Two Jews died in Brisk on the same day. A poor shoemaker passed away in the morning, followed at no onetime by a wealthy, prominent member of the Jewish community. Although halacha teaches that the one who dies first must be buried first, the burial society, which received a handsome sum of money from the heirs of the wealthy man, decided to attend to him first. When Reb Chayim was informed of the decision of the society, he sent word to attend to the shoemaker first. The members of the Chevra Kaddisha did not listen. When Reb Chayim learned of their refusal, he left his study, went to the house of the wealthy man, and chased the members of the burial society away. He then saw to it that the poor man, who had died first, was buried before the rich man. Reb Chayim’s actions and the halacha reflect the Torah’s statement that every person ins created in God’s image and thus deserves equal treatment, regardless of his or her standing in the...
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