Yartzeit of Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz zt”l

Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz zt”l, also known as “The Frierdige Rav,” was the son of Reb Yehoshua of Belz zt”l, known as ‘The Mittler Rav” andRebbetzin Rivka Miriam, a granddaughter of the Apter Rav zt”l.

At his Bris, the grandfather, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt”l, the first Belzer Rebbe, said to name the newborn Yissocher Dov – after Reb Yissocher Dov Ramraz zt”l, the Rav of Sokol, who was a great-uncle of the Sar Shalom.

The Sar Shalom was once in the city of Apta, where the Aptar Rav, also known as the Ohev Yisroel, honored him with Bentching during a Shalosh Seudos  Tish.  Since the Aptar Rav usually led the Shalosh Seudos bentching himself, his son inquired about this protocol change.  The Aptar Rav replied: “Because the Belzer Rav will one day become my Mechutan, and from this couple, a child will be born that will light up the entire world!” Years later, Reb Yehoshua of Belz zt”l married the Aptar Rav’s granddaughter and Maran Reb Yissocher Dov of Belz zt”l was born.  

The Frierdige Rav once related that when his grandfather, the Sar Shalom of Belz zt”l, passed away three days before Rosh Hashana, many Chassidim were already in Belz for Rosh Hashana. Still, they didn’t know if chassidim would continue coming to Belz to the son of the Sar Shalom, Maran Reb Yehoshua zt”l, especially during the winter, when traveling was arduous due to the cold Polish winter, so they waited until Shavuos to see if the Chassidim of the Sar Shalom would continue to come to Belz.  

A few days before Shavuos, I decided to pass the Beis Medrash on the way home from Cheder to check if there were visitors.  The room was filled with Chassidim who came for Shavuos, filling me with such great fear that I felt my hair standing up, thinking that one day I would be the leader for thousands of Yidden.  I placed my hand on my head and felt my ‘kappel’ – yarmulka was perched on my hair that stood on end…”

Post-WWI, Maran the Frierdige Rav sent messengers to cities in Galicia to arouse Yidden to strengthen themselves in their Yiddishkeit so that it would be as strong as before the war.  Upon their return, the Frierdige Rav inquired about what they saw and how much they accomplished.  They related that although there were Yidden in Melitz that davened and learned, they could not find any Belzer Chassidim there. Maran replied: “If they learn Torah and daven, this is what the Chassidus of Belz epitomizes!”  

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