Son of Rav Chaim (Asher Lipschitz - Tzitzis Macher) Author of Aryeh Dvei Illay and Ari She’bachabura. Rav Aryeh Leibush was born in the year תקכ"ז in Yarosluv, Galicia to Rav Chaim--Tzitzis Macher who was known by the gedolim as a tzaddik nistar.
A scion of the Lipshchitz family, whose ancestors included such tzaddikim and gedolim as: Rav Mordechai Yafeh, author of the Levush, the Maharshal, the “Megale Amukos”, and a lineage that traces itself back to Rashi. Rav Areyh Leibush was himself known as a genius and a gadol b’Torah. Already at a young age, he knew the Bavli and Yerushalmi so well by heart that he was nicknamed, “Reb Leibush Charif” (The Sharp One). He studied by great rebbes such as the “Ketzos HaChoshen” – Rav Aryeh Leib HaKohen and the “Pnei Yitzchok” – Rav Yitzchok Charif of Samvur.
Rav Aryeh Leibush became the son-in-law of the Yismach Moshe of Uhjel. His first marriage to the daughter of a man of means from Premisla didn’t work out for unknown reasons, and he was soon an eligible bachelor once again. The Yismach Moshe was so taken with him that he offered him such a hefty sum for a dowry. He could not even afford such an amount at the time, but it was promised nevertheless so that his prospective son-in-law should comfortably sit and study Torah with no worry of privation. However, the Yismach Moshe’s Rebbetzin Chaya Sarah, was not so quick to agree to the match.
At first, she balked at the suggestion of a divorcee as their new son-in-law, “Why would you choose this young man for our daughter after another family cast him out?”
The Yismach Moshe answered her with the following mashal: “There was once a fool wandering in the forest who came upon a pot full of round objects. In his ignorance, he took them to be peas. ‘Great,’ he thought, ‘I have found something to sate my hunger and eat for supper!’ He drew some water from the well, filled the pot, and placed it on the fire in the stove. After the water had boiled and his “peas” had been cooking for a long time, the poor fool tried to eat them. “These are the worst peas!” he declared in pain, as he bit into the rock-hard balls. “You cook them and cook them and they never get soft!” The fool, in his anger, tossed the entire pot full of “peas” onto a pile of rubbish outside. One day, a wise merchant happened to pass by and a gleam caught his eye. There, strewn in the gutter, was a lustrous round object. When he came close to investigate, he discovered the discarded pot full of valuable pearls and rushed to claim his prize. He became a wealthy man indeed after finding this pot whose contents were in fact full of not peas, but pearls!’
“So fortunate are we, my dear wife,” concluded the Yismach Moshe, “we have found a pearl that others cast off in their ignorance, not knowing how to correctly appraise the true value of the gem!”
When his money ran out, and the Yismach Moshe could not pay out the promised dowry, he asked his Rebbetzin to sell some of her jewelry. The Rebbetzin resisted the idea of selling one of her family heirlooms that she had inherited from her father’s household, but the Yismach Moshe reminded her of the Chazal that says a person should sell all his possessions to acquire a talmid chacham for his daughter to marry.”
As soon as the Rebbetzin heard that, she agreed immediately and sold her jewelry to pay the dowry off and enable Rav Aryeh Leibush to study Torah without financial worries.
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Rav Aryeh Leibush took his new father-in-law along with him to Lublin and it was there that the Yismach Moshe also became a follower of the Chozeh and the derech haChassidus, becoming a great Chassidic leader and head of the dynasties, Uhjel, Sighet and Satmar.
At first, Rav Aryeh Leibush sat and learned and lived off the profits of the dowry which he invested with a faithful merchant. However, disaster struck; a fire broke out in the warehouse and it consumed all his goods and merchandise. He was left penniless since his father in law could no longer support him. These circumstances forced him to take up a position in the rabbinate. His first post was in Kreshuv.
When he went under the chuppah with his second wife, Chana, the daughter of the Yismach Moshe, Rav Aryeh Leib testified that it was revealed to him from on high that she was his true destined match, and was supposed to have been his zivug rishon and not sheni.
At a young age, Rav Aryeh Leibush joined the ranks of chassidim, studying under such luminaries as the Chozeh of Lublin, the Kozhnitzer Maggid, Rav Mendel of Rimanov, Rav Naphtali Ropshitzer, and the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa.
When the Yismach Moshe left Shinova for Uhjel in תקצ"ח, Rav Aryeh Leibush took up his father-in-law’s former post until the year תכצ when he was appointed Rav in Vizhnitz. Eight years later he moved to Brigel. He authored the sefer, Shu”t Aryeh Dvei Illai Responsa, a sefer on mesechtas of Shas, as well as a sefer called, Ari Sheba Chabura on Kesubos. He passed away in the year תר"ו and is buried in Brigel.
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The Shinover Rav once commented that he did not have the custom to study the works of the Achronim. “I make exception with the Chasam Sofer” he commented, “and the sefer, Aryeh Dvei Illay because it purifies the heart and mind like the study of Gemara and Tosfos!” (Otzar Yisroel)
On Yomim Noraim it was the Aryeh Dvei Illay who would blow the Shofar as the Chozeh of Lublin directed the tekiyos as baal makri. (Otzar Yisroel)
