kadisha to his house. He instructed them to prepare the body in the usual manner: taharah, purification, and tachrichim, shrouds; when they were prepared to bury him, they were to notify the Maharshal. The Chevra Kadisha did so.
The Maharshal arrived at the burial site and wrote the following note, which was placed alongside the deceased: “Shalom Aleichem, Peace unto you, Heavenly Tribunal. I (the Maharshal) ruled in accordance with the laws of the Torah to permit this man to marry again. I decree upon ‘You’ with the powers (granted me by the) of the Torah that You should return my student to me.” The Maharshal affixed his name to the paper, placed it into the hand of the deceased, and insisted that the grave be left uncovered. After lowering the body, they all left the cemetery. The grave was left uncovered.
One hour later, the young man arose from his grave, dressed in shrouds, and proceeded to walk through the streets as if nothing had ever happened! When the “deceased” entered his home, his wife ran out in shock. The next day, the Maharshal summoned his “reincarnated” student to appear before him in street clothes. When the student entered the yeshivah, the other students became visibly frightened. Employing the power vested in him through the Torah, the Maharshal immediately decreed that the angel in charge of shikchah, forgetting, should prevail and use his powers over the city of Lublin, so that everyone would forget what had taken place. The young man raised a beautiful family, meriting to see generations of proud Jewish children devoted to Torah and mitzvos.
