The Funeral of Chief Rabbi Ch. Kreiswirth of Antwerp zt"l.
    12 January 2003

Vaarwel Moron Horav. In memoriam Opperrabbijn Chaïm Kreiswirth door H. Rosenberg B.I.W. 10 januari 2002 Klik hier voor *.doc-versie Klik hier voor *.pdf-versie Klik hier voor *.html-versie

Farewell, Moron Horav. In memory of  Chief Rabbi Chaïm Kreiswirth by H. Rosenberg B.I.W. 10 January 2002 Click here for *.doc-version Click here for *.pdf-version Click here for *.html-version

Click here for Chief Rabbi Kreiswirth Street in Antwerp

© 2001 by H. Rosenberg

© 2001 Stefansky

© 2001 Stefansky

© 2001 Stefansky

© 2001 Stefansky

© 2001 Stefansky

© 2001 Stefansky
 
 

Pictures Funeral Israël (1 January 2002)

© 2002 B.I.W.

Pictures of  Hesped in Antwerp (7 January 2002)

© 2002 Stefansky

© 2002 Stefansky
For a picture of the Rov with Reb Boruch: Click here.

© 2002 Stefansky

Pictures of the Shiva in Israel

Half a century ago you decided to throw in your lot with our city, a city that you ended up dedicating almost your entire life to. The Gedoïlim (= the acknowledged Sages) such as the Chazon Ish, the Amshenower Rebbe, had nonetheless tried to persuade you to devote your exceptional gifts to the American continent instead of an insignificant post-holocaust European Kehille (= religious community). Did not the newly appointed Lubavitsher Rebbe write in 1953 to our Kehille that it would be for the better if we did not take you away from America "because of the bittul Toïre deAmerika" (truncation of Torah studies in America this would entail) and that our Kehille would be able to find another Rov?

Your Kehille

The Chazon Ish finally gave you his blessing and it seems that this Brocho (blessing) guided and motivated you for fifty years. You became the driving force and inspiration behind the growth of an insignificant and ravaged Jewish community into an enviable Jewish metropolis offering an unrivalled range of Jewish social and educational organizations, with the Israelite Orthodox Community Machsike Hadass and the Jesode-Hatora-Beth-Jacob school (for you the only true school) being the jewels in the crown. It was your vision of the future, determination and inexhaustible energy that transformed post-war Jewish Antwerp into the Jerusalem of the North.

As the world-famous Antwerpener Rov you were therefore perfectly justified in singing the praises of our Moïsdos (institutions) on your travels over the globe, and let us not forget that the Kehille and the school were your pet projects. Your incessant and inexhaustible efforts on behalf of the development and the success of our school, to which you devoted all your energies until the very last moment, gave us every reason to respect you. Many of those close to you feared that your speech on the occasion of the 106th  anniversary of the school could well be your last. Nonetheless you insisted on speaking in order to make sure that the fund-raising efforts of the school would be as successful as possible. Even then your physical energies had already deserted you and you should really have been in hospital. For you that was not relevant. You drew on your supernatural powers, your immense willpower and resolve. And you succeeded. You checked into hospital only after the gala evening, and after completing your mission: the fund-raising event was a success.

 

The last droshe © 2001 by Stefansky

On his way to Hospital after the last droshe © 2001 by Stefansky

The school committee would be honoured to organize a course describing your fascinating life, your tremendous effort on behalf of the post-war reconstruction and further development of our school and teaching your toïres, in the same instructive way you used for singing the praises of R. Hersch Krengel, the founder of the school 106 years ago.

Saviour in times of need

Even though you were fully occupied with the immense work of rebuilding and developing our institutions, in 1956, shortly after your arrival in Antwerp, you launched yourself into an operation for saving Polish Jews. As a young rabbi of only 38 years old, you plunged, entirely unaided, into the work of helping dozens of families get out of Poland and integrate themselves into life in Belgium or elsewhere. Twenty years later on you did the same thing for Russian Jews who had failed to find their way in Israel and had decided to emigrate. This time  you were really entirely alone. The Israeli Embassy in Brussels had issued strict orders to the effect that these Jews were not to be helped, so that their interests were being looked after by none other than Caritas Catholica until you came along. The Zionist orders were being followed up in Antwerp too, until you managed to persuade A. Laub, a Zionist philanthropist, to finance the operation. Your record is nothing short of praiseworthy: thousands of people have you to thank for enabling them to adopt the Chareidic Jewish lifestyle - simply because of you and your unremitting efforts! It is hardly my position to refer you Rabbi, to what the Talmud ^[1]  says about a person who saves just one life. You have done this daily throughout your entire life.

Your Ahavas Hatoïre

The most remarkable thing of all was that you were able to reconcile this challenging pastoral work with a resolute and lifelong study of the Talmud, which was to make you one of the world's leading Torah personalities. You personified the harmony between an astounding Head and a captivating Heart. You were all Head and Heart. From your earliest youth you studied the Talmud and the commentaries in all their depth leaving no aspect untouched. When you were only 18 and living in Cracow, a city that could boast of its innumerable Thora personalities, you became  known as the Krakauer Iloeï (the Cracow Prodigy). Your official Polish identity documents (which I have been able to recover) state (in Polish) that your occupation was Talmudysta or Talmudist. In fact this was your occupation throughout your entire life. When the doctor filling in his forms inquired about your profession you answered perfectly correctly that you were a Talmudic scholar. On Simchas Toïro (feast of the law), you not only danced with the rolls of the Torah, but also with an open book of the Talmud, thus emphasizing your close connection with the Talmud. According to the testimony of two eminent rabbis ^[2]    when you were 27 you not only knew the Babylonian and the Palestinian Talmud together with the Tosfot and most Hilchos Horambam by heart, you were also imbued with the spirit of the Talmud. You embodied the Talmud, you argued in terms of the Talmud. In other words you were generally recognized as a Man of the Talmud, Ish Toïreh-shebaal-peh. As a very young child your Ahavas Hatoïre (love of study) was so intense that you spilt tears on the grave of the Remo in Cracow, because nobody could explain a difficult passage from the Talmud to you.

Your way of teaching the Talmud, your phenomenal ability to declaim - staccato - entire passages, accompanied by a Yiddish translation, was unique in the world. All Gedoïlim adored your crystal clear teaching methods which made it easy for even the unitiated to understand the most difficult of subjects. Pearls seemed to drop from your lips, so that you were rightly nicknamed "the mouth that pours pearls". Your absorbing Droshes (sermons) familiarized us with the Talmud and with ‘our Rebbes' R. Akiva Eiger, the Nessivoïs, the Ktsos. Your attitude, teaching method and thinking fitted in well with this period. The Steipler once said that even 200 years ago you would be regarded as a Godoïl . You had the ability to make it seem if the Talmud scholars were speaking directly to us through you. When you quoted from the Talmud, it was always relevant to the present, contemporary and pertinent. You taught us to love the Talmud. How many persons, even if not orthodox, did you not persuade to at least take a Shass (Talmud collection) in their offices or at home? For us you were the physical link with the great prewar Teachers and you could fascinate us with the discussions of the Talmud you had with R. Shimon Shkop, with the Rogatshover, the Marcheset [from whom you received the smiche (rabbinical ordainment)], R. Elchonon B. Wasserman, R. Chaim Oïzer Grodzinski, the Imrei Emes of Gur, the Lubliner Rov, your encounters with R. Aaron Rokeach of Belz and so many more. For us these were distant historical figures, but thanks to you they became real living people.

You also taught us to love Yiddish, the language of our Rebbes (teachers) and the language which our grandmothers shed their tears in. Your unequalled eloquence and thorough knowledge of Yiddish, combined with the wealth of vocabulary at your command and your love of the Yiddish that you sung with such mastery and poetry, ensured that this Mamme-loshen (mother tongue) became popular in our town. If Antwerp Jews speak Yiddish and the children continue to study the bible and Talmud in Yiddish, this is undoubtedly due to your efforts and the eloquence of your Yiddish. You taught your people to speak Yiddish.

Nonetheless your remarkable intellect and genius did not make you a stranger to the world, distant, proud or elitist. To the contrary, your ordinary speech, your sichas chullin, was delightful and studded with Talmudic quotations. The masterly way in which you could see the Talmud in all contemporary events without in anyway corrupting the text and in which you could illustrate every situation or thought with a passage from the Talmud, which you were able to quote ad lib, was simply astonishing and made you much sought after for conversation, speeches or simple story telling.
 
 

© 2001 by H. Rosenberg
A chat with the Rov

Your humanity

Your imposing figure, your physical beauty, your neat appearance, your friendly air, in short your hadras ponim, left an unforgettable and indelible mark on other people. You made a deep impression on hundreds of people, even though you might have met them only once. A not particularly religious young lady in the US, who did not know who you were, and for whom you performed an act of spontaneous chessed (charity), found her life dramatically transformed (she suddenly found her biological mother for whom she had looking for many years, a discovery she attributes to you). For years afterwards she thought you were a heavenly messenger, until she find out via the internet who you really were.

Your powerful impact on other people ensured that you had a wide circle of friends. You had with your candid friendship, apparently childlike naivety, disarming smile and enchanting manner of speech an ability to establish close links with a vast number of friends and admirers over the entire world. Your bonds were not merely with individuals. Often you established a rapport with entire families, tribes and clans, who treasured their close links with you and the Rebbetzen. Your friendships lasted a lifetime. At every wedding of a descendant of your numerous followers you were regarded more as a Mechiten (relation) than as a Rov. You honestly shared in the joy, and your friends wanted you to share in their happiness and family celebrations. The same applies to your Talmidim (students) from Chicago (back in 1950), who still regard themselves as your Talmidim muvhokim.

Precisely because you had this ability to forge close friendships, your circle of friends gave outsiders the impression that it was a haphazard collection of orthodox and non-orthodox Jews, Talmidei Chachomin, (scholars) and Am Aratzim (illiterates), rich and poor. "For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart^[3] " was one of your favourite quotations. You saw in this patchwork of acquaintances only the neshome (soul) and if it was worthy and unsullied or could become so you accepted the person in your circle of intimates. You understood the Talmudic passage ^[4]  that says a Talmid Chochom should not have a stained cloak as a requirement for an unsullied soul.

The exemplary marriage to your Rebbetzen that lasted more than fifty years speaks volumes about your inner goodness. Your mutual respect and the tangible love between you will be a model for many. Like the great teacher Rabbi Akiva^[5]   of the Talmud, you recognized that many of your achievements and much of your success was due to your Rebbetzen, who was always there for you, supported and encouraged you. You were always machmier (strict) about the attitude towards the wife and you preached on this as well. This was also one of the reasons that made you try everything in order to restore Sholoïm Bayis (marital peace) when things went wrong.

Your charity and kindness are legendary. Even when very young you showed yourself capable of extraordinary compassion and a gift for helping others. As a child prodigy, your remarkable knowledge of the Talmud meant that you were often given shoes by wealthy admirers. You immediately handed them on to people needier than yourself. Over the years you became a "Centrale" (charity) all of your own, ready to help needy and desperate people from near and afar. You even went out looking for needy people, and your help was not limited to financial aid, but included psychological support. Similarly the way that you made sure that the recipients of your Tsedokko (charity) did not have to be ashamed won respect. How many people did you not help attend hospitals in the US to be given an expensive but often life-saving treatment? You told them that you had access to an American state fund that covered the costs of such treatments. You even went to visit the little girl with leukemia whom you sent for treatment in Palo Alto, simply to cheer her up and tell her that you would dance at her wedding. And so you did, years later after solemnizing the marriage.

Since your bowel cancer and your miraculous cure, you threw yourself into trying to help marriageable orphans. You combed the world for orphans who were unable to afford a marriage and then made all the arrangements for them, including a marital home. The marriage of the nine grandchildren of the Steipler, who had been orphaned when very young, was paid for by you and you moreover were delighted that you had been given the opportunity to grant this zechus (favour). You supported an orphanage in Israel financially. At Hanukkah you would visit and personally hand out pocket money to the orphaned girls. Widows too could count on receiving good treatment at your hands, because G'd himself preserves widows and orphans ^[6] .

Every day after morning prayers you took your breakfast in the synagogue and it was open secret that you were then available to listen to those in need. They received sums of money that put the rest of us to shame. Your example has made sure that the standard of Tsedokko in our town is high.

For you Tsedokko was not just a matter of money. Whenever you thought that somebody was being done an injustice or was about to be done an injustice, you would instantly set off with an unbelievable spontaneity and a sincere passion - and without further reflection (naasseh ve-nishmah^[7] ) and do everything you could: a nighttime visit, a long journey, and so on. Nothing was too difficult for you.

A personal view

In my family you were above all "the Rov". The daughter who was with me when the sad news reached me, asked if you had no other name than Chaïm, because, as my name is the same, my children cannot name their descendants Chaïm. You know that my happy marriage, and thus all my dear descendants, are due to you. What I own and what I am I owe to you. Should my descendants ever immortalize my name, this will also be in honour of you.

