For countless South Floridians, Rabbi Dovid Bryn OBM was a paragon of humanity; a paradigm for all that is right in this world and the embodiment of a better world to come.
In recognition of his immeasurable contributions to the Jewish community, his 10th yahrzeit was marked on Shabbos.
“The term tzaddik – the Hebrew word for a righteous person – was the term most often used to describe Rabbi Bryn by those who knew him, knew of him or even just had a fleeting, blessed moment with him,” said Margaret Schorr, who for more than ten years worshipped at Rabbi Bryn’s California Club Shul.
“It is only fitting that we honor this great man in a manner becoming the life he lived and the legacy he left,” said Rabbi Kievman, who came to South Florida more than decade ago at Rabbi Bryn’s request to cover for the ailing Rabbi as he courageously battled Marfan’s Syndrome.
Rabbin Kievman has carried on his beloved mentor’s work ever since.
“There can be no greater honor than to dedicate ourselves to writing a new Torah – the final of the 613 commandments – commencing this Sunday, April 29th at 4:30 p.m. at Chabad Chayil, the organization founded by Rabbi Bryn, located at 2601 N.E. 211th Terrace, just west of Aventura.”
A new biography about him written by Rabbi Chaim Dalfin, revealed the following rare title the Rebbe has given him:
…Shortly before Passover, Dovid was slated to undergo another operation. The Lubavitcher Rebbe sent Dovid a check for $1,800—a hundred times 18, which has the numerical value of chai, life.
This money was to be used to help people in need of financial assistance for Passover.
On the check, the Rebbe prefaced Dovid’s name with the word tzaddik, a saintly individual. For the Rebbe to refer to someone in this way was extraordinary; and he wrote on the check, “tracht gut un s’vet zein gut,” “think positively and things will be positive.”
Dovid cashed the check and told his mother—the only other person who had seen it—not to mention it to others.
(His mother) Felicia only talked about the check after Dovid had passed away.
When she was asked why she hadn’t at least photocopied it as a memento, Felicia replied, “I always wanted my son to be normal, like everybody else. For me, calling him a tzaddik was too much.”
VIDEO: Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar Recalls
Rabbi Bryn was an unbelievable human being. Always positive, always kind.
Remember him well from my days in Yeshiva in Miami. A very special man.
One more mitzvah. It was on his business card. All what he did was what the Rebbe wanted of him and it really was THAT simple. Everyone who was brought out by him, worked with him, had contact with him (ever) should take that simple love and earnestness and just DO that one more mitzvah, for YOU HAVE the true ability to bring about the Geula NOW!
The Kievmans are doing amazing work perpetuating the legacy of Rabbi Bryn.
Thanks to Rabbi Shloimy and Feigie Halsband, (who Rabbi Bryn brought out in his last days) the legacy of Rabbi Bryn lives on…with tens of families being inspired with Yiddishkeit.
BS”D
This man brought the GREATEST Nachas Ruach to Hashem that a person could bring, and he shared it with the entire world. May the memory of this once hidden Tzaddik be for a blessing, and may his soul have only greater and greater aliyos along with the souls of Kol Yisroel in Shomayim, May we draw them down to be back with us through our efforts with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu NOW!