Living Legacy: The Birchas Avrohom of Slonim, zt”l

 By: Yehuda Alter 

The Slonimer Rebbe led the chassidim during a unique era, when the community in Eretz Yisroel was being built up, during the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. He was a major askan for his brethren in Eretz Yisroel in all areas, and the Torah that he left behind continues to inspire and mold generations of Slonimer chassidim that have forth.

He was born to his father, Rav Noach, in Teveria in the year 1888. His father was a grandson of the Yesod Ha’avodah, Rebbe Avrohom Weinberg, founder of the dynasty, and namesake of the Birchas Avrohom, who had sent Rav Noach to Eretz Yisroel. 

A brother of Rav Noach was the Divrei Shmuel, who was the Rebbe in Slonim. 

As a young man, he journeyed to Europe to the court of the Divrei Shmuel, and here began his career in askonus. He was the emissary of Rav Chaim Brisker, the Chofetz Chaim, and the Chortkover Rebbe, zt”l, in the establishment of Agudas Yisroel and in other missions. 

After the passing of the Divrei Shmuel, Rebbe Avrohom continued to travel to his son the Beis Avrohom, and to his son Rebbe Shlomo Dovid Yehoshua, zt”l, Hy”d. His son-in-law would later write about him: “There are no words to describe his bittul to the tzaddikim. He was their trusted person for many of their missions, in particular in the administration of Kolel Reisin (which assisted the poor people from that region). 

Back in Eretz Yisroel, the Birchas Avrhom became known as an indefatigable Klal worker simultaneous to his personal avodas hakodesh which was so otherworldly. He would go to the ends of the earth to help people in ruchniyus and in gashmiyus, and at the same did not cease learning with great exertion. For decades, he would complete the entire shas Bavli and Yerushalmi every year. He was completely fluent in all of Midrash and Zohar and other hidden Torah. 

At the same time, he continued to serve as the menahel of a Talmud Torah in Teveria, and to be involved with many issues affecting the community there. 

In 1960, he was appointed as the Slomimer Rebbe, and this is when he moved to Yerushalayim, leading the chassidim for decades, establishing glorious generations of Slonimer chassidim who have only continued to grow to this day.