You always taught us that hakoras hatoïv (gratitude), does not consist of repaying somebody for a favour, but in the realization (hakoro), in the recognition, of what the other has done for you. My personal realization is twofold and is not based solely in the past. The first and greatest gratitude is for the honour that was mine after my marriage and that allowed to spend almost thirty years in your circle, to bathe in the dust of your footsteps ^[8] . It was a heartwarming sensation to be in you presence as a Talmid (disciple), a Mekabel (a recipient), to be close to an inexhaustible well of knowledge and goodness. Nonetheless you always gave me the impression that it was I who gave you something whenever I visited. You gave me the chance to appreciate a true Godoïl (spiritual giant - Sage) from close by, to see him in the daily round, to experience how knowledge and compassion of the highest order lived together in you, but without making you inaccessible. This immediately made it possible for me to appreciate the Lilliputian proportions of my own knowledge for what they were. You helped me to find peace, a state of mind remote from the kovoïd hamedumeh (baseless self-adoration) of the academic and professional world in which I usually move. Thanks to you I have been able to avoid become ensnared in the pride, conceit, and intellectual elitism that have befallen many of the scholars with a record of achievement similar to my own. Very recently I shared this beatific sensation with you in the knowledge of our forthcoming separation. You taught me pray from the Siddur (prayer book) and to articulate and pronounce the words and not just rattle them off, although I knew these prayers by heart. You promised me that much good would come of this. Since then I have (re)discovered the meaning and poetic beauty of prayer. The daily prayers of every day are now meaningful to me. Every day I think of what you have given me.

Your saddened admirers

You leave behind not only the Rebbetzen, a family, a circle of friends and a Kehille, you also leave behind you thousands of the needy, widows and orphans, for whom you were the sole means of support and saviour. You were the perfect example of the "man essential to the community"^[9] . Thousands of people counted on periodically receiving material support from you, and they will sorely miss you, unless your son Rabbi Dov Kreiswirth takes up the challenge. He has a natural gift for charity and indeed is already actively engaged in this work. On the other hand it would grace your Kehille should it establish a "Moron Horav Fund" to continue giving your protégés the support they need. In this way we could honour your memory in a style you would have approved of: the continuation of your Tsedokko.

The bereft friends you leave behind, among whom I count myself, had a boundless admiration for you, that sometimes expressed itself in mimicry. Did not so many of us imitate your declamatory style and Lithuanian accent when we quoted you?

Your death is not merely the end of your Rabbinate. The performance in a way that has elicited so much respect of the function of Moro deasro (chief municipal rabbi) is probably now a thing of the past, simply because Jewish society has now become so fragmented into innumerable tiny communities and sectarian congregations, that the  office of Chief Municipal Rabbi is something of an anachronism. Only your praiseworthy personality enabled you to bear the title of Moro deasro in a worthy fashion, in keeping with the tradition of the renowned chief rabbis of previous centuries of cities like Frankfurt-am-Main, Altuna, Prague, Pressburg, Cracow, Lvov, and so on.

Your mission has been accomplished with the greatest of success. Every day of your 83 years of earthly life was filled to the brim. You spent every minute in full and worthwhile activity. You liked to interpret the Gemorro ^[10]   of the din vecheshbon (report) of the patriarch Jitschok (Isaac) as a cheshbon (arithmetical sum) of what a person does on earth with the time allotted to him. You often repeated that the idea of "killing time" was unknown to a Jew. Your account of the time you spent on earth before the Celestial Courts will be accurate to the minute. When they ask you "Have you been fair in trade? ^[11] "(from another Talmudic text you were fond of quoting) you will be able to reply without hesitating and will be able to give an account of the immeasurable sums of charitable monies that have passed through your hands. You also revealed to us why Rabbi Judah de Prins sobbed at the thought that people exist who earn their entire oïlom habo (afterlife) in an hour ^[12], while others have to work on it an entire lifetime. The Rabbi cried because he realized that the inevitable corollary or downside of earning your oïlom habo in an hour was that you could also lose it in an hour, just like missing a train. You acquired your oïlom habo your entire life, minute by minute.

Go in peace and now rest in peace after your inexhaustible existence on earth. Farewell Rabbi, my unforgettable friend and mentor, who I loved honestly and passionately and adored without measure. From now I shall have to get on alone, and my memory of you will be the only consolation for the rest of my earthly journey.

      Chaïm

Click here for printable version

Footnotes.

^[1] Bab. Baba Batra, 11a; Bab. Sanhedrin, 37a
^[2] The Rabbi of Kovno, Rabbi Avrohom Dovber KAHANA SCHAPIRA (author of Dvar Avrohom) and the Rabbi of Jonava (Lithuania), Rabbi Nochum Baruch GINZBURGAS (author of Mekor Baruch).
^[3]  I Samuel, 16:7
^[4]  Bab. Shabbos, 114a.
^[5]  Bab. Kessubos, 63a; Bab. Nedorim, 50a.
^[6]  Psalms, 146:9
^[7]  Exodus XXIV:7
^[8]  M. Ovoïs, I:4.
^[9]  Bab. Hoïryos, 13b; see too Tosfot ad Bab. Jevomoïs, 105b, s.v. aba.
^[10] Bab. Shabbos, 89b
^[11] Bab. Shabbos, 31a
^[12] Bab. Avoïdo Zoro, 10b, 17a, 18a.
 

Reactions

==>Dear Henri,

        I read your message with a lot of emotion - you triggered off in me the sincere regret that I did not have the zchus or foresight to spend more time with the Maran during my many visits to Antwerp.

        You brought to light many aspects of the Marans great life of which I was not aware - I became enriched through knowing him and greatly comforted by the emotions of your long and devoted Eulogy.

        I just want to thank you - Henry for painting the picture of a 'giant'

        With warm personal regards,

        Eliyahu Y.Kelman
 
 

==>Dr. Rosenberg:

I don't know what e-list I was on to have been fortunate to receive this email for the links you provided, but, I thank you for the kiddush hashem that you have done. May the Rav be a Maylitz yosher for all of us!

Shimon Ray, Chicago
 

==>Thank you very much for the article. How did you get my address ? We were zoche to know the Rov ZT"L only for the past ten years. My wife is the secretary of Yeshivas Mercaz Hatorah which he founded in Yerushalayim. The Rov was in our home at least once a year - At the begining he told us, since this is the office of a Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel - it has a din of Eretz Yisroel.

Kol tuv,

Doniel Y. Carlebach
 

==>Prof. Rosenberg,

I don't know how you got my email address but I thank you for sending me the collection you've made of tributes to HoRav Kreiswirth, Ztz'l.
While the Rov cannot be properly eulogized or recognized, at least these pages can allow those around the world to see the reaction of the world.

In addition, your efforts obviously spring from a deep Kavod HaRov, a Kavod we know that he inspired in thousands, and this also stands as a tribute to him.

Kol Tuv,

R. Yitzchok Feldman, formerly of Yeshivas Mercaz HaTorah
 

==>Yaasher Koach for the work regarding the e-mails about the funeral.

Perhaps in the future you should write "Maran" instead of Moron, as moron in
English has very negative connotations.

Rabbi Mordechai Nissel  M.Ed.
Dean
Providence Hebrew Day School
New England Academy of Torah

==> R. Chaim, Rosh Hamedabrim bechol mokom

My name is Tsemach Glenn and I was very impressed when I saw this website
about the great gaon and gadol Harav Kreiswirth ztl. I had the great zchus of
being extremely close with him and spending hours, days and nights with him.
I have thousands of pictures of him that might be of great interest to you. I
also have many tapes of conversations that we had in the car together. If you
are interested in any of these tapes or pictures then please be in touch with
me. All of the pictures that were in the Yated and the Hamodiah were taken by
me. Next week the Hamodiah will be having a full spread about him for the
shloshim. You can call me at the following number: (...). If I'm not
home then please leave a message and I will get back to you. I wish you a lot
of hatzlacha in your great work of harbatzas torah. May the Rav ZTL be a
zchus for all of us.

==> Dear Dr. Rosenberg,

Thank you for the hard work that you have been doing in order to make known the "gadlus" of the Rav z"l.  This past week in Chicago, there was a Hespid at Hebrew Theological College Bais Medresh L'Torah.  The maspidim were R' Shlomo Morgenstern Shlita, Rav Binyomin
Kaminetzky Shlita and Rabbi Berel Wein Shlita.  The following night, we broadcasted the hespid on the radio and is archived on our website.  Anyone who wishes to listen to the hespid can visit our website  www.torahradio.net or  http://www.torahradio.net/audio/daily286.ram   .  Thank you again and may you have much
Hatzlacha in all that you do.

Gershon Friedman

==> To my yedid nafshi keach li Chaim,
© 2001 by H. Rosenberg
The Rov with Sigi Rabinowicz and Chaïm Rosenberg.

As always you have achieved the unachievable.

Since the passing away of our mutual teacher and mentor, "The Rov" as we always called him, I have been left with an indescrible feeling of emptiness.

The tears I shed after reading your Eulogy somehow filled the voidness.

Who can be Maspid "The Rov"? only "The Rov" himself! (from one of the hespedim).

I believe that you have proven that there is someone who can.

I was asked by a prominent talmid chochem to describe the Rov in one sentence.

I obviously told him it was impossible but if I had to, it would be the following: A Goen in Toire, A Goen in Chesed, A Goen in Hakoras Hatoiv and above all A Goen in  Pashtes.

I am grateful to the Ribono Shel Oilem that he gave me the Zchus to have known "The Rov" from closeby. He always gave me the feeling of being part of his family.

Moron Horav ZT"L should be a melitz yoisher to you and your family and whole clal Yisroel.
 

Thank you,

Sigi Rabinowicz

Vaarwel, Moron Horav
In memoriam Opperrabbijn Ch. Kreiswirth
-Prof. Dr. Henri Rosenberg-

Gepubliceerd in het B.I.W. 9 januari 2002.

© De Centrale 1955.
Ther Rov's droshe at the laying of the foundation stone to the Altersheim.

Klik hier voor printervriendelijke versie

Een halve eeuw geleden besloot u uw lot te binden aan onze stad. Uiteindelijk wijdde u  bijna gans uw leven  aan onze stad. De Gedoïlim (= de erkende Wijzen) zoals de Chazon Ish, de Amshenower Rebbe, hadden nochtans getracht u ervan te overtuigen uw buitengewone capaciteiten aan het Amerikaanse vasteland voor te behouden i.p.v. aan een onbeduidende postholocaust Europese Kehille (= kerkgenootschap). Schreef de toenmalige kersverse Lubavitsher Rebbe niet in 1953  aan onze Kehille dat men  u best niet uit Amerika haalde “vanwege bittul Toïre deAmerika” (= beknotting van de bijbelstudie in Amerika) en dat onze Kehille wel elders een Rov zou vinden?

Uw Kehille

Uiteindelijk gaf de Chazon Ish u zijn zegen en het lijkt dat deze Brocho (= zegen) u een halve eeuw lang heeft begeleid en bezield. U werd de drijvende kracht en inspiratie achter de uitbouw van de onbeduidende en geteisterde joodse gemeenschap van Antwerpen tot een benijdenswaardige joodse metropool, met een ongeëvenaarde waaier aan joodse sociale en educatieve instellingen, waarvan de Israëlitische Orthodoxe Gemeente  Machsike Hadass en de Jesode-Hatora-Beth-Jacobscholen (voor u: dé school) de kroon spannen. Het zijn uw toekomstvisioen en vastberadenheid en onuitputtelijke drijfkracht die het naoorlogse joods Antwerpen tot het Jeruzalem-van-het-Noorden hebben  gestuwd.

Het is dus zeer terecht dat u als wereldvermaarde Antwerpener Rov  planetair het lof zong van onze Moïsdos (= instellingen), waarbij de Kehille en de school uw troetelkinderen waren. Uw niet aflatende, onuitputtelijke inzet voor de uitbouw en het succes van onze school, met aanwending  van al uw krachten tot aan uw allerlaatste adem, dwong ons aller respect af. N.a.v. de viering van de 106de verjaardag van de school, vreesden vele intimi reeds dat uw toespraak wel eens uw laatste kon zijn, maar u had eraan gehouden het woord te voeren om de fundraising voor de school maximaal te doen lukken. Op dat moment hadden de fysieke krachten u al in de steek gelaten en u had eigenlijk dringend naar het ziekenhuis moeten gaan. Dat deed er niet toe. U putte maar in uw bovennatuurlijke krachten, uw grenzeloze wilskracht en doorzettingsvermogen. En het lukte. U checkte in het ziekenhuis pas na de feestavond in, en had –andermaal- uw zending optimaal volbracht: de fundraising was geslaagd. Het zou het schoolcomité tot eer strekken om in de school  uw boeiende levensloop, uw indrukwekkende inzet voor de naoorlogse heropbouw en verdere uitbouw van onze school  en uw toïres aan te leren, op dezelfde pedagogische wijze als wanneer u het lof telkens weer zong van R. Hersch Krengel, die 106 jaar geleden het schooltje uit de grond had gestampt.
 
 

De laatste droshe © 2001 by Stefansky

Op weg naat het ziekenhuis na de laatste droshe © 2001 by Stefansky

 

Redder in nood

Alsof het reuzewerf tot heropbouw en uitbouw van de instellingen voor u nog niet genoeg was, stortte u zich in 1956,  kort na uw komst in ons midden, reeds in de reddingsoperatie van Poolse joden. Op uw eentje hielp u als jonge rabbijn van amper 38 jaar tientallen gezinnen uit Polen uitwijken en integreren in ons land of elders. U herhaalde dit twintig jaar later met de Russische joden die in Israël hun plaats niet hadden gevonden en emigreerden. Voor deze reddingsactie stond u helemaal alleen, omdat de Israëlische Ambassade te Brussel richtlijnen had uitgevaardigd om deze joden zeker niet te helpen, zodat zij onder de hoede van … Caritas Catholica terecht waren gekomen, tot u zich over hun lot ontfermde. Het zionistische Diktat werd in onze stad nagevolgd, totdat u de zionistische Antwerpse mecenas A. Laub kon overreden, en deze de operatie financierde. Uw lot is ronduit benijdenswaardig: duizenden afstammelingen hebben hun inkeer tot het chareidishe jodendom aan u –en enkel aan u en uw onuitputtelijk doorzettingsvermogen- te danken! Het is niet aan u, Rabbi, dat ik moet wijzen naar  wat de talmud^[1]   zegt over iemand die ook maar één leven redt. U deed het dagdagelijks en doorlopend gans uw leven lang.

