A huge throng of over a hundred thousand bereft Jews from all
circles mournfully accompanied the saintly Admor of Bobov,
HaRav Shlomo Halberstam, zt"l, last week on his last
earthly journey. Heading the vast crowd were maranan
verabonon, gedolei Torah veChassidus from the United
States. The Admor of Bobov returned his pure soul to its
Maker at 2:00 AM on Rosh Chodesh Av (the
yahrtzeit of Aharon Hakohen). He was niftar in
a Boro Park hospital.
The Admor's health had begun to improve after he underwent
surgery two weeks ago. During the days prior to his
petirah he received visitors, and his Chassidic
followers hoped that by parshas Devorim he would be
able to return to his beis medrash in honor of his
father's yahrtzeit. On Wednesday, rosh chodesh
Av however, he collapsed. He was rushed to hospital,
where the finest doctors were called in to treat him. Prayers
were recited in yeshivos and Chassidic centers throughout the
world for the complete, speedy recovery of the generation's
most venerable Admor, one of the main leaders of chareidi
Jewry. Heartfelt prayers of, "lekayeim bonu chachmei
Yisroel" soared aloft, but even as they were being
recited, the bitter news that the Aron Hakodesh had
been taken captive spread throughout the chareidi world.
News of the petirah spread rapidly throughout Bobover
centers throughout the world. All ofBeis Yisroel
received the news with shock. An hour after the
petirah, the bier was ushered into the Boro Park
Bobover beis medrash, accompanied a weeping throng
reciting chapters of Tehillim in choked voices.
From the early morning hours, thousands of Bobover Chassidim
began to stream toward the beis medrash.
Transportation was organized from all over the United States
to enable masses of bereft Jews to come by plane, car and bus
to participate in the levaya. A group of Bobover
chassidim from Israel left on an early morning El Al flight
to reach the levaya.
At 10 AM the tahara was held in the mikveh
adjacent to the beis Medrash, and from there the bier
was brought to the Admor's room where the entire family had
gathered. It was then taken out to the beis medrash.
Meanwhile, 15th and 16th Avenue on the corners of 48th and
49th street -- the center of Boro Park -- teemed with people.
Tens of thousands of mourners from all circles and sects,
including all the American gedolim, poskim, and
roshei yeshiva, Admorim, rabbonim, dayanim and
morei horo'oh who had come from all over the United
States, filled the streets.
The levaya began at 12 noon. The Admor's
mashba"k, HaRav Shmuel Horowitz, recited ten chapters
of Tehillim. The Admor's son then delivered a
hesped, in which he noted the great mesiras
nefesh of the Admor in his rescue of children and his
dedication to each and every Jew. He said that these merits
would stand in his stead in the World of Truth, where all of
the great tzaddikim would come out to greet him. He
then asked that his father be a good interceder for his
followers and for all of Klal Yisroel.
The next to speak was the Admor's second son, HaRav Benzion,
who noted: "After the petirah of our father, we defer
ourselves before our brother -- who basked in his light --
and accept his leadership. At the time of the petirah
of the tzaddik it is possible to rise to greater
heights through unification of the entire community, as our
father said in the introduction to his sefer, Kedushas
Tziyon. Our father emulated the character traits of
Aharon Hakohen: `a lover of peace, a pursuer of peace, a
lover of his fellow, and one who draws them closer to Torah.'
He was niftar on the yahrtzeit of his father,
Aharon Hakohen."
After conducting the custom of hakofos and recitation
of "Veyehi Noam," chairman of the Chevra Kadisha,
Rabbi Yaakov Firer, recited Keil Molei Rachamim. The
head of the Bobov community, Rabbi Moshe Meir Einhorn, then
announced that the Admor's son, HaRav Naftoli, would preside
as the new Admor and the Admor's younger son, HaRav Ben Zion
would be the younger rav of the Kahal Adas Kehillos Bobov.
