"I have a daughter who has been divorced. I should love to marry thee to her."
"I desire naught better," said the Baal Shem, "for I know her soul is noble. But I must make it a condition that in the betrothal contract no learned titles are appended to my name. Let it be simply Israel the son of Eliezer."
While returning to Brody, Rabbi Abraham died. Now his son, Rabbi Gershon, was the chief of the Judgment Counsel, and a scholar of great renown; and when he found among the papers of his dead father a deed of his sister's betrothal to a man devoid of all titles of learning he was astonished and shocked.
He called his sister to him: "Art thou aware thou art betrothed again?" said he.
"Nay," she replied; "how so?"
"Our father—peace be upon him—hath betrothed thee to one Israel the son of Eliezer."
"Is it so? Then I must needs marry him."
"Marry him! But who is this Israel?"
"How should I know?"
"But he is a man of the earth. He hath not one single title of honor."