TALMID OF THE ALTER OF NOVARDOK
In the city Kharkov in Russia lived a Tzaddik known as “R' Pesach the Dayan” Sokolowski Zatzal, known for his great Hasmada and Mesirus Nefesh in learning. He was also legendary in Chesed. The story is told that once he had a coat custom tailored for him. Soon after, he arrived at home without his new coat. His family assumed that he probably forgot it somewhere, and he would soon go back to retrieve it. But when time passed and he was still going around without his coat, they found out that he gave it away to a poor person who did not have anything to wear. In this house of Torah and Chesed was born a son, whose name was Moshe Yitzchok.
When it came time for Moshe Yitzchok to be sent away to Yeshiva, his father sent him to learn in Radin by the Chofetz Chaim. He was escorted on the way by R' Yisroel Yaakov Lubchansky Zatzal (who became the son-in-law of the Alter of Novardok). However, while traveling, they met some Bachurim from Novardok, who struck up a conversation with him. They immediately realized his potential. He was equally impressed with them and their Novardoker Shita which taught them to stand fearlessly against the Yetzer Hara and its tricks, and agreed to go with them. He arrived in Novardok, and became a Talmid of the Alter.
He learned there with great Hasmada and success, and received Semicha from the Rov of Novardok, the famous R' Yechiel Michel Epstein Zatzal, author of the classic Sefer, Aruch HaShulchan. But he could not escape the Russian draft, and in the year 5662 [1902) he was forced into the Russian army, at the age of eighteen. While departing from his beloved Rebbe, the Alter Zatzal told him: I don’t know where life will bring you. But must give me your word that wherever you end up, you build a Yeshiva. And indeed, as soon as he came to London, he built a Yeshiva. Imagine, in such a dire situation to think of building a Yeshiva! Novardokers were L'maala Min HaTevah, and their lives were total Ruchani.
R' Moshe Yitzchok wasn’t much of a soldier, since he was busy davening alone as much as he could. The army didn’t trust this half-hearted soldier, and wherever he went, they had a soldier to escort him. Sure enough, one day when the soldier wasn’t looking, he made his get-away. He ran for his life, since he was in grave danger. But as soon as he came to safety, he built a Yeshiva.
When R' Shlomo Wolbe Zatzal was Maspid R' Chaim Shmuelevitz Zatzal, a great part of the Hesped was about the Alter of Novardok.
