Boruch Ber Leibowitz

Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz (Kislev 5624 - 5th of Kislev 5700) was the Rosh Yeshiva of Knesses Beis Yitzchok, author of the "Birchas Shmuel" series, and one of the transmitters of the yeshiva learning approach in our generation.

Life History

Rabbi Baruch Ber was born in Poldovtza, a suburb of Slutsk. According to tradition, his bris milah took place on the 19th of Kislev. It is told that his father entered a Chassidic beis medrash and saw Chassidim farbrenging about the yoma d'hilula of Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuzh, whose hilula falls on the 18th of Kislev, and the Maggid of Mezritch, whose yoma d'hilula falls on the liberation holiday of 19th Kislev. When he heard about the greatness of these two giants of the world, he decided to name his son after them. Indeed, he was named "Baruch" after Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuzh, and "Dov Ber" after Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritch.

In his youth, he studied in his birthplace Slutsk and was known as a prodigy. In his young adulthood, he went to study at the renowned Volozhin Yeshiva, where he became the distinguished student of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, whom he regarded as his primary rebbe.

He married the daughter of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Zimmerman, Av Beis Din of Hlusk. After his father-in-law moved to Kremenchug, he took his place and opened a yeshiva there. Later, he was appointed as Rosh Yeshiva of Knesses Beis Yitzchok in Slobodka. In 5681, he moved the yeshiva together with his son-in-law, Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky, to Vilna, and in 5686 to Kamenitz. The yeshiva is mentioned in the Igros Kodesh of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

Circumstances of His Passing

Two of his close students, Rabbi Noach Shimanowitz and Rabbi Meir Pantel, who were with him during his illness, related about his passing: About two hours before his death, he said "The Rebbe has come" and asked to tell them a Torah teaching he heard from his rebbe, Rabbi Chaim. He struggled to stand up and fell on the bed while telling them his rebbe's words.

He was known worldwide due to his great yeshiva in Kamenitz. He was known for his complete bitul to his rebbe Rabbi Chaim of Brisk, and for his straight approach to learning.

Today, his learning legacy in his seforim Birchas Shmuel is among the foundational texts in the yeshiva world. He is known for his brief and calculated language, though it is known to be somewhat difficult to understand. Parallel to this sefer, another sefer called "Chidushei V'Shiurei Rabbi Baruch Ber" was published, where his shiurim were written by his students in his unique explanation style, and some use it as a helper sefer to his own Birchas Shmuel. His seforim are on masechtos: Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, Bava Basra, Kesubos, Yevamos, Nedarim, Gittin, and Kiddushin.

In 5775, after half a year of searching, his kever was found in the beis hachaim in Vilna, Lithuania. On his yahrzeit, a matzeiva was erected on his kever, with the participation of his descendants, led by HaGaon Rav Chaim Shlomo Leibowitz, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevezh, and many negidim from around the world.

Connection to Chabad

Rabbi Leibowitz participated in one of the 12th of Tammuz celebrations with the presence of the baal hageulah, the Frierdiker Rebbe, in the resort town of Drusenick. Rabbi Baruch Ber came especially to visit the Frierdiker Rebbe, and when he arrived, the Frierdiker Rebbe was lying down to rest, so he instructed his son-in-law the Rebbe to receive Rabbi Baruch Ber and converse with him until he would rise. Those present remarked that masechtos of Bavli and Yerushalmi literally 'flew' from their mouths with amazing genius.

During World War I, Reb Baruch Ber stayed in the city of Nevel, and davened for a period in the Chabad shul in the city. Because of this, he even began to wear a gartel during davening, as is the custom of Chassidim.

It is related that on 10th Sivan 5692, during the wedding of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hornstein (the Frierdiker Rebbe's son-in-law) to Rebbetzin Shaina (the Frierdiker Rebbe's daughter) in Landvarov, Poland, Reb Baruch Ber and Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzinski spoke with appreciation and amazement about the Frierdiker Rebbe's greatness and mesiras nefesh.