Wails and heartfelt cries emerged from the hearts of the
massive throng who filled the beis medrash and nearby
streets when the aron was borne by the Admor's
grandchildren from the beis medrash to the
levaya procession. The Chassidim did kriya, as
talmidim for their rav muvhak, while tears
flowed incessantly.
The streets of Boro Park along the route of the procession
were so crowded that it was impossible to see where the
procession began or ended. The huge stream of anguished
people following the Admor's bier consisted of tens of
thousands of people. One continuous mass strode though the
streets of Brooklyn, accompanying the aron out of the
neighborhood on its way to the cemetery in New Jersey.
New York Police closing neighborhood streets to vehicular
traffic. In Israel, thousands of Chassidim gathered in the
large Bobover beis medrash in Bat Yam, where the
levaya was broadcast live on a huge screen.
Following the levaya, hespedim and divrei
his'orerus were delivered by HaRav Shimon Lemberger, the
av beis din of Makawa, as well as by the Admor of
Stropkov and the Admor of Desh of Ramot.
Biographical Notes
The Admor of Bobov, HaRav Shlomo Halberstam, zt"l, son
of HaRav Benzion the av beis din of Bobov, was born on
rosh chodesh Kislev 5668 (1908). In this home, which
was a bastion of Torah, chassidus and yiras
Shomayim, the neshomo of the future Admor sent
from Above to reestablish the Bobover chain after the
Holocaust, was fashioned. There he imbibed the spiritual
courage to save Klal Yisroel and to lead his flock for
fifty years.
As a youth, he studied in his father's yeshiva under HaRav
Chaim Hacohen Friedman, the dayan and moreh
tzedek of Fristik, to whom he was very attached. Because
of his diligence, the future Admor became a great
boki, and they applied to him the phrase: "Bor sud
she'eino me'abed tipah."
When the throes of the first world war intensified he fled
with his family to Vienna, where they remained for a year and
a half. They then moved to Leminbrad, where they remained
until the end of the war. In 5685 (1925), he married Bluma
Rochel, Hy"d, daughter of his uncle, HaRav Chaim
Yaakov Teitlebaum, the av beis din of Limnov, and
together they moved to Bobov.
In 5691 (1931), when his father the Admor HaRav Benzion,
Hy"d, reached the age at which his own father had
passed away, he left Bobov and settled in Tchebin. Members of
his flock pleaded with him to reverse his decision to exile
himself from Bobov, saying that the tens of thousands who
sought his advice and succor needed him. But he remained
staunch in his decision. The community then appointed his
son, HaRav Shlomo, as rav and head of the yeshiva
gedola, which grew in both size and quality from day to
day. The Admor then began to deliver Torah shiurim in
the yeshiva.
He led the rabbinate of Bobover with a strong hand, and his
influence was felt throughout Poland. Bobover Chassidim
throughout the country sent him questions on halocho
and sought Torah guidance. The rabbinate of the city of Bobov
was one of the most respected in Galicia: a rabbinate
conducted with courage, strength and fortitude to which
halachic questions streamed from world over.
In 5696 (1936), a decree by the Polish government forbade
shechita on the grounds that it inflicted pain on
animals. Along with other Polish gedolim, the Admor
took an active part in rescinding that decree.
During the Holocaust era, the Admor and his family fled
Poland and crossed over into Rumania and then into Russia.
But upon the Russian invasion of Lemberg they returned to
that city, where by means of bribery the Admor was granted a
government job, enabling him to continue his avodas
hakodesh and Torah study undisturbed. He later returned
to Bobov. But when he learned that the Nazis were searching
for him he fled to Bochnia, where there was a large ghetto of
thousands of Jews in addition to a large concentration camp.
There he found many of his Chassidim, who tried to secure him
a work permit. He remained there until the end of 5702
(1942).
The rosh yeshiva of the Bobover yeshiva, HaRav Boruch
Kensigner, also arrived in Bochnia, and there he assembled
all the Bobov talmidim for the purpose of establishing
a yeshiva in a cellar. They shared a sincere desire to devote
the remainder of their lives to the Torah hakedosha
and to Hashem, and to fulfill the words, "Fortunate is he who
comes [to the World of Truth] with his Talmud in his hands,"
despite their awareness of the tremendous danger of falling
into the hands of the murderers.
