HaRav Alter Pinchos Farber, zt"l, was unique in his
character traits, his achievements, and his Torah greatness.
He single-handedly published the writings of several Torah
giants through yegi'oh and omol. The thousands
of Bnei Brak residents who accompanied him on his last
earthly journey on erev Shabbos parshas Bolok
appreciated his greatness, and deeply mourned the loss of
this 51 year-old ben aliya who was niftar
after much suffering.
HaRav Alter Pinchos Farber, zt"l, son of HaRav
Nosson, was born in Antwerp and studied it its Torah
institutions. As a young man he came to Eretz Yisroel, where
he studied in Brisk and was one of its most prominent
students. He pored over his studies with tremendous
exertion, becoming an outstanding boki in all aspects
of Torah. He was blessed with remarkable talents that he
tried to conceal because of his great humility.
He married the daughter of HaRav Shmuel Lieberman and then
began to study in the kollel of HaRav Michel
Feinstein, where he amassed vast knowledge in Torah,
Shulchan Oruch and poskim. His wife,
tibodel lichayim tovim ve'arukim, assumed full
responsibility for the household so that he could continue
his studies.
HaRav Alter Pinchos later transferred to Kollel Chazon Ish,
where he was considered one of its finest, most diligent
students. He was a genuine ben aliya who studied
Torah with every fiber of his soul.
A unique part of his life was his effort to reprint the
works of the Levush and the Smag, along with references,
keys and his own comments, under the name Kosnos Or.
These works were praised by all of the gedolei
haTorah, who lauded him for the great efforts he
invested in these seforim which were reprinted in a
special edition used by many talmidei chachomim. This
remarkable Torah work was the result of intensive labor and
many years of toil.
He was humble, unassuming, gentle and kind. His simple
lifestyle enabled him to acquire all of the kinyonei
Torah and to refine his soul until he was totally
subservient to Torah.
Three and a half years ago he fell seriously ill, accepting
his suffering with love and justifying Shomayim's
verdict. Recently, his situation began to deteriorate, and
on Friday afternoon, 15 Tammuz, his pure soul returned to
its Maker.
The levaya, setting out from his home, was attended
by a large throng, among them HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, as well
as by gedolei haTorah, roshei yeshiva, and hundreds
of avreichim of the Kollel Chazon Ish.
Hespedim were delivered by HaRav Boruch Rosenberg,
HaRav Sariel Rosenberg, HaRav Moshe Hersh, and HaRav
Yitzchok Kolodetsky, all of whom spoke about his deep
dedication to Torah, his remarkable shekidoh, his
sterling character traits, and his sincere aspiration to
dwell in beis Hashem his entire life.
He is survived by his wife and by fifteen children, only
three of whom are married.