Uw Ahavas Hatoïre

Het meest merkwaardige was dat u dit moeilijke terreinwerk op het sociale vlak kon verzoenen met een onstuitbare levenslange talmudstudie, die van u een van de meest vooraanstaande Thorapersoonlijkheden in de wereld maakte. U personifieerde de harmonieuze symbiose tussen een verbazingwekkend Hoofd en een innemend Hart; u waart een en al Hoofd en Hart. Van in uw  prilste jeugd hebt u de talmud in al zijn diepte, commentaren en facetten bestudeerd, en reeds in Krakau –toen toch een stad met ontelbare uitmuntende Thorapersonaliteiten-  had u op 18-jarige leeftijd de bijnaam van dé Krakauer Iloeï (= fenomenale genie) verworven. Op uw officiële Poolse identiteitsdocumenten (die ik inmiddels heb teruggevonden) stond overigens in het Pools  Talmudysta (= talmudist)  als beroep. En dat was ook uw bezigheid gedurende gans uw leven. U had dus overschot van gelijk wanneer u de arts die u om uw beroep en om uw bezigheid en hobby vroeg,  spontaan antwoordde: de studie van de talmud. Op Simchas Toïro  (= het feest van de wet) danste u niet enkel met de thorarol maar ook met een open talmudboek, om uw hechte band met de talmud te demonstreren. Volgens de getuigenis van twee eminente rabbijnen ^[2] kende u op de duur (op 27-jarige leeftijd) niet alleen de Babylonische, en zelfs de Palestijnse talmud, volledig en letterlijk van buiten met Tosfot en de meeste Hilchos Horambam, maar waart u ook van de geest van de talmud doordrongen geraakt. U belichaamde de talmud, u redeneerde in talmudtermen. Kortom, u werd de  alom erkende Man van de Talmud, Ish Toïreh-she-baal-peh. Als zeer jong kind was uw Ahavas Hatoïre (= liefde voor de studie) reeds zo intens dat u ooit uw tranen bent gaan uitstorten op het graf van de Remo in Krakau, omdat niemand u een moeilijke talmudpassus  kon uitleggen.

In uw manier van doceren van de talmud, door uw fenomenale  woordelijke  declamatie -staccato uitgesproken-  van ganse traktaten met simultane Jiddischvertaling, waart u enig ter wereld. Alle Gedoïlim verheerlijkten uw kristalzuivere manier van lesgeven, waarbij ook niet-ingewijden de moeilijkste onderwerpen konden begrijpen. Parels schenen uit uw mond te rollen, om deze reden kreeg u terecht de toenaam “de mond die parels uitstort”. Via uw Droshes (= preken) hebt u ons  op boeiende wijze vertrouwd gemaakt met de talmud, met ‘onze Rebbes’ R. Akiva Eiger, de Nessivoïs, de Ktsos.  Uw ingesteldheid, leer- en denkwijze paste trouwens bij deze periode. De Steipler zei ooit van u dat u 200 jaar geleden ook als een Godoïl zou zijn aanzien. U  had het talent om de talmudgeleerden tot ons uit uw mond te laten spreken. Als u uit de talmud citeerde, was het steeds actueel, hedendaags en ad rem.  U bracht ons de liefde tot de talmud bij. Hoevelen zelfs niet-orthodoxen hebt u er niet toe aangespoord om op zijn minst een Shass (= talmudcollectie) in huis of in hun kantoor te nemen? U waart ook voor ons de lijfelijke band met de vooroorlogse grote Leermeesters en u kon ons onderhouden over talmuddiscussies die uzelf nog gevoerd had met R. Shimon Shkop, met de Rogatshover, de Marcheshet [van wie u smiche (= rabbinale wijding) kreeg], R. Elchonon B. Wasserman, R. Chaim Oïzer Grodzinski, de Imrei Emes van Gur, de Lubliner Rov, over uw ontmoetingen met R. Aaron Rokeach van Belz. Wat voor ons haast ideële historische figuren uit de leerboeken schenen, waren voor u gesprekspartners  in levende lijve geweest.

U hebt ons ook de liefde tot het Jiddisch bijgebracht, de taal van onze Rebbes (= leermeesters) en de taal waarin onze grootmoeders hun tranen lieten vloeien. Uw ongeëvenaard redenaarstalent en uw diepgaande kennis van het Jiddisch, alsook de uitermate rijke en uitgelezen woordenschat die u kon bespelen, en de liefde van het Jiddisch die u zo meesterlijk en dichterlijk zong,  hebben dit Mamme-loshen  (= moedertaal) pas goed ingang doen vinden in onze stad. Indien het Antwerpse jodendom Jiddisch blijft spreken en de kinderen bijbel- en talmudstudies in het Jiddisch blijven krijgen, is dit ongetwijfeld te danken aan uw inzet en uw verlokkelijke manier om zich in het Jiddisch uit te drukken. U leerde uw volk Jiddisch spreken.

Uw vergaande intellectualisme en genialiteit  deden u nochtans niet belanden in wereldvreemdheid, afstandelijkheid, hoogmoed of elitarisme. Wel integendeel, ook uw doordeweekse babbel, uw sichas chullin, was verrukkelijk en doorspekt met talmudcitaten.  De meesterlijke manier waarop u alle hedendaagse gebeurtenissen in de talmud kon inlezen zonder de tekst te perverteren of waarop u elke toestand of gedachte  kon illustreren met een talmudpassus die u stante pede uit uw mouw schudde, was ronduit verbluffend en maakte u tot een graag geziene gesprekspartner, redenaar of verteller.

© 2001 by H. Rosenberg
The Rov at the Bar Mitzva of Gershon Rosenberg

Uw medemenselijkheid

Uw majestueuze gestalte, uw fysieke schoonheid, uw verzorgd uiterlijk, uw goedhartige uitstraling, kortom uw hadras ponim, lieten bij uw medemensen een onvergetelijke en onuitwisbare indruk achter. Er zijn honderden getuigenissen over de diepe stempel die een ook maar eenmalige ontmoeting met u bij mensen achterliet. Een niet-vrome  jonge dame in de V.S.A. die uw identiteit niet kende en voor wie u een spontane daad van  chessed  (= weldadigheid) verricht had en wier leven vanaf deze ontmoeting dramatisch veranderde (zij vond plots ‘dankzij u’ haar biologische moeder terug naar wie zij jarenlang op zoek was), dacht jarenlang dat u een hemelse verschijning waart, totdat zij via het internet vernam wie u waart.

Deze bedwelmende benadering  van uw medemensen bezorgde u een uitermate  grote vriendenkring. U had de gave om met uw oprechte vriendschap, met uw ogenschijnlijke kinderlijke naïviteit, met uw goedhartige glimlach en betoverende spreekwijze, onlosmakelijke hechte banden te smeden met ontelbare vrienden  en bewonderaars over heel de wereld. U bond niet alleen individuen. Steeds waren het ganse families, zeg maar ware stammen of clans, die met u en de Rebbetzen een hechte band aangingen. De vriendschapsrelaties die zij met u smeedden waren voor het leven. Op elk huwelijk van een afstammeling van uw zo talrijke vertrouwelingen was u meer een Mechiten (= aanverwante) dan een Rov. U deelde de vreugde oprecht en uw vrienden wensten u ten allen prijze in hun vreugden en familiefeesten te laten delen. Zo ook uw Talmidim (= leerlingen) uit Chicago (anno 1950!), die zich tot vandaag als uw Talmidim muvhokim bestempelen.

Precies omdat u de gave had om ware vriendschapsrelaties met zo talrijken te smeden, kon uw vriendenkring aan buitenstaanders lijken op een samenraapsel van orthodoxe en niet-orthodoxe joden, Talmidei Chachomim (= geleerden) en Am Aratzim (= ongeletterden), rijken en armen. “De mens kijkt naar de ogen, G’d naar de ziel ” ^[3] citeerde u graag. U zag in deze lappendeken van vertrouwelingen  alleen hun neshome (= ziel) en als die waardig en onbevlekt was of maar  kon worden, nam u hen onder uw intimi op.  De talmudpassus ^[4]   dat het voor een Talmid Chochom niet toegestaan was om een vlek op de mantel te hebben las u als de vereiste van een onbesmette ziel.

Het voorbeeldige huwelijksleven dat u meer dan vijftig jaar aan de zijde van uw Rebbetzen leidde, sprak boekdelen over uw innerlijke goedheid. Het wederzijdse respect dat u toonde en de liefde die waarneembaar was, zal velen tot navolging strekken. Zoals de grote leermeester uit de talmud Rabbi Akiva ^[5]   erkende ook u dat veel van uw prestaties en succes aan uw Rebbetzen te danken waren, die er steeds voor u was, u steunde en aanmoedigde. U waart een grote machmier (= stringent)  inzake houding tegenover de echtgenote en preekte ook in die zin. Het was ook een van de beweegredenen die u ertoe aanzette alles in het werk te stellen om Sholoïm Bayis (= huwelijksvrede) te helpen herstellen waar het mank liep.

Uw weldadigheid en hulpbetoon zijn legendarisch. Op zeer jeugdige leeftijd gaf u reeds blijk van uw extra-ordinaire medemenselijkheid en aanleg tot hulpvaardigheid. Als wonderkind kreeg u voor uw fenomenale kennis van de talmud nieuwe schoenen aangeboden door rijke bewonderaars. U gaf ze meteen weg aan een meer behoeftige dan u. Met de jaren groeide u uit tot een “Centrale” (= weldadigheidsinstelling) op uw eentje voor binnen- en buitenlandse behoeftige mensen  en noodlijdenden. U ging zelfs op zoek naar mensen in nood, en uw hulp begrensde zich niet alleen tot geldelijke steun, maar ook tot psychologische bijstand. Ook de manier waarop u  erop toezag dat de begunstigden van uw Tsedokko (= weldadigheid) geen schaamte zouden ervaren dwong respect af. Hoevelen hebt u niet op eigen kosten naar Amerikaanse ziekenhuizen gestuurd om er een zeer dure maar dikwijls levensreddende behandeling te laten ondergaan? U deed hen geloven dat u over een Amerikaanse staatsfonds beschikte die dergelijke medische kosten dekte. Het leukemiepatiëntje dat u voor behandeling naar Palo Alto in Californië stuurde, bent u zelfs gaan bezoeken enkel om het meisje een riem onder het hart te steken en toe te zeggen dat u ooit op haar bruiloft zou dansen. En dat hebt u jaren later ook gedaan, na haar in het huwelijk te hebben ingezegend.

Sedert uw eigen darmkanker en uw miraculeuze genezing, bent u zich op extreme wijze gaan toegeleggen op hulp aan huwbare weeskinderen. U schuimde de wereld af op zoek naar weeskinderen die geen huwelijk konden bekostigen en regelde dan alles voor het huwelijk, inclusief een echtelijk dak. Het huwelijk van de negen kleinkinderen van de Steipler die op jonge leeftijd verweesd waren geworden, hebt u bekostigd en u waart op de koop toe dolgelukkig dat deze zechus (= gunst) ù te beurt was gevallen. In Israël steunde u een weeshuis  geldelijk. U ging er tijdens chanoekka (= het lichtfeest) ook hoogstpersoonlijk zakgeld uitdelen aan de weesmeisjes. Ook weduwen konden bij u op een voorkeursbehandeling rekenen, omdat G’d himself het opneemt voor weduwen en wezen ^[6].

Elke morgen na het ochtendgebed nam u in de synagoge uw ontbijt en het was alom bekend dat u dan  noodlijdenden te woord stond. Zij kregen sommen geld die elk onder ons zouden beschamen. Met uw voorbeeldfunctie hebt u de Tsedokko-standaard in onze stad op een hoogstaand peil gebracht.

Tsedokko was voor u niet alleen een geldelijke zaak. Telkens u oordeelde dat een onrecht aangedaan werd of ook maar op het punt stond aangedaan te worden, kon u stante pede met een nooit geziene spontaneïteit en hartstochtelijke drift -en zonder verder na te denken (naasseh ve-nishmah ^[7] )- in de bres springen en alle mogelijke demarches maken: een nachtelijk bezoek, een verre reis, edm. Niets was u te moeilijk.

Mijn persoonlijke ervaring

In mijn familie waart u “dé Rov” par excellence. Mijn dochter die aan mijn zij was wanneer het droevige nieuws mij bereikte, vroeg of u geen andere naam dan Chaïm had, omdat, gelet op mijn identieke voornaam, mijn kinderen de naam Chaïm niet aan hun afstammelingen zouden kunnen geven. U weet dat ik mijn gelukkig huwelijksleven, en dus gans mijn gezegende afstamming, aan u te danken heb. Wat ik bezit en wat ik ben, schuld ik u. Wanneer mijn afstammelingen ooit mijn naam zullen vereeuwigen, zal dit meteen ook een ode aan u zijn.

