Rav Meshulam Shraga Feivish Halpern Sfas Emes (Elul 19, 5638 / 1878 - 146th Yahrzeit)
Son of Rav Naphtali Hirtz Halperin of Brezhan. Raf Meshulam Shraga Feivish was the son-in-law of Rav Asher Yeshaya of Ropshitz. His second wife was the daughter of Rav Aharon, the son of Aryeh Leib of Vizhnitz.
He travelled to many tzaddikim, especially, to Rav Aryeh Leib of Vishnitz, Rav Avohom Dovid of Buczacz, Rav Shimon of Yaruslov, and others mentioned in his sefer, Sefas Emes.
In תר"ה with his father’s passing, the chassidim asked him to take up the position as rav of Brezhan. While family successions such as this were the norm in Brezhan for several generations, some in the community opposed this decision. Instead, he accepted the appointment as rebbe alone as inherited from his father and father-in-law. He felt it sufficed and made due without the title and position as rav or Av Beis Din.
He was particularly known for his modesty. People from all walks and stations of society were drawn to him, and he accepted them with warmth and love.
His Torah is collected under the title of his sefer, Sefas Emes (not to be confused with the Gerrer Rebbe’s sefer by the same name). The title page says it includes chiddishim in the manner of ten interpretations of connecting the end and beginning of Chumash—parshas Zos Habracha to the parshas Bereishis, 26 ways to interpret the enlarged letter, “beis” of Bereishis, 32 ways to interpret the first word of the Torah: “Bereishis” and the same for all the five Chumashim. The sefer earned the haskamos of Rav Orenstein, Rav Shimon Sofer, the Sadigura, Tolna and Olesker, Vizhnitz and Sigheter Rebbes.
His sons were: Rav Chananya Yosef; Rav Asher Yeshayau; and Rav Avrohom Zerach Aryeh Yehuda Leibush Halperin, who succeeded him as Brezhaner Rebbe. His son-in-law was Rav Yaakov Yakovka Halperin, author of Birkas Tov.
In a second marriage, he had: Rav Moshe, the son-in-law of Rav Yitzchok Tzvi of Vilipoli and three daughters.
He passed away on the 19th of Elul, 1874 (תרל"ד).
