Memories of Reb Sholom Ber Gansburg

By Rabbi Shmuel Butman

On the 17th day of Cheshvan, we lost a wonderful chossid, Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Sholom Dovber ben Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Schneur Zalman Gansburg and we just observed “Shloshim” from his passing.

Over the years, the Rebbe sent him to me several times to help him with what he needed. Boruch Hashem, I had the zechus of helping him and getting to know him from close.

Getting to know him was a privilege.

Reb Sholom Ber Gansburg was the kind of person who personified Eliezer Eved Avrohom’s self-identity. When Eliezer introduces himself to Rivkah’s family in Parshas Chayei Soroh, he says, “Eved Avrohom Anochi” — “I am an eved to Avrohom.”

Chassidus explains that an eved does not have his own wants. All an eved wants to do is the will of his master, the one who sent him; nothing for himself. When Moshe Rabbeinu passed away, the possuk says, Vayomos shom Moshe, “Moshe passed away there.” Then, the Torah wants to give us a one-word description of Moshe Rabbeinu, and what word does the Torah use? “Eved Hashem” — “the servant of Hashem.”

Volumes could be written about Moshe Rabbeinu’s greatness. But here, the Torah wants to capsulize it in one word. “Eved Hashem” means he did not have any wants of his own. All he wanted was to do what Almighty G-d wanted.

It can be said about Reb Sholom Ber Gansburg that he did not have any wants of his own. All he wanted to do — as I saw from close, was to do what the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin want, and to be a faithful servant to the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin.

Moreover, Pirkei Avos lists among the qualities with which the Torah is acquired, “v’eino machzik tovah l’atzmo” — “He claims no credit for himself.”

Reb Sholom Ber did not hold any credit for himself. He didn’t think, “You know who I am? I am the Mashamesh Bakodesh of the Rebbe.” This never entered his mind. He never went there.
He never thought of himself as anything. All he wanted was one thing: to serve the Rebbe and Rebbetzin as best as he could.

Perhaps Reb Sholom Ber represented the inner meaning of “v’eino machzik tovah l’atzmo”– “He claims no credit for himself.” Not only did he not claim any credit vis-à-vis someone else even “l’atzmo” for his own self, Reb Sholom Ber was a non-entity! He didn’t feel the importance of himself. He viewed himself as nothing other than to do whatever the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin want and he was only there for one purpose –to serve the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin!!!

Our sages say concerning a person who has departed, and Rashi brings it in his pirush, “Chaval al d’avdin v’lo mishtakchin” — “Woe is to those who are gone and are no longer here.”
At face value, the second half of the phrase seems redundant. If someone is gone, then he’s not here. Why the double expression?

Perhaps the explanation is: “Woe is to those who are gone.” You know why? Because “v’lo mishtakchin” –”there is no one else like them.”

It can be said that Reb Sholom Ber took with him to eternity this unique quality of being an eved Avrohom, a true servant, never thinking of himself, only thinking what the master wants and how he can best serve the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin.

Rest in peace, my dear friend. As the Rebbe said to you “Vu ich vel zain vestu zain”– “Wherever I will be, you will be.”

On you it could be said “Ma lehalon omeid umeshameish af kan omeid umeshameish” (Sotah 13,b) –“Just like there he did the service, here he does the service.”

Just as you served the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin “here” you will serve the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin “there.”