Rav Menachem Mendel Gad Glick was born in 5579 תקעט. His father was Rav Gedalyahu of Bakani (author of Chayei Olam), and his paternal grandfather was Rav Chanoch Henich Gad Glick of Prague. His sons were Rav Avrohom Meir, Rav Henich (the son-in-law of Rav Avrohom Gottleib of Vishiva), and Rav Moshe Yitzchok, who died young. Some of Rav Menachem Mendel’s Torah is printed in his father’s sefer.
Rav Menachem Mendel was a renowned gaon and tzaddik who served Hashem in sanctity and purity. He fasted frequently, never slept more than four hours a night, and was known to daven for extended periods in rapture and deveikus. Each night, he awakened at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzos, and afterwards would study Kabbalah and the secrets of Torah. He performed the mitzvos with joy and simcha, trembling with a holy fire. Even in his later years, he sacrificed his health and served Hashem with mesirus nefesh. He learned under his father until the age of 16, when he was sent to study in Yeshivas Pressburg under the Chasam Sofer. Later, he studied under Rav Meir Eisenstadt of Ungvar, author of the Maharam Asch. He married Esther, the daughter of the naggid and communal leader Rav Moshe Leib Eideles of Vecka. He was given a letter of ordination from his rebbe, the Maharam Asch, on Sunday, 19 Adar Sheni,,תקצד/5594 after which he reluctantly parted from him.
After his marriage, Rav Menachem Mendel settled by his father’s side and studied Torah day and night. His peaceful days of learning did not last very long, however, as his young wife passed away before the end of their first year of marriage. His second wife, Frumit Rochel, was the daughter of the naggid Rav Abba Guttman of Vecka. With her support, he grew steadily in Torah and Yiddishkeit and began to travel to meet the tzaddikim of his generation.
Rav Menachem Mendel related that, on one visit to Rav Meir Premishlaner, when he handed the tzaddik a kvittel (note requesting the Rebbe’s blessings and prayers) and a pidyon (customary monetary gift), Rav Meir told him three things: “First, tell your father to push the sukkah four amos distance away from the wall. Second, you seem to be a G-d-fearing Torah Jew – so how can it be that you live all together in one room? It is improper and immodest to live in such close quarters!” Third and last was a message that Rav Menachem Mendel kept secret all his life. All he would say, many years later, was that he wished he had listened to this third piece of advice, and he regretted all his life that he had not heeded the tzaddik’s words.
Once, when visiting Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Ziditchov, he mentioned that certain wicked people sought to ruin his father’s livelihood, and that this threatened his own parnassa, as well, since he relied on his father’s income. “Tell your father not to worry,” Rav Yitzchok Isaac replied. “He shall have sufficient parnassa all the days of his life.” The Rebbe then turned to Rav Menachem Mendel and said, “You can go back home and accept upon yourself the yoke of the rabbinate.”
When Rav Menachem Mendel returned to his father’s house, his father came out to greet him with the good news that he had been appointed Av Beis Din of Kemetshe. When Rav Menachem Mendel related the Ziditchover Rebbe’s words to his father, they were astounded at the Rebbe’s ruach hakodesh and miraculous knowledge. (Gedulas Mordechai)
While serving as the Rav in Kemetshe, Rav Menachem Mendel sometimes travelled to visit Rav Tzvi Hirsch Freidlander of Liska (author of Ach Pri Tevuah), Rav Meshulem Fayish Loewe Segal (founder of the Tosch dynasty), and Rav Chanina Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum of Sighet (author of Kedushas Yom Tov). He found favor in the eyes of these gedolim, and they honored him for his righteousness and his greatness in Torah.
Rav Menachem Mendel’s position of Av Beis Din of Kemetshe included the nearby towns of Hollis, Ibran, Pasov, Bertzel, Bogadni, Keck and Demetsher. They all contributed to his weekly salary of two gulden, which in those days was considered a fine sum. In addition to this income, he also received a salary as the official head registrar of births, and was given money as well from the sum collected by fathers of chassanim for the rabbonim, chazzanim and shamashim.
With all these sources of income, he was able to make a very decent living indeed. His primary job was to take care of communal affairs, and with his careful attention and loving care, the community grew and flourished. He judged wisely and ruled with strength and endurance. In Kemetshe, he was blessed with sons and daughters, and eventually his financial situation was no longer sufficient for his large family.
On 4 Elul 5665/תרסה, before he passed away, he asked that they bring him a copy of the sefer Kav HaYashar. He turned to where he had previously marked the page to a tefillah to be recited at the end of one’s life, and asked his son-in-law Rav Mordechai Lenerovitsh (author of Parshas Mordechai), to whom he passed on his rabbinic post in his final two years, to read it to him. Rav Menachem Mendel tearfully recited the tefillah after him, word for word. Afterwards, he blessed all of his children, and asked them to light candles and open the windows. He straightened his limbs and his posture, closed his eyes, and recited Shema, and his holy soul departed with the final declaration echad. He was 86 years old.
A large gathering of congregants, rabbonim and Rebbes attended the funeral procession and escorted him to his final rest. Rav Naftali Schreiber of Kleinverdayan (author of Mateh Naftali) gave one of the hespedim, in which he testified in the name of Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Weinberger (Av Beis Din of Kleinverdayan and author of Pnei Yitzchok), that 30 years ago they had described him as a perfect olah temima! (Gedulas Mordechai).
