Communicated: TefillaChillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.
tell a friendBelz: Shidduch Of The Decade
(L-R): Rabbi Aaron Mordechai Rokeach, Belzer Rebbe, and Sholom Rokeach, the chassan.
In Jerusalem, on Sunday, February 26, at 8 p.m., a l’chaim was held in the inner sanctum of the Belzer Rebbe’s residence. Only immediate members of the relatively small families were present. Nevertheless, Belzer chassidim, along with chassidishe communities around the globe, rejoiced. The Belzer Rebbe’s oldest grandchild, Sholom, firstborn son to the Rebbe’s only child, Rabbi Aaron Mordechai, was engaged to Batya, 19, the daughter of Rabbi Yechiel Meir Paneth, Nadvorna Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. The chassan, after his father, is second in the line of royal succession of the Belzer dynasty.
After the Holocaust, Rabbi Aaron Rokeach, zt”l (1877-1957), fourth Belzer Rebbe, and his bother, Rabbi Mordechai Rokeach, zt”l (1902-1949), Bilograyer Rav, were the only survivors of the family. Both had lost their wives and children, who were murdered in the Holocaust. They were targeted by the Nazis, and while they made multiple escapes, the two were always barely a step ahead of their pursuers until their safe passage into Palestine on February 3, 1944. Against all odds, the two brothers together were poised to rebuild the Belzer dynasty. Both remarried.
Their evasions of Nazi capture were harrowing. Once, the brothers were spirited out of Nazi-occupied Poland and into Hungary in the car of a Hungarian counterintelligence agent who was friendly to Jews. The Rebbe, his attendant and Rabbi Mordechai, shorn of their beards and payos, were disguised as Russian generals who had been captured at the front and were being taken to Budapest for questioning. Budapest, at that moment, was still a safe haven for Jews.
Having lost his wife, children, and grandchildren in the Holocaust, Rabbi Aaron remarried in 1947 to Rebbetzin Chana Labin-Pollack-Rokeach a”h. The new Rebbetzin was the daughter of Rabbi Yechiel Chaim Labin, zt”l (1888-1985), Makava Rebbe; son of Rabbi Moshe Labin, zt”l (d. 1939), Zidichover Drohabitcher Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yisroel Yosef Labin, zt”l (d. 1902), Zidichover Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yaakov Naftali Hirtz Labin, zt”l, Zidichover Rebbe; son-in-law of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Eichenstein, zt”l (1763-1831), Zidichover Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein, zt”l (1740-1810), founding Zidichover Rebbe. Rabbi Aaron did not have any children from his second marriage. Sadly, Rabbi Aaron passed away in 1957 without any living offspring.
Bilograyer Rav zt”l, father of today’s Belzer Rebbe.
Rabbi Mordechai, having lost his wife and children, remarried in 1947 to Rebbetzin Miriam, the daughter of Rabbi Zvi Hershel Glick zt”l of Satmar, son-in-law of Rabbi Yaakov Yechezkel Greenwald zt”l, brother of the Arugas Habosem. They had only one child, Yesochor Dov, in 1948. Sadly, on November 17, 1949, Rabbi Mordechai, at the young age of 47, passed away. The child, Yesochor Dov, was raised by his uncle and was clearly designated as the future fifth Belzer Rebbe. After Rabbi Aaron passed away, Yesochor Dov was taught Torah and chassidus by an inner circle of Belzer chassidim.
In 1965 he married Rebbetzin Sarah, the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Yehshua Hager, today’s Bnei Brak Vishnitzer Rebbe. At the time of the wedding, Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua’s father, Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager, zt”l (1887-1972), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Imrei Chaim, was still alive. The Belzer Rebbe resided in Bnei Brak for one year, being near the then-Vishnitzer Rebbe and his father-in-law. In 1966, the Belzer Rebbe moved his residence to Jerusalem where he assumed leadership of the growing Belzer kehilla. The Vishnitzer Rebbe passed away 1972 and Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua succeeded his father as Vishnitzer Rebbe in Bnei Brak.
Childless for several years after their marriage, the Belzer Rebbe and Rebbetzin visited the United States to seek the blessing of the Divrei Yoel and, presumably, to seek medical assistance. In 1975 they had a son, Aaron Mordechai, their only child. The two names are in honor of the child s great-uncle, Rabbi Aaron Rokeach, zt”l (1880-1957), fourth Belzer Rebbe, as well as of the child s grandfather, Rabbi Mordechai Twersky, zt”l (1902-1949) Bilgorayer Rav. His birth was a Yom Tov for Belzer chassidim, as he was heir to the Belzer dynasty.
In 1993, the son, Rabbi Aaron Mordechai, married Rebbetzin Sarah Leah, the daughter of Rabbi Shimon Lemberger, Makova Rebbe in Kiryat Atta. The chuppah was celebrated by 60,000 and more than 30,000 partook of the wedding dinner. Rabbi Aaron Mordechai and Rebbetzin Sarah Leah are parents of 11 children. The chassan, Sholom, their oldest, is three weeks shy of his 17th birthday.
The kallah is the daughter of Rabbi Yechiel Meir Paneth; son of Rabbi Aaron Dovid Paneth, Zibenbergen Rosh Kollel Jerusalem. Rabbi Yechiel Meir is the son-in-law of Rabbi Boruch Halberstam, zt”l (d. 1982), Gorelitzer Rebbe in Bnei Brak; son of Rabbi Elisha Halberstam, zt”l (1860-1941), Gorelitzer Rebbe who died in Siberia while escaping from the Nazis; son of Rabbi Boruch Halberstam, zt”l (1829-1906), Gorelitzer Rebbe; son of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, zt”l (1797-1976), revered Sanzer Rebbe and author of Divrei Chaim.
