Rav Pinchas Menachem Elozor Yustman
The Piltzer Rebbe, a grandson of the Chiddushei HaRim of Ger who led a large chassidic following and wrote the Torah commentary Sifsei Tzaddik.
Biography
Early years
Rav Pinchas Menachem Yustman zy"a, the Piltzer Rebbe, was born in 1848 in Gora Kalwaria, the son of Rav Binyomin Eliezer Yustman and Tzina Pesa, a daughter of the Chiddushei HaRim, the first Gerrer Rebbe. In the family he was known as Reb Mendele of Ger. His mother died when he was young, and his grandparents, the Chiddushei HaRim and his wife, raised him.
When he was about nine, his grandfather took him to the Kotzker Rebbe, a visit that left a lifelong impression on him.
In 1864 he married Hendel Leah, the daughter of his uncle, Rav Avrohom Mordechai Alter, a son of the Chiddushei HaRim. She bore him six daughters and three sons. His second marriage was to Chaya Yuta Rottenberg, the daughter of his cousin Rav Nechemia Rottenberg and the Rebbetzin of Dzhevitza. They had no children.
Torah and leadership
Rav Pinchas Menachem began his Torah education with his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, who loved him dearly. After the Chiddushei HaRim passed away, he traveled with most of the chassidim to Rav Heinich of Alexander and stayed until Rav Heinich's petira in 5630. Later his brother-in-law, the Sefas Emes, began to lead a large following, and Rav Pinchas Menachem joined them and fully accepted his leadership.
He made a deep impression on all who saw him. When he once visited Rav Avrohom Landau of Tshechanov, Rav Avrohom came out to greet him. Back in his room he told his followers, "This yungerman has a true Tzelem Elokim, and he has never ruined it or blemished it even slightly."
When the Sefas Emes passed away in 1905, many chassidim came to Rav Pinchas Menachem. At first he refused them, explaining that he had received no Heavenly sign to accept the role, and he also feared false pride. A great Torah scholar, who remains unnamed, then came to him and warned that Heavenly displeasure at his refusal would be far worse than any false pride. Rav Pinchas Menachem agreed, hoping in his humility that someone would benefit from it all.
He settled in Piltz (Pilica) and served as its Rav. He was fond of the town because his cousin Rav Pinchas Eliyohu had also served in its rabbinate. People called that cousin Rav Pintshe, and Rav Pinchas Menachem was affectionately called Rav Mendele. On 23 Tammuz 5672 (1912), when he was gravely ill, the name Elozor was added to his name, and he recovered.
In 1915 he moved to Virshov (Wieruszow), and in 1919 to Czenstechov, where his chassidim numbered in the thousands. Even then he was still remembered as the Rebbe of Piltz. The reason for his leaving Piltz is not known.
Teachings and seforim
Rav Pinchas Menachem published the fifth printed edition of the Talmud Yerushalmi, at Piotrkow from 1899 to 1903, with the commentary of the Ridbaz, Rav Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky.
His commentary on the Torah, Sifsei Tzaddik, was printed after his passing by his son Rav Chanoch Gad Yustman and by Rav Menachem Mendel Alter of Pabianice, a son of the Sefas Emes. His commentaries on the Gemara and on Tehillim were lost during the Holocaust.
Later years and passing
Rav Pinchas Menachem passed away on Shabbos, 10 Kislev 5681 (1920), in Czenstechov.
In his tzavo'a (will) he instructed that no ohel be built over his kever. He also asked to be buried in Piltz, but the people of Czenstechov would not allow it, and his levaya was delayed for three days until the matter was settled. In the end he was laid to rest in the Jewish cemetery of Czenstechov, next to his son Rav Yitzchok Meir, who had passed away in his father's lifetime.
His youngest son, Rav Chanoch Gad Yustman, HY"D, succeeded him as Rav of Piltz and later served in Wieluń. He was killed in Treblinka in 1942. The Rebbe's other sons did not serve as Rebbes.
Legacy
The sixth Rebbe of Ger was named Pinchas Menachem by his father, Rav Avrohom Mordechai Alter, after his beloved uncle, the Piltzer Rebbe.
The Piltzer Rebbe's daughters married into well-known families. Esther married Rav Abba Bumtz, Chaya married Rav Yitzchok Meir Marantz, and Berocha married Rav Yitzchok Meir Eibschitz. Feiga married Rav Chanoch Heinich Rottblat of Lodz, Freida Reitza married Rav Meir Yoskovitz, and Rochel married Rav Yechezkel Biderman.
Stories
The Rebbe's Foresight
It is told, in an eyewitness account by Yitzchok Lachman, that the Rebbe's departure from Virshov, like his earlier moves, came without explanation. In November 1918 the First World War officially ended, but fighting between Germans and Poles along the border only grew worse. This was especially so in Posen, near Virshov, where the Germans held back from returning territory to the Poles and gunfire was still common.
On the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach 5679, the Rav of Piltz told his close chassidim that right after Pesach he wished to move to Czenstechov. He asked them to send someone ahead to prepare a place for him to live. It was a surprising request, but when the Rebbe asks, chassidim do not ask questions.
Several chassidim left at once to arrange lodgings, and on the day after Pesach the Rebbe's belongings were packed. Two days later he left Virshov for Czenstechov.
A week afterward the fighting at the border flared up, and the Germans answered with artillery. One shell struck the apartment the Rebbe of Piltz had left only days earlier. All its windows were blown out and its doors burned and fell to pieces. The empty apartment stood burned out for many days, a silent witness to the Rebbe's foresight.
Seforim
- Sifsei Tzaddik: His commentary on the Torah, printed after his passing by his son Rav Chanoch Gad Yustman and Rav Menachem Mendel Alter of Pabianice, a son of the Sefas Emes.
- Talmud Yerushalmi, Piotrkow edition: The fifth printed edition of the Yerushalmi, published at Piotrkow from 1899 to 1903 with the commentary of the Ridbaz, Rav Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky.
- Commentaries on the Gemara and on Tehillim: Lost during the Holocaust.
Family & talmidim
Teachers: The Chiddushei HaRim of Ger, Rav Heinich of Alexander, The Sefas Emes of Ger
Children: Esther, wife of Rav Abba Bumtz, Chaya, wife of Rav Yitzchok Meir Marantz, Berocha, wife of Rav Yitzchok Meir Eibschitz, Rav Yitzchok Meir, who passed away in his father's lifetime (married Rachel Araten and served as Rav in Czestochowa), Feiga, wife of Rav Chanoch Heinich Rottblat of Lodz, Rav Avrohom Mordechai (married Rachel; died 1928), Freida Reitza, wife of Rav Meir Yoskovitz, Rochel, wife of Rav Yechezkel Biderman (second marriage; her first was to Rav Dov Berish Einhorn of Amstov), Rav Chanoch Gad Yustman, HY"D, his successor (married Devora Matil Halperin; killed in Treblinka in 1942)