U leerde ons steeds dat hakoras hatoïv (= dankbaarheid), er niet in bestond iemand voor een gunst te vergoeden, maar enkel in het besef (= hakoro), in de erkenning  dat de andere iets voor u gedaan heeft. Mijn persoonlijk besef is dubbel en steunt niet alleen op het verleden. De grootse dankbaarheid heb ik voor de gunst die mij na mijn huwelijk te beurt viel om bijna dertig jaren  in uw omgeving te mogen vertoeven. Om in het stof van uw voetsporen te mogen baden ^[8]. Het was een hartverwarmend gevoel om, in uw aanwezigheid, als een Talmid (= discipel), een Mekabel (= een ontvanger) te mogen verblijven, naast een onuitputtelijke fontein van kennis en goedheid. Desalniettemin gaf u mij steeds de indruk dat uitgerekend ík u iets schonk wanneer ik u bezocht. U schonk mij de gelegenheid om een ware Godoïl (= geestelijke reus) van dichtbij te appreciëren in zijn dagdagelijkse omgang, om te ervaren hoe kennis en naastenliefde op het hoogste niveau in u samenleefden, zonder dat dit u ontoegankelijk maakte. Meteen stelde dit mij in de mogelijkheid om de lilliputaanse dimensie van mijn eigen  kennis naar juiste waarde in  te schatten. U hielp mij rust te vinden, in een gemoedstoestand  mijlenver verwijderd  van de kovoïd hamedumeh (= ingebeelde zelfverering) van het academische en professionele leven waarin ik mij doorgaans beweeg. Aan u heb ik het te verdanken dat ik niet verstrikt ben geraakt in hoogmoed, eigenwijsheid en intellectueel elitarisme, niet zoals talrijke geleerden die mijn staat van verdiensten hebben geëvenaard. Zeer recentelijk deelde ik dit zaligmakend gevoel met u in het vooruitzicht van ons afscheid. U leerde mij ook bidden uit de Siddur (= gebedenboek) en de woorden te articuleren en uit te spreken (en dus niet routinematig af te rammelen), ofschoon ik de gebeden van buiten ken. U beloofde mij hiervan veel goeds. Inmiddels heb ik de zin  en de dichterlijke schoonheid van het gebed (her)ontdekt. Elke dag opnieuw is het dagelijkse gebed voor mij nu een zinvolle ervaring geworden. Elke dag denk ik voortaan aan wat u mij op een schenkblad hebt aangereikt.

Uw verweesde bewonderaars

U laat niet alleen een Rebbetzen, een familie, een vriendenkring of een Kehille verweesd achter. U laat ook duizenden noodlijdenden, weduwen en wezen achter, voor wie u de kostgever of de reddende engel waart. U waart het schoolvoorbeeld van de “man die de gemeenschap nodig heeft ^[9] ”. Duizenden wachtten periodiek materiele steun van u af en zullen u meer dan missen, tenzij uw zoon Rabbi Dov Kreiswirth de uitdaging overneemt. Hij heeft er de aangeboren gave voor en is er nu reeds mee bezig. Het zou nochtans uw Kehille sieren indien zij een “Fonds Moron Horav” in het leven zou roepen om aan uw beschermelingen de steun waarop zij aangewezen zijn verder te verstrekken. Meteen zouden wij uw nagedachtenis kunnen eren op een wijze die u zeker had gewenst: door uw Tsedokko te  vereeuwigen.

De verweesde vertrouwelingen die u achterliet, waartoe ik mij reken,  koesterden voor u een mateloze bewondering, die soms uitmondde in mimetisme. Hoevelen maakten niet uw zo kenschetsende wijze van declamatie en Lituaanse tongval niet tot de hunne, wanneer zij u citeerden?

Met uw heengaan kwam niet alleen een einde aan uw Rabbinaat. Ook aan de eerbiedwekkende  invulling van de functie van Moro deasro (= stedelijke opperrabbijn) zeggen wij na uw heengaan wellicht vaarwel, omdat de versnippering van de joodse samenleving in ontelbare mini-gemeenten en sectaire congregaties de centrale positie van een stedelijk Opperrabbinaat tot een anachronisme heeft gemaakt. Het is enkel uw onvolprezen persoonlijkheid die maakte dat u de titel van Moro deasro op waardige wijze kon blijven dragen, in de traditie van de vermaarde opperrabbijnen uit de vorige eeuwen,  van Frankfurt-am-Main, Altuna, Praag, Pressburg, Krakau, Lvov, edm.

Uw zending is op de meest optimale wijze volbracht. Elke dag van uw aardse bestaan, na 83 jaar te hebben voleindigd,  is boordevol gevuld geweest. U hebt elke minuut waardig en ten volle benut. U placht de Gemorro^[10]   van de din vecheshbon  (= verslag) van aartsvader Jitschok (= Isaac)  terecht uit te leggen als een cheshbon (= rekensom) van wat de mens op aarde met de hem ter beschikking gestelde tijd gedaan heeft. U herhaalde steeds dat de jood de notie “to kill the time” niet kent. Uw afrekening van gespendeerde tijd voor het Hemelse Tribunaal zal op de minuut optimaal kloppen. Op de eerste vraag in de Hemel “hebt u eerlijk handel gedreven? ^[11] ” (volgens een ander talmudtraktaat dat u dikwijls citeerde) zal u het antwoord ook niet schuldig blijven, en  zonder moeite zal u rekenschap kunnen afleggen van de onmetelijke sommen weldadigheidsgelden die door uw handen zijn gepasseerd. U onthulde ons ook waarom Rabbi Judah de Prins weende bij de gedachte dat er mensen zijn die gans hun oïlom habo (= hiernamaals) in één uur verwerven^[12] , terwijl anderen een gans leven hieraan dienen te werken. Rabbi weende omdat hij begreep dat het onvermijdelijke neveneffect of de downside  van de verwerving in een oogwenk was dat men gans zijn oïlom habo ook in één uur kon verspelen of verspillen, als men de trein miste. U verwierf uw oïlom habo gans uw leven door, minuut na minuut.

Ga in vrede en rust nu in vrede na uw onvermoeibaar bestaan op aarde. Vaarwel, Rabbi, mijn onvergetelijke vriend en mentor, die ik oprecht en passievol beminde en mateloos aanbad. Voortaan zal ik het alleen moeten stellen, en zal de herinnering aan u mijn enige houvast zijn voor de rest van mijn aardse tocht.
 

Chaïm.

Klik hier voor printervriendelijke versie

^[1] Bab. Baba Batra,  11a; Bab. Sanhedrin, 37a.
^[2] De rabbijn van Kovno, Rabbi Avrohom Dovber KAHANA SCHAPIRA (auteur van Dvar Avrohom) en de rabbijn van  Jonava (Lithuanië) Rabbi Nochum Boruch GINZBURGAS  (auteur van Mekor Boruch).
^[3] I Samuel, XVI:7.
^[4] Bab. Shabbos, 114a.
^[5] Bab. Kessubos, 63a; Bab. Nedorim, 50a.
^[6] Psalmen, 146:9.
^[7] Exodus XXIV:7.
^[8] M. Ovoïs, I:4.
^[9] Bab. Hoïroyos, 13b; z. ook Tosfot ad Bab. Jevomoïs, 105b, s.v. aba.
^[10] Bab. Shabbos, 89b.
^[11] Bab. Shabbos, 31a.
^[12] Bab. Avoïdo Zoro, 10b, 17a, 18a.

Hesped in Jesode Hatora

 Hesped by Isi Morsel in the Jesode Hatora – Beth-Jacov

(translated from Yiddish)

© 2002 S. Zajfman
Hesped by Mr. Isi Morsel
For print version: Click here .

Standing before you, students of Yesode Hatora, my intention is not to be maspid the Rov  but to quote some talmudic tractates that I was privileged to hear from the niftar.

The reason not to be maspid the Rov today is threefold. The first reason is obvious; I’m not worthy to be maspid our Rov, the Moreh D’asrah, The Godol Hador.

The second reason the Gemorroh in Brochos (3b) quotes “One may not say in the presence of the deceased anything except matter that pertain to the deceased”, I would like to take this Chazal even more litteral by quoting only Chazal that I heard directly from my teacher and mentor.

The third reason is a gemoroh in Makkos (10a) : “For whom is it proper to teach a multitude? One to whom all produce i.e. Scripture, Mischnah and Gemoroh, i.e. he is expert in all branches of the Torah”, the Rov used to explain that the reason for this is that only someone who knows Schass can effort to give his own interpretation to a piece of Chazal, but if someone is not fully knowledged, he may contradict another tractate of Talmud unknown to him, therefore it’s much easier for me to repeat a speech from a Rov who himself knew all of Chazal.

The Gemorroh in Succah (32b). The Rabbi taught in a Baraisa. The term “a shoot of the plaited tree” refers to a specie whose shoots cover its branches, and which species is this? You must say that it is the myrtle. The Gemorroh questions this interpretation. But say that the verse refers to an olive branch. The question is rebuffed. – We require that the species be plaited and this condition is lacking in an olive branch. – But say that the verse refers to a chestnut branch? The gemarah persists but say that the verse refers to a herduf branch – two responses are cited. – Abaye said the species must conform with the general stipulation about the Torah that its ways are of pleasantness and this condition is lacking in the case of Herduf.

Rashi explains that the Herduf has sharp, prickly leaves. Since it is painful and unpleasant to hold, this cannot be the species that the Torah commanded us to take on succos.

The Rov always explained, like a mitzvah you can’t perform with a prickly, sharp object, the same is with a Torah opinion, it can’t be Daas Torah if it’s thorny and prickly to other Torah observant Jews. That’s the description of our Morah D’asrah; his kindness and warmth were legendary, his ways were of pleasantness and friendship.

The Gemorroh Brochos (38a): the Rabbis praised to R’ Zeira a certain scholar known as the son of Rav Zevid the brother of R’ Shimon the son of Rav Zevid saying in praise of him that he is a great man and an expert in the laws of blessings – R Zeira said to them – when he comes to you, bring him to me – One time he visited R Zeira – they brought out bread for him. He began reciting the blessing on bread and said motzi (rather than hamotzi). R Zeira remarked critically: Is this the one about whom they say that he is a great man and an expert in the laws of blessings? - It would have been well if he had said “hamotzi”, for he would have then taught us the meaning of the verse and he would have also taught us that the law is in accordance with the Rabbis – But with that which he said “motzi”, what is he teaching us?

The Gemorroh remarks: And the son of Rav Zvid reason for what he did by saying motzi was – to remove himself from a matter of dispute.

The Rov was always insisting of the importance – to remove himself from a matter of dispute, whenever halachic it was permissible.

The Gemorroh in Brochos (58); Rav Sheishess was blind – Everyone was going to greet the King. Rav Sheishess rose and went with them – A certain Sadducee met him and told him – whole pitchers go to the river, where do broken pitchers go? Likewise, you are blind and cannot see the King, so why are you going to the procession? Rav Sheishess said to him – come and see that I know more about the Kings procession than you do. The first troop passed by, when it became loud, that Sadducee said to Rav Sheishess: the king has come! Rav Sheishess said to him – he is not coming. A second troop passed by, when it became loud that Sadducee said to Rav Sheishess “Now the king is coming!” Rav Sheishess said to him the king is not coming. A third troop passed by, when it subsequently grew quiet Rav Sheishess said to him “ it is now certain that the king is coming”. The Sadducee asked him, “How do you know this?” He answered him “for the royalty of earth is a reflection of the royalty of Heaven, and the Royalty of Heaven is described as such; “after the fire came a still thin sound.” As long as we have the Rabbi amids us we enjoy an area of peace and a still thin sound but now, after his petirah, we hear a noise, a noise and a cry of widows and orphans, a cry from our students that we lost our Rabbi.

The Gemorroh Makkos (24a): The prophet Micah came and established them upon three ethical requirements 1) to do justice 2) to love kindness 3) and to go discretely with you.
1) To do justice; this refers to dispensing justice
2) To love kindness; this refers to performing of kind deeds
3) To go discretely with your G’d, this refers to taking out the dead for burial and buying the bride to mystical canopy.

According to the Gemorroh comments is it not a “Kal vachomer” – If in matters that are not generally performed discreetly, matters that by their nature should be performed discreetly, such as giving charity and performing kindness have much more, so must one take care to do them discreetly, without publicity and fanfare. The Rov always used to say “How is it possible to perform an act that by its own nature has to be public and still to keep it discreet?” How is this possible? The Rov explained that if you have known the Chazon Ish, you would have understood.

He was “mefursam” but still very discreet. I would like to tell you that the last 50 years our Morah D’asrah was very “mefursam” worldwide, but he kept a lot of his holy deeds hidden and discreet! The following months and years we will hear and find out more of his hidden good deeds and charities.

I would like to end by saying that when someone would tell you the Rov was a descendant of a distinguished Rabbi, the Rov would not be satisfied to hear how the person was related whether on his mothers or on his fathers side. If the person was learning the Torah of that Rebbe and following his example, that would make him a true descendant. In the same way, we are students of the Rov not because he was our Rabbi, our Rov in the city, but by following his way.

Hesped by Rav Rottman before the funeral (printable pdf-version) 

Second Hesped by Rabbi Rotman (printable pdf-version) 

Hesped for the Shloishim by Rabbi Rotman (printable pdf-version) 

Hesped in Yated Neeman (Engl.)

Rav Chaim Kreiswirth ZT"L

By C.B. WEINFELD
 
 

            In our generation, the official position of Rav Hakehillah, with
the unlimited authority and control it symbolizes, is largely extinct. The
Rabbanim of previous generations, who had the power to enforce a superior
standard of behavior upon the entire kehillah, are now in a better world.
Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, one of the last of these Rabbanim, passed away on the
Sixteenth of Teves, at the age of 81, leaving us bereft.

            How can mere words do justice to the great and noble Rav and Av
Bais Din of the Machzikei Hadas Kehilla in Antwerp? How can we adequately
portray his majesty, hand-in-hand with the extraordinary humility and
hisbatlus of his 'self'? How can we eulogize a Rav whose every word was law,
who had the power to enforce an exceptionally high standard of frumkeit upon
his kehilla, yet thought nothing of trekking across town to a wealthy man to
beg for a donation? A tzaddik who needed nothing, who literally gave away
millions for tzedakah? Who single-handedly supported thousands of widows and
their families, married off orphans, and couldn't sleep at night when he
knew a Yid was in pain?

