The Tzaddik R' Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt"l

The Tzaddik R' Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt"l

(From Knishta Chada newsletter issue number 42)

Rabbi Michael Gol, Rosh Yeshiva of Megini Eretz and one of the first students of The Rav shlit"a, was interviewed on the information line and related an amazing story that happened to him when he was a young avreich (married Torah student). He arrived in Meron and met a Jewish man there, a servant of Hashem from the Lelov Chassidus. They began to converse. During the conversation, he observed how highly this Jew held Breslov Chassidus, considering it the most special Chassidus, yet he claimed that today Breslov Chassidus has not remained authentic. Rabbi Gol asked him, "Do you know Rabbi Berland?" He answered, "Yes, he truly remained authentic; he is something special." Then that Chassid told him that the Grand Rebbe of Lelov, R' Moshe Mordechai zt"l, expressed himself regarding Rabbi Berland: "He is the greatest Oved Hashem (servant of God) in the generation." Rabbi Gol asked him, "Did you hear this with your own ears?" He said, "Yes." Then he related other great things he heard from the Rebbe zt"l about Rabbi Berland, and regarding every item, he said, "I heard it with my own ears." After a few months, Rabbi Gol met that same Jew again. They spoke warmly like good friends. Afterward, a certain Chassid ran after him and said, "Do you know who you spoke with?! How do you know him?! That is Rebbe Alter Biderman, the son of the Rebbe!" Rebbe Alter zt"l himself became the Rebbe after a few years, and in the year 5761 (2001), he passed away suddenly, leaving behind righteous sons. Two of them became the Rebbes of today; one is the Rosh Yeshiva of Panim Meirot, R' Chaim Yosef Biderman, and [the others are] the famous Mashpi'im (spiritual influencers), R' Elimelech and R' Nachman Biderman. One of the important Chassidim left a message on the information line and said regarding R' Moshe Mordechai zt"l of Lelov: "He was a holy and pure man, a master of Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Spirit). The Tzaddikim of his time said about him that he was a soul from previous generations. And if he spoke this way, then what are we to think at all? We have nothing to think! We are not worthy to think at all!"