On the night following the last day of Purim Meshulash, the
night of 16 Adar II, thousands of Jerusalem residents took
part in the levaya for HaRav Pinchas Lieberman
zt"l, the author of the Lev Tov translation of
Chovos Halevovos and the peirush Tuv
Yerushalayim on the Ramban on Chumash.
A descendent of the Chasam Sofer zechuso yogen oleinu,
Pinchas Yehuda Lieberman was born in Pressburg on 22 Cheshvan
5690 (1929) to R' Tuvioh. In 5699 (1940) the family moved to
Eretz Yisroel and a few years later young Pinchas Yehuda
began studying under prominent Jerusalem rabbonim and
zekeinim.
He had easy access to his uncle the Tchebiner Rov after he
arrived in Eretz Yisroel, and was also close to the Daas
Sofer of Pressburg and HaRav Y. T. Dushinsky. While studying
at Yeshivas Chevron he maintained close ties with the rosh
yeshiva HaRav Aharon Cohen, who spent hours learning with
Pinchas Yehuda and instilling in him yiras
Shomayim.
When he transferred to Yeshivas Mir he built relationships
with the rosh yeshiva HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, as well as
with HaRav M. A. Freund and the Minchas Yitzchok.
In 5712 (1952) he married the daughter of HaRav Avrohom
Mordechai Yosefitz, one of the leading talmidim of the
Shomrei Emunim, and continued his studies at Mir. His
colleagues sitting on the benches of the beis medrash
during this period recall his tremendous yegiyo and
lamdonus. Not wanting to use the Torah as "a spade to
dig," he worked a few hours in the afternoon to earn a
living.
In 5728 (1968) he published Lev Tov, which made
Chovos Halevovos accessible to many who found its
archaic language difficult to understand. Even though it is
formally a translation, in many places it is in effect a
commentary. His conduct so closely adhered to the book he had
labored on that HaRav Dovid Yungreis, the late ravad
of the Eida Chareidis, once called him a "lebediger Chovos
Halevovos." He was always very careful in doing
cheshbon nefesh. His offspring found extremely
detailed instructions in his will describing how to handle
him after his histalkus.
A few years later he published Tuv Yerushalayim, an
analysis of the Ramban's commentary on the Torah. This book,
which also gained popularity, was the product of 25 years of
labor. He sometimes spent whole days and nights on one
segment of the Ramban, praying and weeping before Hashem as
part of his efforts to achieve a profound understand of the
Ramban's true intentions. After two-and-a-half decades of
work he was so happy that he told his grandchildren: "Each of
these five volumes is as dear to me as a son."
Recently he identified a need for mussar teachings
taken from the Torah and organized a compilation according to
parshas hashovua called Tuv Hapeninim.
The doors of his home were left open to all, and numerous
bochurim regularly dined at his Shabbos table. He was
known for his careful speech and humility and his sense of
pain over the suffering of other Jews.
Recently he contracted a very serious illness, but despite
his great suffering during his last Shabbos he changed none
of his customs. After making Havdoloh at home on
motzei Shabbos Purim he was rushed to the hospital and at
10:00 p.m. he returned his soul to his Maker.
During the levaya that set out from his home, his
older brother HaRav Yosef Lieberman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas
Shomrei Hachomos and rov of beis knesses Sadigora,
parted from the deceased with a quote from Dovid Hamelech's
eulogy for Yehonoson: "Tzar li olecho ochi Yehonoson,
no'amto li me'od nifle'eiso ahavoscho li mei'ahavas noshim"
(Shmuel II 1:26). "Undoubtedly he will be received by the
great [talmidei chachomim in Otzar Haposkim], whose
Torah teaching he engaged in, as well as his great rabbonim
who cherished him so."
He was followed by HaRav Moshe Halberstam, a member of the
Badatz Eida Chareidis in Jerusalem, who cited Chazal's
remarks on the auspiciousness of dying in a state of
happiness [since the niftar passed away on Purim],
"meis mitoch sechok simon yofeh lo," and lamenting the
great loss for the people of Jerusalem.
The deceased's son, HaRav Chaim, parted from his father in
the name of the family, quoting the verse, "Noflo ateres
rosheinu oy no lonu ki chotonu" (Eichoh 5:16), and
mourning the loss of a father so devoted to educating his
children in purity and sanctity and for the prayers he poured
out for their sake. Another son, HaRav Moshe, also offered
words of parting. Those walking behind the mittoh
included the Admor of Rachmastrivka and the Admor of
Dushinsky.
HaRav Pinchas Lieberman zt"l is survived by his wife;
his sons HaRav Shimon a moreh tzedek, HaRav Chaim
menahel ruchani of Yeshivas HaRemo, HaRav Moshe and
HaRav Nachum, a ram at Yeshivas HaRemo; his sons-in-
law HaRav Chaim Freund a ram at Yeshivas Beis Yosef
Tzvi, and HaRav Mordechai Shapira; grandchildren and great-
grandchildren all following in his path of Torah and
yir'oh.
