This Friday (25 Iyar) is the Yahrtzeit of R’ Dovid Bleicher Zatzal, who was a Talmid of the Alter of Novardok, and Rosh Yeshiva of Bais Yosef in Poland before the Second World War.
R’ Dovid Bleicher had a heart of gold. When he came to Novardok, he became the #1 of the Alter, and he picked up the Novardok Shita very quickly. Whenever his parents sent him money, he always gave it away to the needy Bachurim of his Yeshiva. I’ve heard many, many stories of Novardokers doing such things; i.e., to be Mafkir your personal world for the Rabim.
R’ Dovid Bleicher Zatzal was the Rosh Yeshiva of one of the main Novardok branches, in Mezritch. He was a person who wouldn’t Chanfa flatter anybody. The “Rosh HaKahal” in Mezritch was a wealthy person, and powerful person. He was part of the government, and was “in” with the most important people of the country. He was active in helping the community with Chesed organizations. He was very tough, and people were terrified of him. Everybody bowed his head in his presence.
He wasn’t known for Ahavas Torah, and he was openly against the Yeshiva. R’ Dovid Bleicher once needed a permit, which was available only through getting this person’s signature. Without having another choice, he went to him with his brother-in-law, R’ Shmuel Panitz Zatzal. The “Rosh HaKahal” ridiculed them, and made fun of all the Yeshivos in general, and especially Yeshivas Mezritch.
Needless to say, he refused their request. R’ Dovid immediately gave him a tongue lashing for his chutzpa, and his hatred for Torah and Yeshiva’leit. Then he turned to his brother-in-law and said: “Come, let’s get out of here. We have no Eisek (business) with this person”. Those who were present were horrified. They never saw anyone talk like this to this person. The whole world melted in his presence.
This made a big impression on the “Rosh HaKahal”. The next time there was a community meeting concerning the Yeshiva, he got up, and said: Although I am is against the Yeshiva, I still can’t refuse the Rosh Yeshiva who is an Adam Gadol.
Most of his students had been part of the great exodus of all the Novardokers who escaped from Russia to Poland. When the communists took over Russia, they banned learning Torah. (The Steipler, R’ Gershon, R’ Nekritz, etc. were all formerly in Russia, and they all crossed the border with tremendous Nissim). Later, they had trouble from the Polish government, since they were missing citizenship papers.
