Born in 5534/1774, Rav Moshe Dovid Ashkenazi was a descendant of the Chochom Tzvi, the Maginei Shlomo, the Taz and many other Gedolei Yisrael. His father, Rav Osher Anshel, was Rav in Razdil, but later moved to Lvov (Lemberg) where he succeeded his own father, Rav Moshe, as Rav. Rav Osher Anshel was one of the leading Rabbonim of the Va’ad Arba Aratzos.
In 5573/1813, at the age of twenty-nine, Rav Moshe Dovid was appointed Rav of Toltshova, Hungary, a position he held for forty years. During his tenure as Rav, he decreed many takanos for the benefit of the community. He also taught bochurim. He was loved by the entire community.
A gaon and Talmid Chochom, Rav Osher Anshel was respected by the generation’s Tzaddikim and Rebbes.
In 5603/1843, at the age of seventy, Rav Moshe Dovid decided to fulfill his life’s dream of settling in Eretz Yisrael. In advance of his trip, he sought the berachos of the Toras Chaim of Kossov, Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin and Rav Meir of Premishlan. When Rav Moshe Dovid came to Rav Meir Premishlaner, Rav Meir asked him to stay for Shabbos. Although he had planned to leave on Tuesday of that week, he acquiesced to the wish of Rav Meir and remained with him over Shabbos. Setting out for the port to board the next ship, he heard the news that the ship he had planned to travel on sank.
Rav Moshe Dovid stayed first in Yerushalayim. Later on he moved to Tzefas, where he was appointed Rav of the Ashkenazi Kehilla. Active to the end, Rav Moshe Dovid served as sandak at a bris on the day of his passing. He was niftar on the 18th of Tammuz 5615/1855, at the age of eighty-two, and was buried in the old cemetery of Tzefas.
Rav Moshe Dovid wrote Be’er Sheva on the Torah and Toldos Menachem on Shas. His sons were Rav Shlomo, Rav of Bakshvitz; Rav Mordechai, Rav of Pistick; Rav Yoel, Rav of Zlotchov, and Rav Avrohom, who was niftar young. His sons-in-law were Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, the Yetev Lev, and Rav Yosef Yoel Deutsch. Zecher tzaddik livrachah.