Rabbi Aaron Dovid Paneth is the son-in-law of Rabbi Yehuda Tirnauer, zt”l (1923-2001), Rav of Beis Medrash Shomrei Shabbos on 13th Avenue at 53rd Street in Boro Park; son-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Lowy, zt”l (d. 1981), Chuster Rebbe who arrived in America in 1938 and established Beis Medrash Ohel Elimelech, which continues to thrive on Fort Hamilton Parkway in Boro Park; son of Rabbi Elimelech Lowy, zt”l (1865-1942), Tasher Rebbe; son of Rabbi Meshulim Feish Lowy, zt”l (1821-1873), founding Tasher Rebbe.
The chassan is a great-grandson of Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Hager, Bnei Brak Vishnitzer Rebbe, as well as of Rabbi Elchanan Halpern, Radishmala Rebbe in London.
On Tuesday evening, February 28, the engagement was formally celebrated with tens of thousands of chassidim participating. The Belzer Rebbe performed the traditional breaking of a plate and the chassidim immediately began singing Mazel Tov. When the Rebbe wished all of the chassidim mazel tov in response, tears of joy flowed from his eyes.
Munkatcher/Udvarer Shidduch
On Sunday evening, February 26, at the Boro Park home of Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinovich, Munkatcher Rebbe, Chaim Elazar Horowitz was engaged to the daughter of Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Krausz, Udvarer Rav. The chassan is the son of Rabbi Yosef Horowitz, Munkatcher Rosh Yeshiva and son-in-law of the Munkatcher Rebbe. Rabbi Yosef is the son of Rabbi Alter Yechezkel Horowitz, zt”l (1930-1994), beloved Boro Park Vienner Dayan.
The Udvarer Rav is the son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Leifer, Verdaner Rebbe in Flatbush and author of Divrei Torah; son of Rabbi Aaron Moshe Leifer, zt”l Hy”d (d. 1944) Grossverdaner Rebbe and author of Vayakhel Moshe; son of Rabbi Yesochor Dov Bertcha Leifer, zt”l (1845-1906), Nadvorna Rebbe in Satmar and author of Lekutei Yesochor; son of Rabbi Mordechai Leifer, zt”l (1824-1894), Nadvorna Rebbe and author of Maamar Mordechai; son of Rabbi Yesochor Bertche Leifer, zt”l (d. 1848), founding Nadvorna Rebbe and author of Sisrei Torah.
L to R: Munkatcher rosh yeshiva, Munkatcher Rebbe, the chassan, Verdaner Rebbe, Udvarer Rav.
The Verdaner Rebbe is the son-in-law of Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Rosenbaum, zt”l (1908-2000), Zuchka Rebbe; son of Rabbi Isomor Rosenbaum, zt”l (1886-1973), Nadvorner Rebbe, and son-in-law of Rabbi Noson Dovid Hollander, zt”l (d. 1838), Amasna Rav. Rabbi Isomor, who became a rebbe at the age of 15 in the city of Chernowitz, was the son of Rabbi Meir Rosenbaum, zt”l (1852-1908), Kretchnifer Rebbe and the only son authorized by his father to write kamayos (amulets). Rabbi Meir was the son of Rabbi Mordechai, zt”l (1824-1895), Nadvorner Rebbe and author of Tiferes Mordechai; son of Rabbi Yesochor Bertche Leifer, zt”l (d. 1848), founding Nadvorna Rebbe and author of Mamar Mordechai.
The kallah’s father is the son of Rabbi Sholom Krausz, zt”l (1915-2010), Udvarer Rav and author of Divrei Sholom. The kallah’s father served as Udvarer dayan and as right-hand to his father. The Divrei Sholom was the son of Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Krausz, zt”l, Udvary Rav; son of Rabbi Sholom Krausz, zt”l, Legemihali Rav; son-in-law of Rabbi Yehoshua Boruch Reinitz, zt”l (1823-1912), Chetovitzer Rav and author of Michtav Harishon Vehasheni; son of Rabbi Noson Feitel Reinitz, zt”l (d. 1862), Mahder Rav and author of Divrei Ranaf; son of Rabbi Avrohom Reinitz zt”l, Wiskerchiner Rav. Rabbi Yehoshua Boruch was a son-in-law of Rabbi Asher Anshel Jungreis, zt”l (1806-1873), Chenger Rav and author of Menuchas Asher.
Rabbi Sholom married Rebbetzin Hentchie Miriam a”h, daughter of Rabbi Yisroel Avrohom Alter Landau, zt”l, Edeliener Rav and author of Beis Yisroel, who was married to Rebbetzin Rochel, a”h Hy”d (d. 1944), daughter of Rabbi Yeshayele Steiner, zt”l, Keresturer Rebbe. After the passing of his father in 1935, the young Rabbi Sholom was appointed as successor. This appointment was assisted by the personal intervention of Rabbi Sholom Eliezer Halberstam, zt”l Hy”d (1862-1944), Ratzferter Rebbe and son of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, zt”l (1797-1876), Sanzer Rav and author of Divrei Caim.
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Until we are all reunited with Moshiach in Israel-may it happen before I finish this comment!!!- there is nothing better then reading about simchas in our community.
Thank you Rabbi Tannenbaum!!