Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Boro Park, 92, OBM

Hamodia & COLlive

Harav Chai Yitzchok Twersky (Itche’l), the Rachmistrivka Rebbe of Boro Park, passed away on Wednesday, 29 Menachem Av, 5783. He was 92.

He was born in 1930 to his parents the Rachmastrivka Rebbe Harav Yochanan Twersky, and Rebbetzin Esther Rivka, daughter of Harav Nachman Yosef Wilhelm.

In his youth, he learned in Yeshivas Etz Chaim under Harav Isser Zalman Meltzer and then in the Yeshiva of the Belzer Rebbe, Harav Aharon Rokeach.

Upon his arrival in the United States, he merited to have a Yechidus with the Rebbe at 770 Eastern Parkway during which he was tested on the laws of tzitzis. The Rebbe posed to him many detailed questions (without any open books in front of them, of course), and he answered them all. On the final question, the Rebbe himself answered and explained the response according to the path of Chassidus and Kabbalah.

According to another version of the story: The Rebbe asked him if he could study with him, and he responded affirmatively. The Rebbe then asked him what he had studied recently, and he replied that they had learned Tractate Bava Basra in the yeshiva, and he had also personally studied Tractate Menachos. The Rebbe inquired which topic he found more comfortable to discuss, and he answered, “Menachos.”

The Rebbe presented him with a complex question from Gemara Menachos, and he responded with two explanations that were clarified in recent times. The Rebbe added two more explanations, and then he showed him how all four explanations still did not fully settle the matter as required. The Rebbe explained to him the matter according to the inner dimension of Torah, the concealed aspect, and how all the difficulties are resolved through this.

His nephew, Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky, maggid shiur of Oholei Torah Mesivta in Crown Heights, witnessed the encounter. After the Yechidus ended, the soon-to-become Rachmistrivka Rebbe explained how the Rebbe had been willing to engage with him on any topic in Gamara and to demonstrate that without the study of the inner dimension of Torah, one cannot fathom the depths of the matters.

The Rachmistrivka Rebbe married his Rebbitzen, daughter of the Skverer Rebbe, Harav Yaakov Yosef Twersky. He stood at his father-in-law’s side and formed an incredibly close relationship with him. The Skverer Rebbe entrusted him with overseeing the chinuch institutions in Skver.

Upon the passing of his father, on 20 Kislev 5742 – 1982, his older brother, Harav Yisrael Mordechai Twersky became the Rachmistrivka Rebbe in Israel while he became the Rachmastrivka Rebbe in America. The two were extraordinarily close and regularly exchanged letters.

He bought a shul in Boro Park from the Dejer Rebbe who was moving to Miami. He insisted on buying an existing shul, not opening a new one, as that would mean taking people away from someone who already had a shul.

The Rachmistrivka Rebbe’s Boro Park home soon became a place where Jews from across the Torah spectrum came to seek chizuk and advice. He was widely respected in the Yeshiva world for his vast Torah knowledge.

For years he refused to establish his own institutions or allow his Chassidim to open a school, until the community grew to a degree that young families were struggling to find a yeshiva for their children, at which point he relented. Today, there are Rachmastrivka schools in Boro Park, Monsey, and Lakewood, a Yeshivah Ketana and Yeshivah Gedola, in addition to a girls’ school in Boro Park.

Over the years, five volumes of his teachings, titled Amaros Tehoros al haTorah, and two volumes on Moadim, were published. Many who were not familiar with the Rebbe personally gained an appreciation of his greatness through learning his seforim.

His humility was legendary. The warmth with which he greeted every Yid who came to see him was palpable. As hard as he tried to hide his lofty levels of the avodas Hashem, those who came in contact with him sensed it and were inspired by merely being in his presence.

He is survived by his family, Chassidim and many who he blessed and guided.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.