Reb Avraham Dovid Poizner was one of the first talmidim in Tomchei Temimim, later becoming a mashpia there until תרע”ח (1918). Even as a young bochur, Reb Avraham would be present when the chozrim would go to the Rebbe Rashab to chazer the maamar the Rebbe had said on Friday night, and there are many hanachos of maamorim from him. He was totally divested from worldly matters and when he davened; he did not see or feel anything going on around him. He passed away after much suffering in תרפ”א (1921).
In the year 5660 (1900), the Rebbe Rashab wrote Kuntres Hatefila for the bochurim of Tomchei Temimim. The message they received was that davening ba’avoda was something that belonged to them, and not only to outstanding chassidim.
During that time, Rashbatz, the senior mashpia in the yeshiva, asked the Rebbe Rashab, “For whom did you write the first chapter which discusses such sublime levels of pleasure in Elokus and klos hanefesh?”
The Rebbe replied simply, “For Avraham Dovid.” (חסידים הראשונים ח"ב ע' 123)
Avraham Dovid was shown exceptional favor by the Rebbe Rashab, and he was allowed to enter the Rebbe’s room whenever he had a question in a maamar or in avodas Hashem.
On one occasion, he asked the Rebbe, “What is Atzilus?” Avraham Dovid proceeded to offer various explanations of his own, but then knocked down each one. Finally, he described a level about which he said he has no understanding.
“That,” said the Rebbe, “is Atzilus!” (חסידים הראשונים ח"ב ע' 125)
Reb Avraham Dovid was once sent by the Rebbe Rashab to serve as a shochet in a certain town, but after a short while he left the town.
Around that time, a resident there visited the Rebbe and the Rebbe asked how Reb Avraham Dovid was doing. The man replied that he had left, and added mockingly, “He’s too afraid of the animal.” The Rebbe became very serious and retorted, “Whether he’s afraid of the animal I don’t know, but he’s definitely afraid of Hashem.” (זכרון לבני ישראל ע' סב)
