It is with deep pain that we are writing about the passing of a singular gaon and tzaddik, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe, zecher tzaddik v’kadosh livrachah. Anyone who ever had the privilege to get even a distant glimpse at his holy countenance could recognize his otherworldliness. Indeed, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe was unique even among other luminaries.
Last week, when I reached out to one of the Rebbe’s longtime gabba’im to discuss his life and passing, his response was, “You don’t need my testimony. Your own father was very close to the Rebbe. You yourself have plenty of memories of him.” His statement was undeniably spot-on.
My father, z”l, became close to the Rachmastrivka Rebbe when the Rebbe’s son, Rav Dovid Moshe, who has now inherited his father’s mantel of leadership, married the daughter of my father’s close relative, Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Ungar, the Dombrover Rebbe, zt”l (the father of Rav Mordechai Dovid Ungar, the Rebbe of Bobov-45). After the Rachmastrivka Rebbe moved to Boro Park from New Square, my father traveled with him to London to raise funds for the growing Rachmastrivka community. My father later completed the writing of a sefer Torah and gave it to the Rachmastrivka beis midrash.
As a result of this close relationship, I too—along with thousands of other Yidden—merited to consult with the Rebbe from time to time and receive his brachos. What always struck me about him was his pashtus coupled with his middas ha’emes. I once went with my wife and daughter to get the Rebbe’s haskamah on a pending shidduch. In response to one of my daughter’s queries, he told her how he helped his rebbetzin with the household chores, and he then provided her with various illustrations. And it goes without saying that whenever one needed halachic advice or a Torah source, the Rebbe was equally forthcoming.
One of my indelible memories of the Rebbe is seeing him at the Shabbos sheva brachos of his son Rav Dovid Moshe, which took place in the Dombrover beis midrash in Boro Park. On Friday night, the Rebbe danced the mitzvah tantz with the kallah. Rav Naftultche, zt”l, who later became the Bobover Rebbe, was also present, and he got up on a bench to watch the Rachmastrivka Rebbe dance. And what a sight it was!
No words can do justice in describing the Rachmastrivka Rebbe’s greatness. We can only offer a supplication that zechuso yagein aleinu, may his merit shield us.
—Rabbi Yitzchok Frankfurter
Renowned for his kedushah and humility, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe was also an outstanding talmid chacham. Despite his many undertakings and busy schedule, the Rebbe always had time and patience for every person in need, sharing in both their happiness and their pain. He never made a distinction between rich or poor, young or old; everyone always had his ear. His ahavas Yisrael was indescribable. He conducted his tishen with a simplicity that spoke of holiness and dveikus.
Born in Yerushalayim on 4 Elul 5691 (1931), the Rebbe was the second son of Rav Yochanan of Rachmastrivka, zt”l. (Rav Yochanan was the son of Rav Dovid, who was the son of Rav Menachem Nachum, who was the son of the first Rav Yochanan of Rachmastrivka, who was the son of Rav Mottel Chernobyler, the son of the Meor Einayim, Rav Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl. Rav Chai Yitzchok’s mother was the daughter of Rav Nachman Yosef Wilhelm.)
The Rebbe’s sandek at his bris was his great-grandfather, Rav Nachum of Rachmastrivka. The Rebbe was named after his great-grandfather, Rav Yitzchok of Skver, who was Rav Dovid of Rachmastrivka’s shver. The name Chai was added later on.
The Rebbe merited to grow under the guidance of his great-grandfather Rav Nachum, who passed away when the Rebbe was five years old. Throughout his life, the Rebbe would speak about his arainfirenish to cheder, which was led by his great-grandfather in his beis midrash; this remained etched in the Rebbe’s memory.
As a child the Rebbe learned in Chayei Olam, where he was able to receive the hashpaah of the Yerushalayimer melamdim along with the chinuch of Meah Shearim of yesteryear, about which he would speak emotionally.
The Rebbe’s Salvation
When the Rebbe was around 12 years old, he became sick with a terrible disease that spread throughout his body. The doctors performed an operation, but when it didn’t work they gave up all hope. They also didn’t want to operate again, as they felt that the chances of success were very slim, but the Rebbe’s zeide asked them to do so anyway. Unfortunately, the second operation was also unsuccessful and the Rebbe remained very ill.
At that point, the Rebbe’s zeide, Rav Dovid, decided to add the name Chaim, but because the Rebbe had a brother named Chaim Moshe, this name was later changed to Chai. From then on the Rebbe was known as Chai Yitzchok.
One night, the Rebbe’s uncle, Rabbi Avraham Wilhelm, was with him in the hospital when he realized that the situation was dire. The Rebbe was completely unresponsive and was barely breathing. In fact, the doctors wanted to declare that he was no longer among the living, but his uncle refused to give up. Rabbi Wilhelm rubbed cognac and some other things he had with him on the Rebbe’s body, and the Rebbe suddenly opened his eyes. A few minutes later the Rebbe turned to his uncle and said, “Did you know that I was already in the Olam Ha’emes? I don’t know how I suddenly woke up.”
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