            How can we adequately depict his gadlus baTorah, his amkus and
bekiyus and photographic memory combined with supernatural hasmodoh? A
talmid of Rav Meir Shapiro at the historic Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin in his
youth, the Rav knew entire reams of Bavli and Yerushalmi baal peh.

            He leased a modest, hidden room in the center of Antwerp,
equipped with many seforim, but no telephone. No one could reach him there.
Often in the process of deliberating on complicated Dinei Torah, Rav
Kreiswirth would retreat to his secret study, remaining cloistered there for
twelve hours at a time, deep in thought, looking up sources and clarifying
teshuvos until finally arriving at a p'sak.

            His Bais Din paskened on every din Torah in Antwerp, and oversaw
the myriad spiritual details involved in the kehillah. The p'sak of the Bais
Din was absolute. They were beholden to no one, for the kehillah paid the
salaries of the dayanim. Their p'sak din was backed up by the secular
courts, who put their weight behind the Rav. If anyone dared to take a
disagreement to a secular court, he was roundly rebuked and punished by the
Bais Din. Rav Chaim was a true leader, in every sense of the word.

            Yet no matter how heavy his workload, Rav Chaim would instantly
drop everything when he heard of the plight of a poor widow or orphan. He
would call wealthy benefactors, or visit them in person, not resting until
he had raised large sums of money. When one yungerman passed away suddenly,
leaving a young widow and orphans, Rav Chaim raised one million dollars in
less than a week, establishing a keren for the family, to enable them to
marry off their children.

           He kept track of all the communal affairs, and held a tight
reign over the shechita process in Belgium. If someone imported kosher meat
and cooked it, the Rav paskened that all the pots and dishes were trief.
Thus, within a short while, the Antwerp Torah community had achieved an
enviable reputation as a city with the most stringent chumros regarding
kashrus and other matters.

            Though known as the Rav of Antwerp, Rav Chaim's influence
extended far beyond European shores. The Rav was admired and esteemed by
many gedolim who are no longer with us today, including the Steipler, the
Chazon Ish, the Satmar Rebbe, and the Brisker Rav.

            In fact, when Rav Chaim was a Rosh Yeshiva in Skokie, Illinois
in 1954, the Chazon Ish urged the kehilla of Antwerp to invite the Krakower
Iluy to become their Rav. For nearly half a century until his passing, the
Rav of Antwerp had three homes on different continents. As he guided the
Antwerp kehillah with a firm hand, he also founded a yeshiva in Eretz
Yisroel, and traveled frequently to America to raise enormous sums for
tzedakah.

            Wherever he went, he was mechazek Klal Yisrael, delivering fiery
drashos, leading, advising, and inspiring. The thousands of lonely,
downtrodden souls who were given a new lease on life after meeting with Rav
Chaim, or were the beneficiaries of sorely needed funds, are the most
eloquent testimony of a true gadol baTorah vochessed.
 
 

Rav Chaim: Early Roots

            Rav Chaim was born on the 14th of Teves, 1920, in the shtetl of
Volnitz, Galicia, a short distance from Krakow. His father, Rav Avraham
Yosef, was a famed posek, Rav, and Av Bais Din in nearby Magnishov. The
author of several seforim, Rav Avraham Yosef received semicha from Rav
Shalom Mordechai Hakohen Shwadron, the Maharsham of Brezhan. Rav Chaim's
uncle was the esteemed "Tzitevyaner Iluy" Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky.

            Rav Chaim descended from a distinguished lineage of gedolim,
including Rav Chaim HaKohen Rapaport, the Av Bais Din of Levov; the Pri
Megadim; Rav Yonasan Eibshutz; and Rav Yisroel Rothenberg, the father of the
Chiddushei Harim. (In 1981, Rav Chaim published a sefer of Rav Chaim
Rapaport's teshuvos.)

            Rav Chaim's mother, Rebbetzin Pearl Kreiswirth, was descended
from the Bnei Yissaschar. Tragically, his parents and most of his siblings
were murdered in Treblinka on October 6, 1941.

           Young Chaim was a precocious child, who at the tender age of
eight already was asking brilliant questions in learning. The eight year old
had a difficult kushya on a Sugya in Gemara Shavous, and none of the local
talmidei chachamim were able to come up with an answer! In despair, the
child traveled to Krakow, to the resting place of the Rema, and pleaded at
the kever that Hashem reveal the answer to his question. The young child
returned home, triumphant, with the answer he was so desperately seeking.

            At first he learned in Krakow, in the Bais Medrash of Rav Shaya
Halberstam the Tchechoiver Rav, the youngest son of the Divrei Chaim. After
a while, young Chaim traveled to a well-known makom Torah, the famous
yeshiva in Tarnow, Poland. In those days, travel was difficult, and his
parents were far from wealthy. Thus, his father was unable to join him for
his Bar Mitzvah celebration. The famed Rav Ahrele of Belz helped the Bar
Mitzvah bachur put on tefillin for the very first time.

At Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin

            In those days, Rav Meir Shapiro was establishing his famous
"father of yeshivos," Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin. When Rav Meir visited
Tarnow, he tested the young iluy and was amazed at his incredible amkus and
yegiah baTorah. Being accepted into the yeshiva was no small feat: every
bachur was required to know several mesechtos of gemara baal peh. Young
Chaim passed the test, and became a star talmid in the yeshiva, where he
learned until 1938. For a time Rav Chaim learned in the famous Slabodka
yeshiva as well.

            The "Iluy of Krakow," as he was admiringly dubbed, threw himself
into the sea of Talmud with indescribable hasmadah. In addition, the young,
impoverished masmid always found time, ways and means to do tzedakah and
chessed for those in greater need than he was. On one occasion, he gave his
own bed to a blind bachur for many months while the bachur was undergoing
treatment. At first, the bachur had no idea that his benefactor was sleeping
on the floor, since he couldn't see. Yet when his eye surgery was
successful, the bachur was able to see for the very first time that he had
been sleeping on Rav Chaim's bed!

            Several years later, at the beginning of WWII, Rav Chaim's life
was miraculously spared, in the merit of this chessed. He was traveling on a
bus with his Jewish passport, when the bus was stopped by German soldiers
who interrogated everyone. When they discovered that he was Jewish, they
ordered him off the bus and prepared to shoot him in cold blood. Yet the
German sharpshooters were hesitant to dirty the ground on a public street,
and told one soldier to march him into the woods and "take care of him."

            All this time, Rav Chaim was fervently davening to Hakadosh
Baruch Hu to save him, in the merit of giving his bed to the blind bachur.

            At the last moment, the terrified bachur turned to the solider
and asked, "Why are you shooting me?" To his surprise, the soldier replied,
"I, too, have young children, and I don't want to shoot you. However, I must
follow orders." When they arrived in the middle of the forest, the soldier
shot into the air, and said to Rav Chaim, "You are now dead. Disappear." Rav
Chaim ran for his life.

An 18-year-old Rosh Yeshiva

            When Rav Chaim reached the ripe old age of 18, he was already
known throughout most of Poland as an iluy and future gadol. The young
bachur was appointed as Rosh Yeshiva of the Tshechoiv-Sanz Yeshiva in
Krakow, an unheard of position for someone so young. Bachurim from Galicia
and Poland flocked to Krakow to learn at the famous yeshiva.

            During those years, Rav Chaim forged close bonds with many
gedolim of Poland and Lita. He would spend hours on trains, traveling to
visit Roshei Yeshiva, to drink in the wellsprings of their Torah and mussar.
On one occasion, he sold a valuable item in order to pay for the train fare
to visit the Rogatchover Gaon. When the Rogatchover traveled to Vienna for
medical treatment, Rav Chaim accompanied him all the way there, in order to
have the opportunity to 'talk in learning.' The tireless young iluy traveled
for many days to meet the legendary Rav Chaim Ozer for a short visit and
hear him speak, before heading back to his yeshiva.

            For a time, he studied under the Imrei Emes of Gur, and
developed a close relationship with the famed Rav Menachem Ziemba, later to
become famous as the Rav of the Warsaw ghetto. Rav Chaim also met with Rav
Elchonon Wasserman. Tragically, Rav Menachem and Rav Elchonon were murdered
al kiddush Hashem during the war.

            There is a famous letter dated 1939, written by Rav Avraham Dov
Kahana-Shapiro, Rav of Kovno, author of Devar Avraham. The Devar Avraham
attests that the young Rav Chaim was conversant in the entire Talmud Bavli
and Yerushalmi, most of Rambam, and a large portion of Rishonim and
Acharonim verbatim.

The Shadows of War

            When Rav Chaim was 19 years old, war broke out in Poland. He
fled the Warsaw ghetto, escaping to Vilna, the next stop of the Nazi war
machine. In Warsaw , the young Rosh Yeshiva continued learning with
hasmadah, becoming a close disciple of the famed Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzenski.
Rav Chaim Ozer wrote a warm approbation to the young iluy's sefer on
Maseches Zevachim. Unfortunately, the manuscript was lost during the war.

            The now-famous iluy was 'red' a shidduch with Sara, the daughter
of Rav Avraham Grodzenski, the Mashgiach of Slabodka Yeshiva. Though Rav
Avraham greatly admired Rav Chaim, he asked the Kovno Rav, the Devar
Avraham, for additional information about the bachur. The Kovno Rav
encouraged him to pursue the shidduch, because "In addition to being an
iluy, Rav Chaim is also a baal midos." His proof?

            "I recently sent him divrei Torah," said the Kovno Rav, "and
instead of finding proofs to destroy the chiddush, as was the custom of many
lamdonim, the young iluy added several proofs that the chiddush was sound
and solid. It is clear that he takes great pride in the divrei Torah and
chiddushim of others, which is a wonderful middah."

            The shidduch was completed, the young couple were married, and
shortly thereafter, they succeeded in escaping war-torn Vilna. However,
instead of continuing to Shanghai with the other yeshivos, they remained in
Moscow, and from there escaped to Eretz Yisrael.
 
 

A New Beginning

            In 1941, Rav Chaim and his Rebbetzin arrived on the shores of
Eretz Yisroel. His reputation had already preceded him, and he received a
warm kabolas panim together with the Brisker Rav, who arrived in Eretz
Yisrael at the same time. Though consumed with anxiety about his family and
the rest of Klal Yisroel, Rav Chaim threw himself into his studies at the
Lomza Yeshiva in Petach Tivka.

            For the next few years, Rav Chaim was a full time yeshiva
student, who basked in the aura of the gedolei Eretz Yisrael, including the
Brisker Rav, the Chazon Ish, and their talmidim.

            When the war came to an end, Rav Chaim traveled to embattled,
besieged Poland, where he rescued many Jewish orphaned children from the
arms of the Church.

            In 1947, Rav Chaim was invited to America, to head a new yeshiva
in Skokie, Illinois. Under his leadership, the yeshiva flourished as a haven
for European bachurim who had escaped the Holocaust. Many American bachurim
flocked to the yeshiva as well. Even after he left Illinois, the Rosh
Yeshiva kept a close connection to his Skokie Talmidim, who were
instrumental in helping found his yeshiva Merkaz HaTorah in Eretz Yisrael.

            In addition to his duties as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Chaim made it a
priority to visit many prominent gedolim who had arrived in America, to
'talk in learning' and gain hadracha. He forged a close connection with Ybd'
l the Kashau Rebbe, Rav Rafael Blum, who had arrived from Slovakia at war's
end.

            The Satmar Rebbe Zt'l admired him greatly, often commenting that
the "yungerman was someone 'nisht avektzumachen'-someone to be taken
seriously. When Rav Chaim met with the Rebbe, they would 'talk in learning'
through the entire night!

            Several years later, when Rav Chaim was offered the position of
Rav in Antwerp, the Rebbe wrote a warm letter of approbation, including the
expression "Ki Hi Mikat Hayirayim: Rav Chaim is among the category of the
Yerai Hashem." Today the letter is in the possession of the "gemainda," the
kehillah office, along with a warm letter of approbation from the Brisker
Rav.

K'hal Machzikei Hadas

            In the early 1950's, Antwerp was a survivor's city. The Jewish
community was comprised of refugees who had survived the war and flocked to
Belgium to join the thriving diamond trade, trying to rebuild their lives.
Most of the residents were businessmen and merchants, who traded in precious
stones and gems. The most "precious stones", kollel yungeleit and Bnei
Yeshiva, were virtually nonexistent. Antwerp was known as a city of baale
batim, where bachurim typically went to work at the age of 18. ithin a short
while, all that was about to change.

            As mentioned, the Chazon Ish was instrumental in arranging the
'shidduch' between Rav Chaim and the fledgling Antwerp community. Shortly
thereafter, the Kreiswirth family moved to Belgium, where Rav Chaim was
accepted as the Rav Hakehillah, a position he held until his petirah.

            The new Rav was warmly welcomed by Rav Itzikel Pshevorsker, the
Rebbe of Antwerp. The two Torah giants revered and respected each other
greatly. In fact, the Rebbe would refuse to accept a kibbud at a function if
Rav Chaim was not honored first. Often the two Torah greats would work
hand-in-hand to raise tzedakah for worthy causes. Rav Chaim supported the
existing mosdos haTorah and helped build new yeshivos with a 'bren'.

            The new Rav immersed himself into the guidance of the kehillah
with single-minded determination. He was determined to turn Antwerp into an
Ihr Torah, a kehillah where the most rigid standards of kashrus and halacha
were adhered to. His efforts were blessed from Above with extraordinary
success. Today Antwerp is recognized as a prominent city of Torah and
tzedakah, a unified kehillah where achdus and adherence to halacha reign
supreme.

