R. Tuvia Belkin (5620-5705) was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek’s grandson, Harav Shalom Ber of Retchitza, and later of the Frierdiker Rebbe. Born in Homil, R. Tuvia was a close talmid of R. Mordechai Yoel Duchman, the famous student of R. Aizel of Homil, and served as a melamed.

In 5666 (1906), he moved to America, where he worked as a melamed and gave shiurim in Chassidus. He later moved to Eretz Yisroel, where he spent the last years of his life.

R. Tuvia wrote down stories he heard from R. Mordechai Yoel and other Chassidim and sent them to the Frierdiker Rebbe at his request. Many were published in the second volume of Shemuos Vesipurim, and more will be published in a forthcoming book.

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In Vietka, R. Tuvia had a close friend, R. Shmuel Hein, a chassidishe businessman, and the two made up never to farbreng without the other.

Once at the Purim seuda, R. Tuvia began twisting R. Shmuel’s hat. When R. Shmuel asked what the matter was, R. Tuvia explained:

“In the old days, Yidden wore fur hats without a brim, allowing them to look up to heaven anytime and think about Hashem (se’u marom eineichem). Then, the Czar ordered that they must wear a kasket with a visor at the front to block their view of heaven and awareness of Hashem. Still, when one was preoccupied, his hat would slip to the side, and he would see the heavens. That’s why the Satan invented the brimmed hat, so that no matter which way you turn it, you won’t see the heavens.”

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R. Tuvia once said to R. Yosef Moshe Posen, a Kopuster chossid who served as the rov of the Tzemach Tzedek shul in Williamsburg, “I’m good!” When R. Yosef Moshe expressed his wonderment, R. Tuvia explained, “To me, people will say, ‘Tuvia, don’t be a …’, so I’m not. But no one says that to you!”

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R. Yisroel Jacobson recalls R. Tuvia from his days in New York:

R. Tuvia would give a shiur Chassidus every Friday night in the Dekalb Ave shtiebel. In the winter, the shiur would begin at 1 am and continue for 8 hours until 9 am!

When the Frierdiker Rebbe called for Tanya shiurim in the shuls, R. Tuvia began a shiur in the Watkins Ave shul in Brownsville. He would sometimes stop at my home, and it was so enjoyable to talk to a geshmaker chassidisher Yid.