Rabbi Moshe Aharon Geisinsky

Rabbi Moshe Aharon Geisinky was a Torah scholar who lived in Crown Heights. He served as a synagogue rabbi and worked for his livelihood at the 'Ezra' printing house. He merited special closeness from the Rebbe.

Life History

Born on 21 Teves 5677 in the village of Tashan near Kiev in the Pereyaslav district, to his father Rabbi Ben Zion Geisinky, who served as a shochet and bodek and was among the Rachmastrivka chassidim, and to his mother Mrs. Chaya Rachel, as a descendant of the Sabba of Shpola.

In his childhood years, he was greatly influenced by his father's character, who was known as a man of chesed and would distribute free meat to the poor even though in his own home they only ate meat on holidays, and by his grandfather Rabbi Yitzchak Geisinky who was a Talna chassid and rabbi of Irlovitz with vast Torah and general knowledge.

After his father was arrested by the KGB, his family moved to Kiev, and following his mother's untimely passing, he remained alone and found solace through Torah study. In 5694 (1934), he entered Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Kiev, where he studied until it was closed by the authorities, being spared from arrest due to his young age.

He continued studying in various underground branches of the yeshiva such as Zhitomir, Berditchev, and Poltava until 5697 (1937), and was even involved in establishing branches in Krivoy Rog, Voronezh, and Kozinitz.

During World War II, he fled with his yeshiva friends deep into Russia and settled in Samarkand where he taught young boys. His family who lived in Kiev was entirely murdered by the Nazis in the notorious 'Babi Yar' massacre, while he was saved because he was wandering with the Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva branches.

In Samarkand, he married his wife Mrs. Rivka Dina (Riva), daughter of R' Zev Wolf Steingart, granddaughter of Rabbi Meir Simcha Chen.

With the end of the war and the opportunity to leave Russia using false Polish identity papers, he joined thousands of chassidim in what became known as the 'Exodus from Russia 5706' (1946).

Initially, he planned to move to Eretz HaKodesh, but following the advice of the Frierdiker Rebbe, he refrained. After a period in the Benzhiem displaced persons camp in Germany, where he continued teaching young people and refugees, he was later appointed by the Klausenberger Rebbe to head a branch of the 'She'eris HaPleita' yeshiva network.

During this period, his gifted memory served him well, as he taught his students by heart, despite the near absence of Jewish books.

In 5708 (1948), he moved to Paris and joined the local Chabad community, this time teaching younger children. In 5710 (1950), he arrived in the United States and was among the first to become mekushar to the Rebbe after the passing of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

Initially, he traveled to Cleveland on the Rebbe's advice, where he had relatives, and served unofficially as the Rebbe's shliach there, giving Chassidus classes attended by many.

In 5713 (1953), he returned to New York, and the Rebbe was personally involved in helping him find work and parnasa, even personally calling Rabbi Nissan Telushkin for this purpose.

He merited many kiruv moments from the Rebbe, apparently because his father had served the Rebbe's father. Among other things, on one occasion (11 Cheshvan 5712), the Rebbe reminded him during yechidus that it was his wedding anniversary.

For 12 years, he lived in East New York and served as a synagogue rabbi. Following the negative Jewish migration and emptying of Jewish neighborhoods, he moved to Crown Heights.

He worked for his livelihood as a machine operator at the Chabad printing house 'Ezra', and even when offered a similar position with higher pay, he refused, seeing it as a privilege to be involved in printing Chassidic seforim and being able to learn from them during his work. Additionally, he served as rabbi in the synagogue near the printing house and used this to give regular Torah classes in the synagogue, taking short breaks from his work to give shiurim before returning to the printing house.

He invested greatly in printing matters dealing with Chassidic topics, ensuring they were produced in the most beautiful manner. Once when he brought work to the Rebbe that showed signs of being done hastily and without investment, the Rebbe remarked: "This wasn't done by Geisinky."

Throughout his years in New York, he maintained extensive Torah correspondence with prominent rabbis, such as Rabbi Moshe Yair Weinstock, Rabbi Nissan Telushkin, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Rabbi Yehoshua Zelig Diskin, and others, who maintained warm friendly relationships with him.

He was an excellent baal koreh (Torah reader) and precise, regularly serving as a baal tefillah in the main synagogue managed by Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Hecht. He was also skilled in construction and repair, and possessed vast knowledge in Jewish history, physics, and mathematics, which he used for deep understanding of various areas in his studies.

Final Years

In 5743 (1983), he needed surgery due to his health condition, and the Rebbe was involved in all details of the medical procedure. When doctors forbade him from fasting, he requested a bracha from the Rebbe during lekach distribution on Erev Yom Kippur that he should be able to fast. The Rebbe blessed him that the fast shouldn't harm his health, and not only did he succeed in fasting that year, but he also served as baal tefillah.

He passed away on 3 Teves 5752 (1991) and was buried in the Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York, near the Ohel of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

His wife Mrs. Rivka Dina passed away in 5767 (2007).

His Sefer

• Ish HaPele, biography and stories about the Sabba of Shpola, published by 'Machon Zecher Naftali' Jerusalem 5747 (1987) (co-editor)

His Family

• His brother, Shalom Dovid Geisinky - murdered in the Holocaust
• His sister, Pesya Mirel Geisinky - murdered in the Holocaust
• His sister, Beila Devorah Geisinky - murdered in the Holocaust
• His son, Rabbi Elchanan Geisinky - among the distinguished residents of Crown Heights
• His son, Rabbi Shalom Dovid Geisinky - Rosh Mesivta at Yeshiva Ohel Torah, and rabbi of Congregation 'Beis Shimshon' in Crown Heights, and learned in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Central at 770 (between 5763-5767 served as rabbi of the Chabad community in Monsey)
• His son, Rabbi Ben Zion Geisinky - among the Rebbe's shluchim in Maryland
• His daughter, Mrs. Chaya Rachel Bootman
• His daughter, Mrs. Peisi Leah Minkowitz
• His daughter Mrs. Chana Lipsker
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Shmuel Menachem Mendel Butman