In 5692, the Rebbe met with him on a shlichus from the Frierdiker Rebbe. About this meeting it is told: When the Rebbe came to Reb Baruch Ber, the talmidim of Kamenitz Yeshiva surrounded him and 'attacked' him with many questions on sugyos in Shas, but he did not answer. Later, the Rebbe entered Reb Baruch Ber's room, delivered the shlichus message he was sent with from the Frierdiker Rebbe, and went out. After leaving the room, the Rebbe called the talmidim and answered them one by one in a brilliant way on all their questions. Reb Baruch Ber, who stood watching from the side, asked "Initially what was his reasoning and ultimately what was his reasoning?" The Rebbe answered him: "When I was on shlichus, I didn't want to divert my attention to anything else."

On that same occasion, when the Rebbe spoke with Rabbi Baruch Ber's talmidim, during the conversation when Rabbi Baruch Ber heard the greatness of the Rebbe's genius and deep understanding in all parts of Torah, Rabbi Baruch Ber raised his hands upward and said to the Rebbe with enthusiasm: "Come to my yeshiva, and I will make you the gadol hador!" The Rebbe answered him: "But I am a chossid of the Rebbe my father-in-law."

According to another version, this occurred when Rabbi Baruch Ber traveled to his friend Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. At that time, the Rebbe came on shlichus from his father-in-law the Frierdiker Rebbe, to get Rabbi Chaim Ozer's signature on a certain proclamation that was issued at that time. The Rebbe waited outside, and during that time Rabbi Baruch Ber's talmidim were pilpuling outside, but the Rebbe did not intervene. Finally, when the Rebbe entered the room where Rabbi Chaim Ozer and Rabbi Baruch Ber were, they asked the Rebbe the reason for his coming, and also asked him about the content of the conversation outside. The Rebbe explained the reason for his coming, and repeated all the Talmudic discussion that was said outside and the many questions, and answered them one by one with amazing genius. Rabbi Baruch Ber was very impressed by the Rebbe's divrei Torah and especially by the depth ("tifkeit") of the answers, and asked the Rebbe to travel with him to learn in his yeshiva where he promised to make him a "godol b'Yisroel," and when he realized this was impossible, he burst into bitter tears.

Rabbi Leibowitz's great-grandson is a Chabad chossid - Rabbi Eliezer Lichtenstein from Yerushalayim.

Commemoration of His Memory by Our Rebbeim

When in 5702 his talmidim gathered to commemorate his memory on his second yahrzeit, they sent a letter to the Frierdiker Rebbe to participate in the event held in his memory. In this letter, the Frierdiker Rebbe refers to Rabbi Baruch Ber with the title "my friend," and also describes his famous talks that he gave in the yeshiva, in which he awakened about ahavas haTorah and chibas hamitzvos. The Frierdiker Rebbe also included in that letter a sum of money to participate in the gathering expenses.

The Frierdiker Rebbe's Letters

"B"H 3rd of Kislev 5702, Brooklyn. To the Organization of Rabbi Baruch Dov's Students, may Hashem be upon them!

In response to your invitation to participate in the hilula of my friend the Gaon, their teacher and master Rabbi Baruch Dov, his memory and his talks on ahavas haTorah and chibas hamitzvos are very dear to me, and I am hereby sending a check for twenty shekalim - for the elevation of his holy soul - for Kamenitz Yeshiva, and together with this I am sending my bracha to the rabbanim directors and to the talmidim, may they live, that they should succeed in their holy work and magnify and glorify Torah."

In 5704, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent another letter of bracha for the gathering, in which he emphasizes at the beginning of the letter immediately after his tremendous genius, that he was a "baal midos neimos" (person of pleasant character traits). In that letter, the Frierdiker Rebbe blesses them that they should merit to follow in the footsteps of his Torah and his "most elevated midos," and at the end of the letter he includes Rabbi Baruch Ber among the "geonei Yisroel and tzadikei yesodei olam" (the geniuses of Israel and the righteous foundational pillars of the world).

second letter:

"B"H 3rd of Kislev 5704 Brooklyn. To the Organization of Students of Kamenitz Yeshiva, may Hashem be upon them, shalom and bracha!

In response to the invitation card to take part in remembering my friend the mighty Gaon, possessor of pleasant midos, his honored name of glory Moreinu HaRav Baruch Dober on his yahrzeit, I am participating with those who cherish his name and memory, and I bless them that Hashem's pleasantness should be upon them to walk in the footsteps of his Torah and the pleasantness of his most elevated midos, and his merit should protect them and all who cherish the geonei Yisroel and tzadikei yesodei olam, may their merit protect us."