HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok Lintzberg zt"l, one of the
founders and roshei yeshivos of Yeshivas Or Yosef Novardok in
France and one of the surviving talmidim of Yeshivas
Novardok in Bialystok, was brought to rest in Jerusalem on
Monday after returning his pure soul to his Maker on Motzei
Shabbos Kodesh parshas Toldos at the age of 84.
HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok Lintzberg was born in 5680 (1920) in
the city of Stutchin, Plach Grodno in Poland to R' Yosef
Tzvi, one of the city's prominent baalei batim. Before
he reached the age of bar mitzvah his parents sent him away
to Yeshivas Novardok Beis Yosef in Graiva, headed by HaRav
Ben Tzion Bruk.
Several years later he was sent to the central Novardok Beis
Yosef Yeshiva in Bialystok, headed by HaRav Avrohom Yoffen,
where he was among the leading talmidim and close to
the Rosh Yeshiva.
When World War II broke out at the end of 5699 (1939) he went
to Vilna with the yeshiva's rabbonim and talmidim to
join the other yeshivas seeking a temporary haven in the
city, based on the instructions of HaRav Chaim Ozer
Grodzensky. At the end of Sivan 5701 (1941) the yeshiva was
exiled to Siberia under the leadership of the
mashgiach, HaRav Yisroel Moshowitz. During this period
HaRav Lintzberg was very close to the Mashgiach and lent a
hand in helping the other talmidim, displaying hidden
strengths and genuine concern for each and every Jew.
After being repeatedly uprooted and roaming around Russia, at
the end of the war he traveled through Poland and
Czechoslovakia to Germany to meet with HaRav Gershon Liebman,
one of the few survivors among Yeshivas Bialystok's leading
figures under the Nazi occupation. Cleaving to him, HaRav
Lintzberg joined the administration of Yeshivas Novardok,
which later moved to Lyons, and he gave shiurim and
talks. Later the yeshiva gedoloh relocated to a
Parisian suburb.
He taught Torah and yir'oh to hundreds of
talmidim and continued to dedicate his entire life to
harbotzas Torah there, remaining at HaRav Liebman's
side. He was famous for his devotion and concern for the
yeshiva and his many talmidim went on to become
marbitzei Torah and mussar in many different
places.
Rebbetzin Esther Leah Lintzberg o"h, the daughter of
eminent Jerusalemite HaRav Yitzchok Yosef Wolpe, stood at his
side faithfully and even went to the United States with him
for an extended stay to lay the foundations for
fundraising.
Recently HaRav Lintzberg was confined to his bed. His
talmidim and others close to him took care of him
constantly. After his soul was refined through suffering he
returned it to his Maker on motzei Shabbos parshas
Toldos in Paris, with his talmidim at his bedside.
From the hospital his body was brought to Armentierre, the
Parisian suburb that is home to the yeshiva and the
avreichim. An immense crowd participated in the
levaya that set out from the yeshiva and then
continued from Yeshivas Novardok in Jerusalem to the
rabbinical section at Har Hamenuchos. HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok
Lintzberg is survived by a daughter and grandchildren.