            Rav Chaim held the position of Rav and Av Bais Din, which meant
that he presided over every single Din Torah in the city. Since Antwerp is a
hub of commerce, most of the Dinei Torah centered around complicated
business disputes, which requires a thorough understanding of the complex
minutiae of halacha.

            A marbitz Torah who frequented Antwerp on behalf of a charitable
organization spent many hours in the Bais Din room, observing the Dinei
Torah. In the words of the observer, "They were paskened 'emes lamito' to
the 'nth degree." Since the dayanim were reimbursed through the kehilla, the
baalei din wielded no influence whatsoever. They were treated equally, with
the utmost dignity and respect.

            The concept of hiring rabbanim and 'toanim' is nonexistent in
Antwerp. The local government supports and upholds the Bais Din's every
decision, which lends the Bais Din more authority than most batei dinim
today.

            The observer related: On one occasion, the mail was brought to
the Antwerp Bais Din, and a letter arrived from a defendant who was due to
arrive at the Bais Din. The defendant said that he was not obligated to show
up, since the plaintiff had already taken him to court. A few minutes later
there was a knock on the door, and the plaintiff walked in, unaware that the
din Torah would not take place.

            The Rav first ascertained that the man had indeed taken his
partner to court, and when the embarrassed plaintiff replied in the
affirmative, Rav Chaim delivered a scathing rebuke.

"How dare you take a Jewish man to court?" he thundered, repeating the
Shulchan Aruch which deals with two Jews going to court, verbatim. Then he
said, "I have an old score to settle with you. Some years ago, you publicly
shamed a poor widow." The Rav warned him to mend his ways.

            Such is the power of a Rabbanus devoid of negiyos and ulterior
motives. Such is the power of 'emes lamito!'

            Rav Chaim was a champion of those who had nowhere to turn, a
tireless advocate for people who had been wronged and were too weak or hurt
to stand up for their rights. Shortly before his petirah, he became involved
in a complicated din Torah where he felt that one of the parties had been
dealt a grave injustice. Rav Chaim and his Bais Din did not shrink from
paskening complicated halachos and the issue was resolved. The amito shel
Torah was on his side.

            The shechita and level of kashrus in Antwerp is a model for the
rest of the Torah world. As recounted previously, no imported meat is
allowed to be sold in Antwerp. In addition, the Mashgichim in the butcher
stores are required to be the sole possessors of the keys to the freezers,
so that no butcher is allowed to open his store without the Mashgiach
present. On one occasion, the Mashgiach was called away on an emergency
during a busy season, and the butcher was forced to keep his store closed
for several hours, turning away customers. Finally, one of the dayanim found
a spare set of keys, and the shop was able to open its doors.

            Rav Chaim's yiras shamayim was legendary. Whenever he would be
called upon to be mesader a get, he would fast the entire day, sometimes
until late at night.

            Those who witnessed his davening realized that they were in the
presence of a true yerai Shomayim. Rav Chaim's Kriyas Shema and Birchas
Hamazon were measured and unhurried, every syllable carefully pronounced.
His z'hirus bamitzvos set the standard for the community to follow.

            One year, shortly before Yom Kippur, Rav Chaim met a baalebos
and asked him, "Vi Azoi Tut Men Teshuvah?" How does one do teshuvah? To
which the baalebos replied, "The Rav's best teshuvah would be if the Rav
hires a gabbai, instead of running from morning until night taking care of
everything." The Rav merely smiled. Hiring a gabbai to take care of his
responsibilities was an anathema to him.

            Rav Chaim was truly a "velt's Rav," a Rav for the entire Torah
world. As one prominent Rav expressed, "Be it the kashrus of a mikvah in San
Francisco or where to place a mezuzah in a home in Alaska, Rav Kreiswirth
would become personally involved. He often handled complicated issues that
no other Rav would get involved in. He simply fulfilled his tafkid without
any ulterior motives, l'maan ha'emes."

            He was active on behalf of Agudas Yisroel, and led the battle
against improper conversions. At the historic fifth and sixth Knessiah
Gedolahs, Rav Chaim was one of the keynote speakers.

            Yet in spite of his myriad responsibilities, he found time to
greet a poor widow as she was sweeping the sidewalk in front of her home.
When the widow saw the Rav approaching, she was ashamed, and rushed to hide
inside her doorway. Soon there was a knock on the door: The Rav himself
stopped by to wish her a "gut gebentcht yohr." The widow later said with
tears in her eyes, "The Rav's caring and concern sustain me to this very
day."

A Gaon in Torah

            Witnessing Rav Chaim was a vivid demonstration of the maamar
Chazal in Avos D'rav Nosson, "He who toils in Torah during his youth, will
merit that the Torah becomes part of him forever." Rav Chaim and the Torah
were one. Gemaras, Rishonim, and Ramban's flowed from his lips. He often
based his behavior on an applicable maamar Chazal.

            Several years ago, while in Yerushalayim, Rav Chaim took sick
and was hospitalized. Many gedolim came to visit him, including Rav Yosef
Shalom Elyashiv. Rav Elyashiv repeated the maamar in Nedarim, that one who
"gets sick and is healed can become healthier than before he was ill."

            Several weeks after he was discharged, Rav Chaim was walking on
the street with a bachur, and the two of them 'talked in learning.' The
bachur asked a question from the gemara Bava Basra. Instantly, Rav Chaim
said, "Do you mean the gemara, Omar Shmuel?" And he continued quoting the
entire amud, word for word. When he finished, the Rav smiled and said, "They
thought that I forgot what I had learned, but Rav Elyashiv's words came to
passÉ"

            Shortly after he left the hospital, Rav Chaim went to daven in
the Zichron Moshe shul in Geulah, and noticed that the restroom facilities
were dilapidated. Immediately, Rav Chaim commented, "The Gemara says in
Shabbos that when Rav Shimon Bar Yochai came out of hiding he asked, 'is
there something that needs to be fixed?' The Ribbono Shel Olam does not heal
someone just so he can eat potatoes." Then and there, he donated a large sum
to help renovate the facilities at the shul.

            When Rav Chaim quoted a gemara, he quoted it with the daf,
precisely, word for word. He authored several volumes of chiddushim on
Yerushalmi. Sadly, these priceless documents were lost during the war.

Legendary Speeches

            His famous applications of maamarim from Shas were legendary.
Once when he was in Lakewood, staying at his son's home, he davened in a
different shul than he usually davened in. The Gabbai asked Rav Chaim if the
olam could have the pleasure of hearing divrei chizuk. Rav Chaim agreed.

            He opened his drasha with the following introduction: "The
gemara teaches us that if one is obligated to bring a karbon, he should try
to bring the best one possible, but if he can't, he should bring the second
best. However, someone who is giving a karbon out of his own free will must
bring the best. If he doesn't have the best quality animal, he should not
bring anything at all.

            "Likewise," continued Rav Chaim, "The Rav of the shul can say a
drasha because he is obligated to address his congregants. However, I am a
guest, and therefore not obligated to speak. If I do choose to speak, I must
only deliver a drasha 'muvchar min hamuvchar.'"

            And what a muvchar min hamuvchar! Gifted with an amazing koach
hadibur, Rav Chaim's drashos were truly mesmerizing. His two annual Shabbos
drashos, on Shabbos Hagadol and Shabbos Shuva, were attended by the entire
Antwerp community, which overflowed from the Bais Medrash and the
surrounding rooms. On Shabbos afternoon he would deliver a shiur on Pirkei
Avos, constantly quoting gemaras to prove his chiddushim. Each time he
quoted a gemara, the gemara would be brought to him, and he would look up
the source, (though he invariably knew it baal peh.) It was not unusual to
see the entire Shas piled up on his table after the drasha.

            Rav Chaim would quote the loshon gemara with such clarity and
mesikus, savoring every syllable. He lived and breathed Torah with every
fiber of his being. Wherever he traveled, he was begged to address the
community, and his drashos attracted a massive turnout. He would repeat
stories of Gedolei Yisroel with such varmkeit, making an indelible
impression upon his listeners.

            He was often asked by various Yeshivos, Kollelim, Bais Yakovs,
Tzedaka and chesed organizations the world over, to be their guest speaker
at a fundraising event. If at all possible he did not disappoint them. One
of the most wonderful aspects of Rav Chaim's personality was the fact that
he got along with and actively helped every group in Klal Yisroel-Chassidim,
Litvishe, Modern, Neturei Karta or anyone in between. If an organization or
yochid needed his help, he was there for them.

            Rav Chaim was a tremendous maamin in Divrei Chazal, as portrayed
by the following story: About 50 years ago, Rav Chaim entered a shoe store
in Brooklyn, and spoke to the owner, a middle-aged man. The owner complained
that business wasn't going too well, and he was losing a lot of money. In
the midst of the conversation, the owner added that he was not Shomer
Shabbos. Rav Chaim told him that if he undertook to keep his store closed on
Shabbos from now on, his business would improve dramatically. After an
intense discussion, the owner agreed, and the store was closed on Shabbos.

            A short while later, the US army ordered a large stock of shoes
from the owner, who netted a handsome profit. When Rav Chaim heard the
result, he said with temimus, "I knew that it would happen, because the
gemara tells us so." He quoted the gemara that if a person keeps the
Shabbos, parnassa will fly to him like a bird.

            In his later years, Rav Chaim founded the renowned yeshiva
"Merkaz HaTorah" in Talpiot, where his son-in-law, Rav Pinchas Zelivanski,
is currently Rosh Yeshiva. Many of his former talmidim from Skokie are
involved in the yeshiva, as prominent maggidei shiur and staff.

            Most of the talmidim who learn in Merkaz HaTorah are
American-born. Once, a promising bachur, the son of a wealthy businessman,
was summoned home by his father, who told him to leave the yeshiva. The
businessman wanted his son to enroll in a prestigious college, where he had
just received a substantial scholarship. When Rav Chaim heard the story he
immediately met with the father, and asked him for details. The businessman
readily admitted that he didn't want to lose out on such a fantastic
scholarship opportunity.

            "How much is the scholarship?" asked Rav Chaim.

"Six thousand dollars," the man replied.

            Without hesitating, Rav Chaim reached into his pocket and
withdrew sixty one hundred dollar bills. He counted them carefully and
placed them in front of the businessman. Then he said, "and now, we'd like
you keep your son in yeshiva." The flabbergasted man quickly relented.

            What is so remarkable about this story is the fact that Rav
Chaim anticipated this man's tactic, and prepared the money in advance. What
a masterful judge of human nature!
 
 

A Gaon in Chessed

            It is extraordinarily rare to find the combination that
personified Rav Chaim: As Rav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv commented, "He was not
only a genius in Torah, but a genius in chessed as well."

            The following story has become a classic in the Torah world
today, because it personifies the essence of Rav Chaim, and the power of
gemilus chassadim.

            Approximately 25 years ago, Rav Chaim was seriously ill, and the
doctors gave him little hope. Rav Chaim went to the Steipler Gaon for a
bracha for arichus yomim. The Steipler Gaon quoted the verse in "Elu
Devorim," which reads, "uvikur cholim, v'hachnosas kallah, u'lvoyas hames:
Visiting the sick, gladdening the brides, and accompanying those who have
left this world on their final journey." The Steipler explained the
significance of 'hachnosas kallah' coming between bikur cholim and levayas
hames, thus. "In order to distance visiting the sick from burying them, i.e.
to effect a refuah sheleimah, one should become involved in the mitzvah of
hachnosas kallah."

            Though chessed was ingrained in his being, from that moment on
Rav Chaim became 'meshubad' to the needy. He spent the rest of his life
devoting himself to chessed one thousand-fold. He overlooked his own dignity
and position as Rav and Av Bais Din, literally knocking on doors, begging
and cajoling for donations. Through his persuasive and dynamic approach he
raised hundreds of thousands of dollars each month for tzedakah. The list of
orphans whom he married off b'derech kovod could fill an entire book!

            In fact, the Steipler later commented, "Rav Chaim is a
compassionate father with a warm heart." He became a father of orphans, both
financially and spiritually. The compassionate Rav oversaw their spiritual
growth, and took care of their every need. He 'red shidduchim' and arranged
marriages for many singles, and where there was no money, he helped to see
the mitzvah to fruition by covering all the chasuna expenses.

            Rav Chaim undertook to marry off a family of nine orphans over
the course of several years, providing each one with a generous 'wedding
package' to start their new life. When he delivered the final sum of money
to marry off the last child, he was so consumed with simcha that he
literally started dancing in the street!

            Once a poor man came to Rav Chaim with a letter of 'hamlotza'
(approbation) given to him by a well-known godol. Rav Chaim said, "I will
give you a better hamlotza." He withdrew a 5,000 franc note from his pocket
and said, "My hamlotza is also signed by the Belgian king (whose signature
was on the bill.) This is a hamlotza that you can use immediately."

            One of the Rav's 'pet projects' was the mitzva of pidyon
shevuyim, which included redeeming once-successful businessmen from the
ignominy of bankruptcy and shame. He would quietly raise hundreds of
thousands of dollars to put them back on the path to solvency without
ruining their credit or reputation. Often, when he heard of a creditor who
was hounding a debtor, he would overlook his own kavod and visit the man,
begging him for forego at least a part of the loan.

            Rav Chaim sacrificed his health and kochos to collect funds,
accepting bizyonos and tiring himself out to raise another few hundred-or
thousand-dollars, saving the health and shalom bayis of countless families
in need. His favorite vertel? "Nowadays, we cannot grow in Torah like the
previous generations, nor can we match their Yiras Shomayim. However, today
we can do chessed like they did in previous generations."

