The Novardoker who we are about to discuss, came to R' Pinchos Menachem Malach Zatzal in a dream, and told him not to be Maspid him. This is why he will remain anonymous. There is no question that he was a Baal Ruach HaKodesh like so many of his peers, but on him, R' Yisroel Meyer Zatzal (who was from the greatest) testified that he had definite proofs that he had Gilui Eliyahu. R' Yaakov Galinsky Zatzal said that the inmates in Siberia were given starvation rations, and if you ate your bread tonight, you may have nothing left for tomorrow and starve to death, Chas V’shalom.
But the hunger was so strong that people couldn’t control themselves. They ate their bread, and nebach had to pay the price. So in order to save their bread for tomorrow, they all gave their tiny pieces of bread to this Novardoker. He was the only person whom they could trust that he wouldn’t eat it, unlike everyone else who could easily fall into a frenzied state and lose their mind and eat, Chas V’shalom.
I remember him being extremely calm and relaxed (like all Novardokers – but he was more). He carried himself with a certain solid self-confidence. He had zero tension or worry, and he was very put together and neat; always B'simcha. Very consistent, and a solid, strong (but nice and sweet) person. Some Yungerleit would have a talk with him, but he never said anything especially interesting or Geshmak. He was obviously not out to impress. He was very “secure”.
His son, who was very popular and a true Adam Gadol, told me that he found in his father’s: כְּ תָּ בִּ ים notes beautiful (טְּ שִּ קַ אוֶוע) Divrei Torah; but to the public he would only say simple, plain Divrei Torah. Someone once told me that if you tried to “milk” him for some special Yesodos in Avodas Hashem, he would make you lose your appetite!
In Siberia they gave you two glasses of boiling water to drink daily, or else you could freeze to death, Chas V’shalom. He would use one hot glass to pour over his left arm, so he could easily put on his Tefilin. When he first came to Siberia, they checked everybody to make sure they had no Tefilin. He hid his Tefilin by wrapping them around his body under his shirt. His was the only pair available while the frum Yidden were in Siberia.
He was a major Talmid Chochom, and very involved in learning. He was a “lion”, and when he argued in learning, he “let you have it”. He always learned very Laibedik, with Geshmak and: בְּקוֹל רָּם out loud. A short while before R' Chaim Mordechai Wainkrantz Zatzal was Niftar, he had a dream. He saw this person in Olam HaEmes, sitting with an open Gemara Brachos, and motioning to him with his two hands: “Nu? When are you coming here already? I’m waiting for you!”
To be continued....
