Rav Chaim Leib was born in 5647/1887 and grew up in Yerushalayim. At the age of eighteen he received semicha from Rav Chaim Berlin of Yerushalayim. In 5667/1907 he married the daughter of Rav Shlomo Zalman Porush, one of the foremost askonim of Yerushalayim.
Rav Chaim Leib’s thirst for Torah was unquenchable. Even during his sheva berachos he learned all night with his brother-in-law Rav Akiva Porush. He became a devoted talmid of Rav Shimon Lider-Horowitz, learning Toras HaNistar from him.
One night, he dreamed that the Arizal came to him and complained that few Yidden learned his Torah, which has the power to redeem the Shechina from Golus. As soon as he awoke he went straight to his Rebbe, Rav Shimon, who, it turned out, had that same dream. So Rebbe and talmid immediately set out to open a Yeshiva for Toras Ho’Ari, which they called Sha’ar HaShomayim.
Rav Chaim Leib stood at the helm of the Yeshiva his entire life.
During World War I, when the military draft menaced young Jewish men, Rav Chaim Leib acted with mesirus nefesh to save Yidden from serving in the Turkish army. He somehow obtained the title of ambassador for the Ethiopian embassy, and issued Ethiopian citizenship for many Jews.
This was a great crime and easily detected, because Ethiopians are dark-skinned, and he issued the documents to lighter-skinned Yerushalmi Jews. Officially sentenced to death as a traitor, he hid from the authorities for months after the war.
Rav Chaim Leib was among the founders of the Chassidic Bais Medrash in Shaarei Chessed, and served as its Rav.
He raised money for his Yeshiva with tremendous mesirus nefesh. At times he gave away every penny he had, and was left with nothing for his family.
The berocha he received from Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld is well known. Rav Yosef Chaim told him, “In the merit of all you do, you will merit children who will light up Klal Yisrael with their Torah and yira.”
Indeed, his son was none other than Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, and his sons-in-law were Rav Sholom Schwadron and Rav Simcha Bunim Leizerzohn (niftar in his prime), zichronom shel Tzaddikim livrocha.
Rav Chaim Leib suffered two heart attacks. After the second one, he suffered for some time, and was niftar at the age of sixty-eight on the 28th of Elul 5614/1954.
Zechuso yogen oleinu.