HaRav Boruch did not want to assume responsibility for this
decision on his own -- thus endangering his students -- and
asked the Admor whether he was permitted to do so. The Admor
replied: "That is a question which must be asked in a
Sanhedrin of at least 23 members. However, Jews are
being killed here for absolutely no reason. It is better to
be killed because of Torah study, as Papus said to Rabbi
Akiva, `Fortunate are you, Rabbi Akiva, that you were
captured because of divrei Torah.' Therefore, it
seems to me that you have Rabbi Akiva's heter to
dedicate your lives to Torah study."
This decision by HaRav Boruch and the forty students made a
tremendous impression on the Jews in the ghetto, showing them
the true meaning of mesiras nefesh for Torah. The
Admor was active on behalf of the yeshiva, doing everything
he could to maintain it even in the ghetto, thus risking his
life. He continued until that dreadful day on rosh
chodesh Menachem Av 5702 (1942) when the yeshiva students
were massacred.
The Admor miraculously survived the horrors of the Holocaust.
He was confronted with death on many occasions, and was
prepared to sanctify Hashem's Name with his own death. He
experienced obvious miracles which could fill volumes,
teaching how the hand of Hashgocho accompanied him
throughout the entire Holocaust, helping him renew the
Bobover dynasty after the war.
An astounding chapter of his life during the Holocaust
focuses on his rescue of Jewish children. In superhuman ways,
with enormous mesiras nefesh, he saved Jewish lives,
hiding people at the risk of his life.
Once the Admor was caught along with his son, the current
Admor HaRav Naftoli, and was certain that he they would be
killed in the morning. He approached his beloved son, and
with einayim kedoshos welling with tears, he said:
"Naftoli, my dear son, know that the body of a Jew is
corporeal -- dust from the earth. Man can be killed, but his
soul is eternal, and no murderer or evildoer in the world can
harm the soul.
"Today, Naftoli, I am your father and you, my son, can still
fulfill the mitzvah of kibbud ov, which is one of the
most stringent laws in the Torah. Tomorrow, apparently, both
of us will be sacred souls in Shomayim. My son, how
great the merit of a Jewish soul that fulfills the mitzvah
of, `I shall be sanctified among Bnei Yisroel.'
Tomorrow, if such is the will of Hakodosh Boruch Hu,
both of us will merit to fulfill the mitzvah of
`venikdashti besoch bnei Yisroel. Tomorrow we will
fulfill this great mitzvah. In these last minutes of our
lives I have one request of you, my son. I want you to
fulfill yet another mitzvah of kibbud ov vo'eim before
they kill me. I want Naftoli to obey me. Do you promise to
obey me?"
"Yes, my father," Naftoli answered, and the Admor,
zt"l, continued: "Naftoli, my dear one, recall Simchas
Torah in Bobov and the tremendous simcha we feel when
we dance during hakofos with the Torah in our hands,
or the simcha of the baking of matzos on erev
Pesach, and all of the simcha with which a Jew
should observe every single mitzvah, especially that of
kiddush Hashem. We have only a few more hours in which
to live -- a few more hours until morning. The only mitzvah
we can still fulfill is that of kiddush Hashem with
all our heart. The murderers will torture me with bitter and
harsh torments because they will want to know the identities
of the smugglers and those who make counterfeit affidavits. I
won't say a thing. I will only shout `Shema Yisroel Hashem
Elokeinu Hashem Echod' until my soul departs from my
body. When you see my tremendous suffering, don't pay
attention to it. Just shout, `Shema Yisroel' too, and
don't fear anything in the world. Strengthen yourself and
don't cry then, because if you cry you might confuse me at
this great, sacred moment. Naftoli, that is my final request
to you. Will you listen to me?"
Naftoli burst into uncontrolled tears, and in a choked voice
said: "Tatte, I will ask the murderers to kill me
first, because I surely won't be able to watch you
suffer."
