Rav Dov Berish Flam (Elul 21, 5610 / 1850 - 174th Yahrzeit)
Rav Dov Ber was the son of Rav Shlomo Lutzker, author of Dibras Shlomo. He was the son-in-law of Rav Tzvi, the son of Rav Meir of Premishlan. In his youth, Rav Dov Ber was a disciple of Rav Mordechai of Neshchiz who was very fond of him. Afterwards, he accepted the authority of Rav Uri of Strelisk.
No Advanced Preparation
Originally, Rav Berish of Olesk was a follower of Rav Mordechai of Neshchiz. Together with his colleague Rav Uri Strelisker, he travelled to the tzaddik in Neshchiz. Rav Berish was the closer of the two to the Neshchizer Rebbe. With time, however, Rav Uri grew to be a famed rebbe in his own right and became known as the Seraph of Strelisk. With this new development, Rav Berish declared his allegiance to his former colleague and made him his rebbe.
When Rav Uri Strelisker spent Shabbos in nearby towns, Rav Berish travelled there as well to be near his rebbe. One Shabbos, as the two sat together at the tisch, Rav Uri, the Seraph, turned to Rav Berish and honored him, saying, “Olesker Rebbe! Please honor us with some divrei Torah - even without advance preparation!”
Rav Berish replied: “It says Devarim 3:23, ‘And I beseeched Hashem at that time, saying...’ In order to be able to ‘say at that time’ i.e., ‘without any advance preparation,’ we are required to beseech Hashem to be able to do so!” The Seraph greatly enjoyed this vort. (Sippurei Chassidim Torah 402)
From the year תקע"ג, Rav Berish succeeded his father as rebbe and held court in his hometown of Olesk.
He was considered a gadol b’Torah even though he was blind for many years. The chassidim tell how when Rav Berish came to visit the Chozeh, the Chozeh honored him greatly.
When Rav Berish passed away, Rav Shlomo Kluger eulogized him in Brodie and printed it in his sefer, Ayin Dima.
The matzeiva of Rav Berish of Olesk is inscribed with the following: “Harav hatzaddik hakadosh v’hatahor, ish Elokim, botzina kadisha, chasida u’perisha, mofes hador, sar haTorah, ish asher ruach Elokim dover bo, aspaklariya hameirah, ner Yisroel, amud hayemini, patish hachazak, shalsheles hayochsin.”
He passed away on the 21st of Elul, 1850 (תר"י).
