The bitter news of the petirah of the Admor of Lelov,
the tzaddik, HaRav Avrohom Shlomo Biderman
zt"l,
became known last motzei Shabbos. Like his father, the
Admor HaRav Moshe Mordechai of Lelov, HaRav Avrohom Shlomo
returned his pure soul to its Maker with the departure of
Shabbos. Many of his chassidim, deeply concerned over
his health, streamed to the hospital where he was being
treated throughout Shabbos. At the time of his petirah
he was surrounded by his sons, his son-in-law, and many of
his chassidim. As his soul left for Olam
Ha'emmes
they cried out Shema Yisroel with heart-rending tears.
He was 73 at the time of his petirah in
Yerushalayim.
The Admor was born in the great Polish Torah center of Cracow
on rosh chodesh Adar, 5687. As a child, it was obvious
that he was destined for greatness. Alongside his outstanding
humility, one sensed his nobility of spirit and the
kedusha and taharo which he imbibed in his
father's home. He was very modest in all of his ways, and
especially beloved by many gedolei Yisroel.
Rav Avrohom Shlomo was only four years old when his father
decided to take up residence in Eretz Yisroel,
settling
in the Botei Warsaw neighborhood in Yerushalayim. The young
R' Avrohom Shlomo studied in the Chayei Olom Talmud Torah,
and when his father moved to Tel Aviv in 5703, he transferred
to the Beis Yosef Novardok yeshiva, where he merited to
become very close with the rosh yeshiva, HaRav Mattisyahu
Schisgal and the Kehillos Yaakov, with whom he had a steady
shiur every Friday on Shulchan Oruch, Yoreh
De'ah. He was also a member of the permanentminyan
of the Chazon Ish for mincha gedola, when the latter
lived on Givat Rokach. He was an outstanding talmid
chochom, authorized by the gedolim of Eretz
Yisroel to teach halocho.
He was very attached to his father zt"l, and served
him
with great dedication. He served as his father's emissary in
many issues of importance to chareidi Jewry. He was his right
hand man in public affairs and private issues.
He married the daughter of HaRav Zundel Hagar, and was
appointed rosh yeshiva of the Lelover yeshiva in
Yerushalayim. In 5725, when his father moved from Tel Aviv to
Bnei Brak, he was appointed rav of the beis medrash in
Tel Aviv. With the petirah of his father, HaRav
Avrohom
Shlomo was appointed Admor, and he moved to Yerushalayim
where he established his beis medrash on Tzefania
Street. There he gave counsel and rendered halachic
decisions to all who approached him. From there, he led his
flock until his final day.
The Admor was very beloved by his fellows. His most salient
trait was his humility, the basis of all of his lofty
attributes. He was also outstanding in his bekius. He
had many chassidim and admirers both in Eretz
Yisroel and abroad. At the behest of his father, he was
one of the first to do "reach out," and opened institutions
for kiruv rechokim.
He initiated many activities on behalf of the Jews of the
C.I.S, and during recent years, helped them in matters of
Yiddishkeit. He supported needy families on a steady basis.
Many flocked to the tisches which he held in his
beis medrash. These reminded them of the ones his
father had held.
The Lelov Institutions which he founded are flourishing. In
Yerushalayim, he founded a talmud Torah and a yeshiva
for avreichim. He also founded botei medrash in
London, the United States and in Antwerp.
This year, he fell ill on the second day of Rosh Hashanah,
and his situation deteriorated. On the day of the
yahrtzeit of his father, the 7th of Shevat, he held a
brief tisch, but to the sorrow of his
chassidim,
he became very weak. On Friday, 14 Shevat, he was brought to
hospital, and lost consciousness on Shabbos morning. On
motzei Shabbos he returned his pure soul to its
Maker.
Later motzei Shabbos, thousands arrived at his beis
medrash on Tzefania Street, from where the levaya
proceeded to the plot of the Admorim of Lelov, where he was
buried beside his father.
