The Legacy of Zaide Gerlitsky

Zaide Gerlitsky – A Legacy to Emulate

Zaide, Everyone loved you and you truly loved everyone. Your varmkeit and care for each individual is indescribable, only those who knew you can feel the warmth you projected, when reminiscing your attitude towards mankind.

Zaide, to speak about you as something in the past tense is not something anyone of your offsprings can. “Di bist doch aza leibediker Yid”.

The excitement when meeting an einkel of yours, a child, an ur-einikel, an-ur-ur-einikel – was all the same. Each of us received such attention and love as if we were your ben yochid. And it was for Real.

Zaide, you were Emes! You said what you meant and meant what you said. No politics, no quarrels, no airs. You stayed away from machlokes with a five foot pole, and always tried to make sholom at every misunderstanding. Loshon Hora- that wasn’t even an issue since you didn’t understand how people can even hint something negative about a fellow friend, “m’tur doch nisht.”

Zaide, your total devotion to the Rebbe’s inyonim, with such an ernstkeit, such a tmimusdikeit. Yeshiva matters were what you lived for. A few days before that fateful day, you had to pick up a check in order that the melamdim get their paychecks in time, you personally drove around distributing Matzos to all of your “mentchen” so that no one misses the obligation of the kzayis matza for the sdorim. Your gashmius was a vehicle for your ruchniusdike projects. At the age of 90, you purchased a new car, your hislahavus about the car was total ruchnius, all meant to serve your creator more efficiently!

Zaide, you were A Dugma Chaya of Yiras Shomayim. Your tefilos –whoever paid close attention-were as dear and clear to the Ribono Shel Olam as if you were counting precious stones and pearls. Such true emese kavana, chadashim labkarim- as if this was the first time you were saying these tefillos – such chayus and full of meaning. Your mitzvos and maasim tovim so “opgehitten”. Such awe at every mitzvah –as if you recited “l’shem Yichud” before doing them.

Zaide, your tznius was outstanding, “azoy vi memeint nisht em”. All of your chesed you did beseiser, so that it not be revealed who gave this donation i.e., help for shabbos or yomtov. Helping people pay their rent or schar limud or any other expense. It didn’t matter what, if you knew about a monetary issue, you were always there to help.

Zaide, how many men, women and children are keeping Torah and Mitzvos and have daily or weekly shiurim, go to farbrengens regularly in your zchus? Although your learning schedule literally took up all of your time, you always found the time to be mekarev whomever came your way and whomever you felt needed some spiritual uplifting. You went out of your way to convince an acquaintance of yours to send his daughter to Beth Rivka. In your zchus she is a shomer shabbos today.

Zaide, the list is never – ending and it is so hard to think that the next time I will come to Montreal, I won’t see you on the bima in Yeshiva announcing a mazel tov in the community or a farbrengen – or a special chassidishe gathering. One thing is sure, you are probably making the announcements up there and what the Bardichiver hasn’t accomplished yet, you will SURELY accomplish and that is bringing Moshiach down here “l’mato measoro tfochim”. You lived Moshiach on a daily basis and I am sure we will soon be zoche to “Vehokitzu veranenu shochnei ofor”. “Moshiach miz shoyn kimmen.”