They prepared themselves for the mitzvah of kiddush
Hashem. On the way to the scaffold they were saved at the
last moment, and returned to the camp in Bochnia.
A Hungarian affidavit in hand, the Admor managed to escape
from the camp, and in roundabout ways he reached Kashoi and
Budapest. After the Nazi Invasion, he went on to
Grosswardein. During the days of wrath he truly drank the
bitter cup until its last dregs, losing his wife and two of
his children.
When he reached Romania he, together with a representative of
the Red Armada headed by a Jew disguised as a priest, made
valiant efforts to save Jews. They helped save hundreds of
children. During the period in which the Admor was in
Bucharest he helped thousands of Jews who had arrived in
Romania after the Holocaust: in both ruchniyus and
gashmiyus. While he was in Romania he managed to
obtain a certificate stating that he was an Italian citizen,
and thus received a permit to go to Bari, a city in northern
Italy.
In the camps in Italy, scores of orphaned children and lone
young men who had lost their families clustered around him.
He arranged for a G-d-fearing shochet to come from
Rome and took care of their material and spiritual needs. He
was like a father to them, instilling them with new spirit
and drawing them close to him as if he were their father.
In time, he traveled to London to participate in the Agudas
Yisroel Knessia and from there continued to America.
Immediately upon his arrival in the United States he sent
visas to his students and sons, and brought them to
America.
The Admor's purpose in going to London was to revive the
Torah world and the Chassidic Bobov community. The Admor,
zt"l, who agreed to fill the place of his father as
Admor because his Chassidim begged him to do so, began to
lead his flock. Masses of survivors from Bobov began to
stream to him, impressed by his sichos, which they
felt were comparable to those delivered by his illustrious
forbears, the founders and leaders of Bobover Chassidus.
In America, he married Frieda, shetichyeh, daughter of
HaRav Leibush Rubin, the Admor of Tchenshiov. In time, the
Admor established his Bnei Tzion yeshiva in Crown Heights,
where hundreds of boys pored over Torah studies.
Under his leadership, Bobover Chassidus gradually grew and
thousands of families numbered themselves among his
followers. He established a new generation of
avreichim and Torah scholars imbued with exalted
spiritual aspirations. He lead his flock with compassion and
endless mesiras nefesh, influencing them in
ruchniyus and helping them with gashmiyus.
Jews from all sects and circles streamed to his large beis
medrashtalmid chochom, and his gift of speech and
humility, he resolutely succeeded in reviving the spirits of
many Jews after the Holocaust, drawing them closer to
Hashem.
His home was a beacon where he received everyone with a
special glow and with unusual nobility of spirit. His
pleasantness had a profound influence on all who visited him
and was the source of the tremendous admiration people
displayed for him.
He was deeply attached to all of the gedolei Yisroel,
roshei yeshiva and Admorim, who held him in high esteem.
He maintained close contact with them in all the battles for
kodshei Yisroel and Torah.
His great dedication for the founding of Torah institutions
is famous. Over a thousand students study in his yeshivos in
Boro Park, while over a thousand children grace the Bobover
talmudei Torah. He founded Bobover yeshivos in
Antwerp, London, Toronto and Canada, where hundreds of
students study.
In Cheshvan 5719 (1959), he founded the Kiryat Bobov in Bat
Yam, where hundreds of families live. This thriving community
boasts outstanding Torah institutions and kollelim,
among the most prominent in the entire Torah world for the
study of halocho. Many members of this kollel,
headed by HaRav Yehuda Sillman, have merited to become
morei horo'oh. Kiryat Bobov also has a regular
kollel, headed by HaRav Y. Schiff.
The Admor of Bobov, his tradition and legacy, left a deep
impression on the entire generation. He is survived by an
illustrious family: his sons, the current Admor HaRav Naftoli
and HaRav Benzion and his seven daughters, all of whom are
married to gedolei Torah veChassidus as well as
grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom are
following along the path he charted for them.
