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Living Legacy: Damesek Eliezer of Komarna, zt”l

Living Legacy: Damesek Eliezer of Komarna, zt”l

 In the world of chassidus, Komarna has stood out for their strong emphasis and their mastery of Kabbalah. The Safrin family of Komarna were also known as great tzaddikim and kedoshim. In honor of the yohrtzeit of Rav Eliezer Tzvi Safrin, zt”l, the second Komarna Rebbe, we revisit his living legacy.

 He was born to his father, Rav Yitzchok Eizik Yehuda Yechiel, author of Heichal Habrocho, also known as “Rav Eizikel” of Komarna, in 1829.

 While his ancestors of the Komarna dynasty did not conduct themselves so much as Admorim, Rav Eliezer Tzvi drew large crowds who would come to witness his great avodah, and benefit from the tremendous mofsim that he effected for his fellow Yidden.

 He authored Damesek Eliezer, Ohr Einayim, and zekan beiso, each of them extremely deep kabbalistic works—and his entire life was spent engrossed in Torah and avodah. His tefillah was a thing of legend—with an exceptional voice that reverberated with great fire. Thousands would come to bask in his glow—among them were ba’alei ruach hakodesh in their own right.

 On 24 Iyar of 1898, he gathered his children around his bed, and said: I ask there should be peace among you. He then recited the Mishnah Amar Rabi Elozor… together with them. When they reached the word “basholom,” his holy neshamah ascended to the higher worlds. He was buried in Komarna, where his matzeivah still stands.

 The legacy lives on in the numerous Komarna Einiklech, and the shuls that they lead. In Eretz Yisroel, there are a number of Safrin descendants with Shuls in Yerushalayim and Beis Brak, and in Boro Park, the Komarna Shul Heichal Habrocho was led for many decades by Rav Alter Yitzchok Elimelech Safrin, zt”l, who passed away in recent years—he and his shul having been named for his ancestor legendary Sefer—and he was a great grandson of the Damesek Eliezer (his father was Rav Chaim Yaakov, who came to America before the war, whose father was Rav Avrohom Mordechai, a son of Rav Eliezer Tzvi).

 The current Munkatcher Rebbe shlit”a, and his brother the Dinover Rebbe, shlit”a, whose grandfather the Minchas Elozor was a son in law of Rav Yaakov Moshe Safrin (a son of Rav Eliezer Tzvi), are great-great grandchildren of the Damesek Eliezer, zt”l, serving as his living legacy. 

 Zechuso Yogein Aleinu.

 In the photos featured here, we see his tziyun, as well as photos of his descendants, Rav Chaim Yaakov and Alter Yitzchok Eizik Safrin, zt”l.

 

Living Legacy is a special project of Boropark24.com, and commemorates the memories of the great tzaddikim of yore. Comments or suggestions may be emailed to [email protected]


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