Memory Lane: Rav Mordechai Zimmerman

He was an American-born bochur who made his way to the yeshivos of prewar Europe, bringing back the incredible spirit that thrived within that world. He was a mohel mumcheh who performed thousands of brissen throughout the Tri-State Area. And Rav Mordechai Zimmerman was a prominent fixture of Boro Park’s Mirer Minyan, transplanting the aura of prewar Mir to the streets of Boro Park. Today, we tell his story. 

An Oasis in Prewar America 

Mordechai was born in New York City in the year 1913 to his father, Reb Yosef Yehoshua, who had come to America as a young child, persisting in keeping Yiddishkeit with mesirus nefesh. Every Friday, he would inform his boss that he would not be coming in on Shabbos, and every Monday he would need to find a new job. 

It was through Reb Yosef Yehoshua’s insistence on shemiras Shabbos that he found his shidduch—and the story went like this: One erev Shabbos when he informed his boss that he wouldn’t be coming in, a fellow worker exclaimed “you will never make a living this way! There is a girl in my neighborhood who, like you, stubbornly insists on keeping Shabbos.” The man introduced him to Shayna Rochel Weinstein of Roebling Street in Williamsburg, and she became his wife (on her matzeivah it is inscribed: “she stood at the right hand of her husband in raising their children in the ways of Torah and yirah, she did much to establish Torah institutions, and her home was open to bnei Torah”). 

Their home was a mikdosh me’at, an oasis in the wilderness of America, and they had as a guest in their home none other than Rav Elchonon Wasserman, zt”l, Hy”d. The Zimmerman’s hired private melamdim to learn with their three sons, so they would grow in Torah—and indeed, they all went on to Torah greatness. 

In the Yeshivos of Yore

When they grew older, the three Zimmerman boys were sent by their parents to learn in the yeshivos of Europe. Their experiences and encounters from that world would impact them for a lifetime. 

Rav Mordechai went to learn in the Mirer Yeshiva, and later in the Grodno Yeshiva, receiving semichah from Rav Shimon Shkop. He was zoche to bask in the presence of the generation’s gedolim, among them Rav Yeruchum Levovitz, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky, Rav Elchonon Wasserman, and the Chofetz Chaim from whom he received a brocho that he should become a talmid chochom. It was during his years in Europe that Rav Zimmerman developed his derech hamussar, deveikus b’Hashem and incredible yiras Shomayim that he carried with him for the rest of his life.

Before he left Europe, his father instructed him to learn a trade that would not place him in a nisoyon of chilul Shabbos. So, he learned milah and shechitah from experts in Europe.

Generosity and Humility 

From the Bronx, Rav Zimmerman moved to Boro Park where he became a prominent member of the Mirer minyan, and a legendary mohel who performed thousands of brissen. He was defined by his humility; a person who would never share anything about his own accomplishments. 

Following his passing, the gabbai of the Mirer minyan related that, after every appeal he would give double what he pledged. The gabbai asked him, “why don’t you just pledge double.” Rav Zimmerman answered that he pledges because he wants to be mechazek the olam, but he gives double because he has a chiyuv of matan b’seiser.  

He singlehandedly supported many almonos and yesomim, telling them always that he put together some money from his friends, never letting them know just how much money he himself gave.  His accomplishments were between him and the Borei Olam, and that’s the way he wanted it.  He was an illuy at keeping his gadlus hidden.  

In later years, he would spend his days in the Mirer minyan, learning among the chaverim of the Mir with great hasmodoh.

For all his madreigos in Torah and avodah, he never lost his personal touch. A niece remembers her uncle as “the gentlest, warmest man.” 

Rav Mordechai was niftar in the winter of 2005 following a lifetime dedicated to Torah, and leaving behind generations who followed in his ways.