Boruch Ber Leibowitz: Difference between revisions

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.

Rabbi Baruch Ber was born in Poldovtza, a suburb of Slutsk. According to tradition, his bris milah took place on the holiday of liberation, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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