            Rav Chaim had a remarkable way of winning over the most
reluctant 'givers'. However, sometimes his efforts met with a brick wall. On
one occasion, he told a wealthy woman what a great zechus it would be for
her to give tzedakah. Whereupon she flippantly replied, "I have plenty of
zechusim." Rav Chaim was shaken by her reply, and even more shaken when he
heard that she had passed away in a plane crash several weeks later.

            Though Rav Chaim was not selective when approaching people for
tzedakah, when he raised money for yeshivos and kollelim, he was extremely
careful with whom he approached.

           On one occasion, he told a Rosh Kollel in Antwerp, "When you are
collecting funds for your kollel, don't approach everyone. First decide if
you feel that the person is worthy of supporting Torah. Otherwise, you will
waste your time, as he will simply refuse to give you money. Don't take it
personally. He was simply judged unworthy of contributing to such a lofty
cause."

Aniyei Eretz Yisrael

            Rav Chaim spent much of his time in America, gathering tzedakah,
and in Eretz Yisroel, where he distributed the money to thousands of
impoverished talmidei chachamim. Although he was a respected Rav and Av Bais
Din, and could have remained in Antwerp in relative tranquility, he could
not rest as long as there were Yidden who depended on him.

            Whenever he would arrive in Eretz Yisrael for his frequent
visits, Rav Chaim would ask a relative to accompany him upon his rounds.
Even in his final years, when he was frail and elderly, he would trek
through the streets of Yerushalayim, climbing countless flights of stairs,
to personally deliver the money, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars!

            Once he visited an almanah and yesomim in Yerushalayim, and left
a sizeable donation of several thousand dollars. As he was leaving, he asked
the children if they like chocolate. When they nodded eagerly, he withdrew
another fifty dollar bill and told the mother to buy her children sweets.

            On another occasion, a kallah in Eretz Yisrael cried to Rav
Chaim that she had no money to pay for basic wedding expenses. Rav Chaim
immediately arranged for a tidy sum that would cover all her chasuna and
living expenses. After

the kallah thanked him profusely, Rav Chaim asked her how she was going
home. When the kallah replied that she would probably walk or take the bus,
though it was after dark, Rav Chaim said, "I don't want you walking alone
after dark, or riding buses." He then gave her money to pay for a taxi.

            Rav Chaim was especially generous in supporting the well-known
"Bais L'aplaitos" orphan home, and "Bais Hachlamah," the premier
recuperation center for new mothers in Eretz Yisrael. He felt that these
institutions were vital for the growth of Klal Yisroel.

           Once, he promised $20,000 for a well-known organization, and the
following morning, at 7:00 AM, he was knocking on the president's door to
give him the money. "Why did you come so early?" asked the president. "This
organization is so important to Klal Yisroel that I did not want to wait,"
Rav Chaim replied.

            He gave such fantastic sums to tzedakah that if one did not see
his financial ledger, one would not believe an individual capable of raising
so much money. How did he accomplish this feat? Those who knew him well
explain that Rav Chaim was widely trusted and respected by prominent
philanthropists. Everyone knew that the Rav needed nothing for himself. In
fact, he would often give away most of his salary for tzedakah even before
he cashed the check.

Feeling the Tzaar of A Yid

            Sometimes, 'connections' with politicians and influential people
were more important than monetary assistance to help another Yid.

            During one of his frequent visits to Eretz Yisrael, Rav Chaim
asked a yungerman to accompany him to Tel Aviv. The surprised avreich
escorted the esteemed Rav into the offices of a secular newspaper, and
watched him summon one of the most prominent journalists, who greeted Rav
Chaim warmly. The Rav and the irreligious newspaper man sat down to an
impromptu meeting, to discuss the fate of an Israeli orphan stuck in
Belgium. The poor boy could not be reunited with his mother in Eretz Yisrael
because he had evaded the draft. This journalist had connections with the
right people in the bureaucracy who could overlook this draft evasion. At
the end of the meeting, Rav Chaim left with the reassurance that it would be
taken care of.

            Though Rav Chaim was an iluy and respected Rav throughout the
Torah world, he was also an exceptionally caring, accessible friend with a
warm sense of humor. He was astute and observant, with a perceptive eye and
the uncanny ability to do the right thing at the right time. One of his
favorite expressions was "vos handlt zich?" or, "tell me what's going on."
He would rise to the challenge and do whatever was necessary.

            Rav Chaim's personal honor and comfort meant nothing to him. The
distinguished, stately Rav could be seen collecting tzedakah at every
occasion, even during a chuppah! He negated his kavod to such a degree, that
he was once seen running to the train station dragging two heavy packages of
clothing, which he was sending to poor families in Eastern Europe.

            One evening, Rav Chaim welcomed an impoverished, irreligious
young couple into his home. They had been found at the train station,
shivering and destitute. Rav Chaim greeted them warmly, offering them a
nourishing meal. Soon he noticed that the young man wore torn shoes. "What
is your shoe size?" asked the Rav. The man replied that he wore a size 39.
Though it was nearly midnight, the Rav called a local askan who owned a shoe
store, and asked him to deliver a size 39 men's shoe to his home!

            Every morning, as Rav Chaim sat down to a simple breakfast,
throngs of people would flock to him, asking for a donation. While he ate
his frugal repast, he would reach into his pockets and hand out generous
donations, never less than a hundred dollars. On the rare occasions when
nobody showed up to ask for a donation, he would lament, "My breakfast has
lost its flavor, if I cannot help another Yid."

            Often he would become so involved in chessed, that he would
simply forget to eat that day!

            Rav Chaim spent many sleepless nights agonizing over the fate of
the Iranian refugees who were spirited over the border by Rav Tov, the
international rescue organization. Once he told a Rav Tov askan that he
could not sleep the entire night because he kept on visualizing the young
Iranian children who said poignant goodbyes to their parents before they
were smuggled to safety!

            Rav Chaim was one of Rav Tov's main supporters, both with
monetary help and emotional support. Each year before Pesach, he would
travel to America and attend the Rav Tov dinner on Isru Chag, where he was
the keynote speaker for the last twelve years. He also traveled to Rome and
other distant cities on behalf of Rav Tov.

            Whenever he would deliver a drasha on behalf of a yeshiva or
organization, Rav Chaim would announce his own sizeable contribution, which
set the tone for the evening. Soon the contributions would flow in, of their
own accord. With time, the Rav became one of the most sought-after speakers
in the Torah world today.

            Whenever he would visit a prominent Chassidishe community, he
would 'fier tish' on Shabbos, shepping nachas from the hundreds of
'shtreimels' gathered around the table. Few things filled him with as much
joy as greeting heimishe Yidden, a living testimony to the rebirth of Torah
Jewry after the war.

Sunset

            When Rav Kreiswirth's health began to deteriorate, about a year
ago, he decided to move to Eretz Yisrael, to the home that his talmidim in
Yerushalayim had prepared for him. The kehilla in Antwerp, however, begged
their beloved Rav to return and he did. On Monday morning, 16 Teves, Jews
throughout the world were personally moved when they heard of Rav Kreiswirth
's petira. Many cried for their surrogate father, who had done so much for
them.

            Thousands of heart-broken Jews gathered in and around the
central shul of Machzikei Hadas on Antwerp's Austin Street. Rav Chaim's son,
Rav Dov Kreiswirth of Lakewood, New Jersey, delivered the first hesped at
the levaya. He depicted the great loss incurred by Klal Yisroel and related
personal anecdotes about his father. These stories illustrated the high
level of spirituality and ahavas chessed which he attained in the course of
his life.

            Rav Eliyahu Sternbuch, Dayan in Rav Kreiswirth's kehilla, spoke
next. After tearfully quoting the possuk, "A prince and gadol has fallen
today among Yisrael" (Shmuel II, 3:38), he spoke of the niftar's gadlus in
Torah, and of the great loss his petira represents to Klal Yisroel. He
pointed out that despite Rav Chaim's genius in Torah study, he had the rare
ability to understand and empathize with the pain of each individual Jew, as
well as find ways to help alleviate that pain to the best of his abilities.

            Rav Tuvia Weiss, another Dayan in Antwerp, delivered the next
hesped. He spoke about the spiritual vacuum that has been left in the wake
of Rav Chaim's petira, and of Rav Kreiswirth's encyclopedic knowledge of
Torah. Rav Yehuda Trager, Rosh Yeshiva in Antwerp, cut short his visit to
Eretz Yisrael and returned home for the levaya. He said that we are unworthy
of eulogizing such a gadol b'Torah, who really belonged to the last
generation of pre-war gedolei Torah.

            The final eulogy was delivered by Rav Chaim's son-in-law, Rav
Pinchos Zelivanski, a prominent Rosh Kollel in Yerushalayim. He, too, spoke
about his father-in-law's devotion to Torah and acts of chessed. Rav Shlomo
Lehrer, chairman of Kehilla Machzikei Hadas, represented the kehilla as he
parted lovingly from his beloved teacher and leader.

            The levaya proceeded by foot through the main streets of
Antwerp, which were closed to traffic. The procession stopped next to the
building housing the offices of the Machzikei Hadas Kehilla, as well as in
front of the Yesodei Hatorah School. It was there that Rav Kreiswirth
delivered his last drasha upon returning from a visit to Eretz Yisrael just
two weeks ago. From the Yesodei HaTorah School, the funeral proceeded by car
to the airport, where a chartered plane took the niftar, together with
numerous members of the Jewish community, to Eretz Yisrael.

            At the levaya in Yerushalayim, Rav Chaim's son pointed out that
as a result of the efforts of the kehilla, the niftar was allowed to fly in
the cabin, rather than the luggage department, of the airplane. This meant
that, only members of the kehilla, who accorded him proper respect, handled
the niftar. After a brief pause at Rav Kreiswirth's Bais Medrash in Har Nof,
the procession continued to Yeshivas Merkaz HaTorah in Talpiot. The levaya
was held at 10:30 Tuesday morning in the Ahavas Torah Bais Medrash in the
Kiryat Sanz neighborhood in Yerushalayim, where Rav Kreiswirth served as
nossi. It was attended by thousands of Yerushalayim's elite; Roshei Yeshiva,
Rabbanim, and Bnei Torah.

            The hespedim in Yerushalayim were delivered by Rav Shmuel Halevi
Wosner, Av Beis Din Zichron Meir; Rav Yisroel Yaakov Fischer, Rosh Beis Din
Eida Hachareidis; Rav Dov Kreiswirth, the niftar's son; Rav Pinchos
Zelivanski, the niftar's son-in-law; Rav Baruch Rosenberg, Rosh Yeshivas
Slabodka, the niftar's brother-in-law; Rav Eliyahu Sternbuch, Dayan in
Antwerp, Belgium; Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Rosh Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim;
Rav Don Segal; and Rav Chaim Sarna, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron-Geulah.

            The kevura took place on Har Hamenuchos.

            Rav Chaim is survived by his Rebbetzin, his ezer k'negdo for
over half a century, children and grandchildren. His son Rav Dov is a well
known marbitz Torah and askan in Lakewood, who has carried on his father's
tradition of tzedakah and chessed. Together with his Rebbetzin, the daughter
of the Pittsburgh-Ashdod Rebbe ZT"L, and a known mechaneches, they are
involved in many worthy tzedakos and klal inyanim.

            Rav Chaim's only daughter is married to Rav Pinchas Zelivanski,
Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz HaTorah. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law
Rav Shlomo Wolbe, Rav Baruch Rosenberg and Rav Yitzchak Grodzinski.

Rav Chaim's passing has left a painful void. May his memory be a blessing.
TNZB"H.

            The author is indebted to her father-in-law, Rav Leibish
Weinfeld, who spent hours doing research and recounting personal experiences
about the great niftar. The author also is obliged to Debbie Shapiro for her
invaluable assistance in doing research and writing the historical facts.
S.Y. Zion, and many others generously shared their stories and reminisces of
Rav Chaim Zt'l. We are grateful for their contributions.

The Rov with Reb Boruch (Dec. 2000)

HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth ztvk"l
         by S. Bruchi and M. Plaut
 

                   European Jewry was rocked by the petiroh of HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth ztvk"l, the rov of Antwerp
                   and leader of the Jewish community of the European continent. His influence and authority was
                   felt throughout the European continent and beyond with respect to halachic matters and Jewish
                   leadership. Despite the holiday period in Europe, thousands came from all over Europe on
                   Monday to participate in the levaya of this great godol who served as the rov of the distinguished
                   community of Antwerp for almost fifty years. He ensured the preservation of religious standards
                   in general, and in the areas of kashrus and mikvo'os in particular. He set up Torah institutions
                   and supervised their development and every detail of their administration.

                   HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth ztvk"l was niftar this past Sunday night (16 Teves) shortly before
                   midnight. HaRav Kreiswirth was niftar at the age of 82, after suffering from an illness.

                   HaRav Kreiswirth, the son of Rav Avrohom Yosef, grew up in an outstanding home where his
                   unique personality as an ish haTorah was crystallized. In his youth, he was well-known for his
                   brilliance, his excellent character traits and his geniality.

                   Replete with Torah and yiras Shomayim, he plunged into his Torah studies, spending many
                   years in the famous Torah centers of Poland and Lithuania,

                   When the young Chaim applied to the yeshiva Chachmei Lublin, its rosh yeshiva, HaRav Meir
                   Shapira who tested him, was astounded by his vast knowledge in all aspects of Torah.

                   In time, letters written by the Dvar Avrohom and by the Minchas Boruch about him were made
                   known. In these letters the remarkable illui, Rav Chaim, is praised, and his vast knowledge of
                   Bavli and Yerushalmi is cited.

