It was in the month of Elul in the year 5593 when Rav Avrohom Dov’s feet stepped for the first time on the holy soil of Eretz Yisrael. Immediately upon hearing of his arrival, several congregations began to vie for the honor of being his new place of residence. Several proposals came up and at first it seemed that the Avritsher Rav might settle in the holy city of Yerushalayim. Other options included Haifa because Rav Avrohom Dov greatly admired this port city, which boasted the location of the cave of Eliyohu HaNovi where the Bas Ayin enjoyed davening and spending time in seclusion with his Maker.
In the interim, before any decision had been made final, an honorable delegation arrived from Tzefas asking the Avritsher Rav to join them. “Please come back together with us and make Tzefas your new home and uplift the standards of the Chassidic community,” they requested.
At the time of the delegation’s visit, the Bas Ayin had not yet made a final decision to accept their gracious offer, but nonetheless, he decided to join them at least until after the Yomim Noro’im – the High Holidays of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur – because the journey to Yerushalayim in those days was so long and hard. Afterward, he reasoned, he could then make his way to Yerushalayim.
The citizens of Tzefas were thirsty for Torah and Chassidus, and their joy was endless at the news that the Bas Ayin would be settling in their midst, even if it was just for a short while.
At that time, the Bas Ayin established his set place for tefilla as the shul of the Arizal, located in the middle of Tzefas. It is told how on Rosh HaShana before the blowing of the shofar, a vast multitude of men, women and children crowded around the entire building and also filled it to capacity, straining just to catch a glimpse of the holy Tzaddik. When the Bas Ayin entered, he walked straight up to the bima (the raised platform or stage from where the Torah is read) and a hush descended upon the waiting throngs. He opened his holy mouth and said simply: “Rabosai! Know that today is Rosh HaShana and we must all do teshuva!” No sooner had he spoken than the entire shul was rent with the sounds of brokenhearted weeping and the entire congregation was roused to such remorse that their tears and cries prevented the shliach tzibur (chazan) from proceeding with the tefilla.
When he accepted and donned the mantle of leadership, the Bas Ayin also took on the role of head of the Chassidic Kollel, Kollel Volhyn, the most important Chassidic institution at that time in all of Eretz Yisrael.
The government likewise granted him the powers of chief Rav, to rule and judge all matters of Jewish law among the Chassidim in the city and all of its provinces and environs.
To his credit, the Avritsher Rav did his best to unite the Chassidim and Misnagdim and draw their hearts closer to one another. The Sefardim also honored him greatly and saw him as a wonder worker. He brought peace to a city divided. He was on friendly terms with his counterpart and colleague among the Perushim, Rav Yisrael of Shklov, and together they ran the city, attending to its needs and affairs.
Quickly, all the residents among the different factions found favor with the Bas Ayin, and he grew well loved and respected by them all. They saw him as a beacon of hope, a stronghold of Torah, avoda and gemilus chassodim – a bastion of Torah, Divine service and acts of loving-kindness. All those who needed help now had an address to turn to.
Rav Avrohom Dov saw to the physical and spiritual needs of his flock, took part in their worries and pain, shared their distress and did his best to ease their suffering.
The Bas Ayin’s Final Self-Sacrifice
In the beginning of the year 5601, a terrible plague struck Tzefas and many people succumbed. The Avritsher Rav, too, became infected, and finally on the twelfth of Kislev his pure and holy soul ascended On High.
Before his petira, he made a promise to the Yidden of Tzefas. “I will be the final korban of this plague. After me there will be no further deaths in Tzefas.”
And so it was – with his petira, the deaths ceased. He was the final sacrifice.
He was laid to rest in the ancient Bais HaChaim of Tzefas, in a burial cave beside other Tzaddikim such as Rav Arye Leib of Valitchisk, and Rav Dovid Shlomo Eibshitz, mechaber of Arvei Nachal on the Torah and Levushei Serod on Shulchon Aruch.
