13 Tevet · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Moshe Biderman of Lelov
Rabbi Moshe ben Dovid of Lelov (1850) was the first Chassidic Rebbe to settle in Yerushalayim (having first settled in Tzfat).
Yahrzeit - 13 Teves
Resting place - Har HaZeitim, Jerusalem
He was descended from the House of King David.
Rabbi Moshe Biderman was born in the Polish town of Lelov in the year 5535 to the holy Rabbi Dovid Biderman. His father was the founder of the illustrious Lelov dynasty and one of the greatest disciples of the Chozeh of Lublin. From his youth, Rabbi Moshe absorbed Torah and Chassidut from his holy father, as well as from his father's Rav, the Chozeh of Lublin, who spoke of him with great affection.
After marrying the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak of Peshischa, the Yid HaKadosh (the holy Jew), Rabbi Moshe did not wish to hold any official position. Instead, he remained in the shadow of other tzadikim.
When Rav Mordechai of Chernobyl learned of him, Rav Moshe did not wish to remain in Chernobyl any longer. He moved to Peshischa and remained there in the shadow of his father-in-law. During this time he grew in Torah and Chassidut, living in holiness and purity.
Like his father, Rav Moshe was known for his great love for fellow Jews. He was a hidden tzadik, a man who did not wish to become a Rebbe officially. Instead, he went to learn Torah and Chassidut from the tzadikim of his generation.
He longed deeply for Eretz Yisrael, and in 5610 Rabbi Moshe set out for the Holy Land and settled in Yerushalayim.
He left the Diaspora in the care of the Radomsker Rebbe - the "Tiferet Shlomo."
The Ruzhiner Rebbe told him that, although many great tzadikim had moved to Eretz Yisrael before him, their dynasties had not survived, but the Lelov dynasty would endure until the coming of Moshiach. Rabbi Moshe said that if he could reach the Kotel HaMaaravi, Moshiach would come.
Unfortunately, Rabbi Moshe lived in Yerushalayim for only a short time, for just a year later, on 13 Teves 5611, he was called up to Heaven. Rabbi Moshe Biderman is buried on Har HaZeitim.
The Golden Ring
Before his son's engagement, Rabbi Moshe of Lelov's father - Rabbi Dovid of Lelov - met with the future mechutan, the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa, to discuss the terms of the marriage. They agreed on everything except one detail: Rebbe Dovid wanted to give the bride a silver ring, while the Yid HaKadosh insisted the ring be gold. They never reached agreement on this point, but since they had agreed on all the other terms, the shidduch was concluded.
At the chuppah, the Yid HaKadosh saw that the groom was holding a silver ring, and announced: "Without a gold ring, there will be no wedding."
An uproar arose. The guests stood waiting to see how things would work out. One simple Jew realized he had the opportunity to perform a great mitzvah. He asked his wife whether she would agree to part with her gold ring. She agreed. They sold the ring
to the groom, and the wedding took place. The couple who sold the gold ring had been childless for many years. That very year, a son was born to them. Chassidim say that Rebbe Dovid of Lelov and the Yid HaKadosh deliberately argued over the ring in order to give this couple the opportunity to perform a great
mitzvah and merit redemption.
Toward the end of his life, Rebbe Moshe decided to go to Eretz Yisrael, because he foresaw through ruach hakodesh that if he prayed at the Kotel, he could bring Moshiach.
Before setting out on his journey, he went to visit the tzadikim to say farewell. When he came to Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, of blessed memory, the Ruzhiner told him: "Wait for me, and I will go with you."
Rebbe Moshe of Lelov pointed to his gray beard, hinting that he was growing old and could wait no longer.
Rebbe Moshe planned to travel to Eretz Yisrael with a minyan of his Chassidim. He collected money for the trip. However, as soon as he collected a sufficient sum, he would immediately give it away to some important charitable cause, and would have to start collecting all over again.
One wealthy childless woman came to Rebbe Moshe of Lelov and asked for a blessing for children. Rebbe Moshe
told her that she would have a child if she donated a sum toward his journey. She was ready to give the money at once, but Reb Moshe told her she must first ask her husband's permission. Her husband was a Chassid of the Gitte Yid of Neustadt. He asked the Gitte Yid whether he should give the money. His Rebbe answered: "If Rebbe Moshe guarantees that you will have a child, you can rely on that. However, before giving the money, ask Rebbe Moshe to guarantee that the child will live a long life. Very often a child born through a miracle does not live long."
When the parents put this condition to Rebbe Moshe, he answered: "As many days as I live in Eretz Yisrael, so many years will he live."
Rebbe Moshe of Lelov lived in Eretz Yisrael for 74 days, and that child lived 74 years.
While Rebbe Moshe was on the ship, he kept repeating "a day for a year." It can be explained that he was saying he would live in Eretz Yisrael 74 days, since he was 74 years old. During the voyage, the ship sprang a leak and began filling with water. Rebbe Moshe placed a piece of cloth over the breach, and miraculously the water stopped coming in. (This piece of cloth is still used as a bridal veil by the descendants of Rebbe Moshe.) During the journey the ship stopped at an uninhabited island. Everyone disembarked, including Rebbe Moshe and his gabbai. After a while, the sailors blew a whistle, signaling that it was time to return. Everyone came back except the Rebbe's gabbai. The ship set sail, and the gabbai was left behind!
The following Shabbat, before Kiddush, Rebbe Moshe announced: "I will not begin Kiddush until the gabbai comes."
At once a crash was heard, and the gabbai walked into the room. He recounted: "I was kidnapped by the other side (demons). I overheard their conversation. They said, 'The old tzadik says he will not begin Kiddush until the gabbai returns, but he can't do anything about it. The gabbai is with
us.' But their leader answered, 'This is no joke. If the old tzadik said he will not make Kiddush until the gabbai returns, we must obey,' and they sent me back."
The ship docked at the northern part of Eretz Yisrael, and Rebbe Moshe of Lelov visited the holy tzadikim in Tzfat and Tiberias. He also traveled to Meron and to the graves of other tzadikim. He explained that once he reached Yerushalayim, he would never leave it again.
When he arrived in the Old City of Yerushalayim, he fell ill. His children did not know whether they should take him to the Kotel in such a condition. In the end, they decided to take him, since this had been the main purpose of the journey - to pray at the Kotel and bring Moshiach.
On the way to the Kotel, they were attacked by an Arab gang and pelted with stones.
Going to the Kotel proved too dangerous. Soon after, Rebbe Moshe ascended to the Heavenly Yeshiva. Sadly, he never made it
to the Kotel...
The Ruzhiner Rebbe once said that if the Jews of Poland had been wise, they would not have allowed Rebbe Moshe to leave them. He found a hint of this in the Mishnah of Shabbat: "ein Polin le'or ner" - (the Jews of Poland are not wise enough). He meant that they had one bright candle, but they allowed it to leave.
A Segula for the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Moshe of Lelov
Rebbe Moshe said that his yahrzeit would be a segula for rain, and that there was no need to declare a fast for rain until
his yahrzeit had passed.
Reb Shmuel Salant, of blessed memory, the Rav of Yerushalayim, followed this advice. He never declared a fast for
rain until the 13th of Teves had passed.
Rebbe Moshe also said that anyone who does something in honor of his yahrzeit (in particular, a lechaim in the Beit
Midrash, a seudah...) will merit salvation in all that they need.
May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
(https://hevratpinto.org/tzadikim_eng/181_Rabbi_Moshe_Biderman%20_The_Lelover_Rebbe.html)
Pilgrimage site:
Grave: Moshe Biderman of Lelov