                   He stayed in Torah's tents all his life, remaining close to his illustrious mentors from whom he
                   acquired all of the kinyonei haTorah.

                   He was very close with all of the gedolim of the previous generation, among them HaRav Chaim
                   Ozer Grodzensky, who was very fond of him and gave his sefer on Zevochim a warm
                   recommendation. This manuscript was lost during the war.

                   HaRav Kreiswirth maintained strong links with all of the great Torah luminaries of Poland and
                   Lithuania and became known as the Illui of Cracow. He spoke in learning with the Rogochover
                   Gaon as well as with HaRav Elchonon Wassermann; the Imrei Emmes, and HaRav Menachem
                   Ziemba.

                   His talmidim are full of stories about his immense gadlus in Torah. They point out that already in
                   his youth after he was tested by HaRav Meir Shapira of Lublin when he was visiting Turna, Rav
                   Shapira put him next to him and praised him highly in front of the kehilla. He was eventually sent
                   to learn in Yeshivas Lublin, where he became close to the mashgiach HaRav Arye Zvi Frommer
                   zt"l.

                   His close relationship with the Rogochover was well known. He first heard about his greatness
                   when the Rogochover was on his way to an operation in Vienna and stopped over in Warsaw.
                   Rav Chaim zt"l became attached to him and traveled with him to Vienna, talking in limud with
                   him throughout the journey.

                   When he was still young he became a maggid shiur in the yeshiva of the Chovas Hatalmidim in
                   Piaschana, where he looked after a blind talmid chochom. When several years later he was
                   caught by the Germans and taken to be killed he asked Hakodosh Boruch Hu to save him in the
                   zechus of have having taken care of the needs of that talmid chochom. His prayers were heard
                   and, in response to his entreaties, the Nazi soldier told him that he would shoot into the air and
                   then he should run away.

                   He married the daughter of HaRav Avrohom Grodzensky Hy"d, author of the Toras Avrohom.
                   During the sheva brochos week he gave drosho after drosho citing gemoras in Bavli and
                   Yerushalmi by heart.

                   When he arrived in Eretz Yisroel he was referred to as Ho'ari she'olo miBovel, a phrase
                   expressing the esteem in which he was held due to his greatness in Torah. In 5701 (1941) he
                   moved to Eretz Yisroel and became well-known among the geonim of Yerushalayim. He met the
                   Brisker Rov and became close to the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, HaRav Shach and HaRav Shlomo
                   Zalman Auerbach ztvk"l and ylct"a to HaRav Eliashiv shlita.

                   In the early 50s, he served as a rosh yeshiva in Chicago. Even though he was relatively young
                   and the yeshiva was mainly staffed by older talmidei chachomim from Lithuania, he had
                   tremendous success. A group of his talmidim from Chicago remained close to him his whole life,
                   and after he left they became the influential baalei batim of Chicago and served in key roles
                   when the kehilla established itself. The talmidim of Chicago were also the ones involved in
                   helping him establish Yeshivas Mercaz HaTorah in Yerushalayim.

                   In time, he was appointed Gavad of Antwerp. While serving in that capacity, his influence was
                   far-reaching, and halachic questions were sent to him from all parts of the world. By the same
                   token he played a crucial role in spreading Torah in Antwerp.

                   He also served as head of the Vaad HaRabbonim Haolami LeInyonei Giyur and actively fought
                   the intrusion of goyim into Kerem Beis Yisroel through halachically unacceptable conversions.

                   After World War II he traveled to Poland at great personal risk, and miraculously escaped being
                   arrested, in order to save Jewish children who were hidden by the Church during the war years
                   and were withheld from Jewish authorities after the hostilities ceased.

                   His chesed with orphans and widows constituted a glowing chapter in his life. When referring to
                   HaRav Chaim's acts of chessed, the Steipler Rov called him "a compassionate father with a pure
                   heart." With the funds he raised in his community and from philanthropists all over the world, he
                   assisted many broken and impoverished families.

                   He also bolstered the spirits of the brokenhearted in a warm, pleasant and unassuming manner.
                  His genial and natural manner endeared him to all, and were the basis of the high esteem in
                   which he was held.

                   His efforts on behalf of Torah in Eretz Hakodesh were numerous. He founded and supported the
                   Mercaz HaTorah yeshiva in Talpiyot where hundreds of bnei yeshiva from all over the world
                   study. On his visits to Yerushalayim he would deliver shiurim which ranged over the entire Shas
                   to the students of the yeshiva. These shiurim were also attended by many gedolei Yerushalayim.
                   It wasn't in vain that the Kehillos Yaakov, in a letter, called him: "HaGaon Hagodol, moro dekulei
                   Talmud, maoz umigdol, otzar haTorah veyiras Hashem tehoroh, hanitzmad bekiros levovi . . . "

                   He was very close to the gedolei Yisroel of Eretz Hakodesh, especially to Maran HaRav Elozor
                   Menachem Shach ztvk"l, and yibodel lechayim tovim ve'arukim, Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom
                   Eliashiv.

                   He was an outstanding orator, who stirred his audience with his heartfelt words. At the fifth and
                   sixth Kneissios Gedolos of Agudas Yisroel he delivered the main speech, which was raptly
                   listened to by thousands, led by maranan verabonon the gedolei Yisroel.

                   Recently he fell ill and his condition worsened from day to day. On Sunday afternoon his
                   condition deteriorated, and prayers were said on his behalf in all the botei midroshim in Eretz
                   Yisroel, including the beis medrash of Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv shlita who personally
                   participated in the Tehillim. In Torah centers and yeshivos throughout the world many prayers for
                   his recovery were recited. Sunday night (16 Teves) at 11:30 p.m. Israeli time, he returned his
                   pure soul to its Maker.

                   The levaya started Monday at 4 p.m. Belgian time. Thousands gathered at the central Machzikei
                   Hadass Shul in Ostelei Street, Antwerp where he had served as rov. The large shul and adjoining
                   courtyard became a sea of black. The maspidim included his son HaRav Dov from Lakewood,
                   Dayan Tuvia Weiss and Dayan Elya Sternbuch of Antwerp, the rosh yeshiva of Antwerp HaRav
                   Yehudah Trager, his son-in-law HaRav Pinchos Zelivansky, and the Rosh Hakahal R' Zalman
                   Lehrer.

                   All the maspidim bewailed the great tragedy that had befallen European Jewry in general and
                   Antwerp Jewry in particular, which had lost its pride and glory. They dwelt upon his greatness in
                   Torah and that the gedolim of the previous generation already testified about him that despite his
                   young age (then) he was a remnant of the gedolim of Poland from previous generations. He knew
                   Shas Yerushalmi and Bavli by heart.

                   He had a beautiful personality, a spiritual giant and man of deeds who, in addition to his Torah
                   and halachic rulings, was the spiritual and material father of hundreds of orphans, widows and
                   families in distress, whose needs he took care of over the last few years. With his petiroh world
                   Jewry has lost one of its geonim and tzadikim, a pillar of Torah and chesed, who was close to
                   the gedolim of the previous generation and who had transmitted the traditions to this generation.

                   The levaya continued from the shul to the Yesodei HaTorah school, and then to the Bais Yaakov.
                   From there it went to Eretz Yisroel on a special chartered flight, accompanied by family
                   members and members of the kehilla. The kehilla paid the considerable expense of the flight,
                   allowing the aron to travel inside with the passengers, which greatly enhanced the kovod
                   hameis.

                   The aron arrived in Eretz Yisroel around 2 a.m. and was taken to HaRav Kreiswirth's shul in Har
                   Nof where Tehillim were recited. From there it was taken to the beis medrash of Yeshivas
                   Mercaz HaTorah according to the instructions of the gedolei haposkim, where Tehillim were said
                   by talmidim for the rest of the night. There were hespedim at the yeshiva in the morning.

                   The main levaya in Yerushalayim was in the Beis Knesses Ahavas Torah in Kiryat Zanz which
                   the niftar recently established and for which he served as nosi. Many, many talmidim came from
                   America for the levaya, including talmidim from Chicago and many who had learned in Mercaz
                   HaTorah over the years.

                   It began at about 11 a.m. with the saying of Tehillim. The first maspid was HaRav Shmuel
                   Wosner of Bnei Brak, a "childhood friend" of the niftar, as he said in his remarks. HaRav Wosner
                   said that the niftar was a true talmid chochom and a true godol and was also kabir hama'as. He
                   quoted the posuk (Tehillim 55,19), Podoh vesholom nafshi, explaining that the soul is in captivity
                   in This World, and that a talmid chochom and an oveid Hashem understands that with Torah he
                   can redeem the soul of This World. The rest of the posuk refers to gemilas chassodim (mikrov li)
                   and tefillah betzibbur (ki berabbim . . . ) since excellence in these areas indicates a ben Olom
                   Habo. HaRav Wosner said that if the shem tov extends to the final clod of earth over the grave,
                   the zibula basraiso, then it is truly a shem tov.

                   HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher, the ravad of the Eida HaChareidis, said that he recalled the niftar
                   sitting together with his own rosh yeshiva, HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer zt"l, and saying over
                   shtiklach Yerushalmi by heart. He was a true Sar Torah.

                   HaRav Boruch Rosenberg, rosh yeshivas Slobodka, said that like the children of Eli Hacohen, he
                   says two hespeidim: one for the Aron Elokim, the talmid chochom and leader of Klal Yisroel,
                   and the other for a brother-in-law.

                   The other maspidim were HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir, HaRav Dov
                  Kreiswirth of Lakewood, the niftar's son, HaRav Don Segal, HaRav Chaim Sarna and his
                   son-in-law HaRav Pinchos Zelivansky. The maspidim all stressed his gadlus in Torah and his
                   considerable achievements in gemilas chesed. HaRav Chaim himself used to say that he will
                   take his chassodim along to the Olom Ho'emes.

                   The levaya proceeded on foot to Har Hamenuchos where he was buried in a new section.

                   He is survived by his wife tichye, by his son HaRav Dov of Lakewood, and his daughter, the wife
                   of HaRav Pinchos Zelivansky, as well as by grandchildren and great-grandchildren all of whom
                   are pursuing Torah's path. His brothers-in-law, ylct"a are: the Mashgiach HaRav Shlomo Wolbe,
                   HaRav Boruch Rosenberg and HaRav Yitzchok Grodzensky.
 

Hesped in Young Israel Midwood
 
 

In Shabbos Beshabato of  5, 12  and 19 January and 1 February  2002

Click here - Klik hier: 5 January 2002

Click here - Klik hier: 12 January 2002

Click here - Klik hier: 19 January 2002

Click here - Klik hier: 1 February 2002 :  Nussach Hamatseivo and Tsavoas Rabbeinu.

In Aleh Mizroch (Synagoge Oostenstraat)

In B.I.W. of 28 December 2001

Verslag over de begrafenis in Israel: klik hier (printvriendelijke versie  )

In Haaretz 2 January 2002
 

Remark: The age of 92 is of course incorrect. Mr. Anshel FEFFER from Haaretz had been given all the biographic information about our Rov, about his Toïre and his Chessed and nevertheles A. FEFFER did not find anything else  to depict the Rov than his supposed stubborn approach to conversion and Reforn judaism.

In Haaretz 9 January 2002

© Haaretz 2002.

 

In the Jewish Press dated 9 January 2002
 

Rabbi Chaim Kreiswirth, zt"l
Posted 1/9/02
 

The Jewish Press joins Klal Yisroel in mourning the passing of Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, longtime Chief Rabbi of Antwerp and founder and Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Merkaz HaTorah in Jerusalem. One of the most highly regarded Torah scholars of the last 50 years, Rabbi Kreiswirth, dubbed the Cracower Illui at age 15 in recognition of his prodigious powers of Talmudic analysis, also earned at a very young age, the respect and recognition of such   luminaries as Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, zt"l, the Chazon Ish, zt"l, and the Lubliner Rav, Rav Meir Shapiro, zt"l, as well as many of the leading Hasidic Rebbes of his time.

Rav Kreiswirth was a beloved leader of European Jewry and inspired countless students in the    pursuit of Torah study with his profound erudition and always pleasant and warm demeanor.

May his memory be for a blessing.

In The Jerusalem Post of 11/12 January 2002

Courtesy Michael  Freilich

In Joods.nl dd. 2 januari 2002

Antwerpse opperrabbijn Kreiswirth overleden

                          2 januari 2002

                          Door de redactie
 
 

Op zondag is op 83-jarige leeftijd de Antwerpse
opperrabbijn Chaim Kreiswirth overleden. Hij was de
opperrabbijn van de Israelitische orthodoxe gemeente
Machsike Hadass. Kreiswirth vervulde die functie in
Antwerpen sinds 1953. Hij was tevens voorzitter van de
Vereniging van Israelitische Orthodoxe Gemeenten in
Europa en werd beschouwd als het hoofd van de orthodoxe

Rabbijn Kreiswirth werd op 17 december 1918 geboren in Wojnicz, in Polen. Na
een traditionele joods-orthodoxe opvoeding studeerde hij in Krakau en Lublin. Vlak
voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog vestigde de jonge talmoedkenner zich in Warschau,
waar hij lesgaf. Toen de Duitsers Warschau bezetten, kon Kreiswirth ontkomen
naar Litouwen en later naar Palestina, waar hij voort studeerde. Daarna ging hij
 naar Amerika waar hij hoofd werd van de talmoedafdeling aan het Hebrew
Theological College in Chicago. Hij onderrichtte er tot hij, in 1953, als
opperrabbijn naar Antwerpen werd geroepen.

Maandag vond in de grote synagoge van Antwerpen een plechtigheid plaats. De
overleden opperrabbijn zal in Israel worden begraven.