‘Halevai There Should Be Many Baalebatim like Him!’

R. Dan Tumarkin of Rogatchov (d. 5652) was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek and Rebbe Maharash, the brother of the famous Rabbonim of Kremenchug, R. Yosef and R. Tzvi Hirsch Tumarkin.

A talmid chacham in his own right, R. Dan was also a very successful businessman. Due to his unimpeachable trustworthiness, he was appointed by the Tzemach Tzedek to serve as main gabbai of Colel Chabad, and all of the money raised for this cause passed through his hands.

In his later years he was instrumental in the efforts to prevail upon the Rebbe Rashab to officially accept the nesius of Lubavitch.

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After the Tzemach Tzedek’s histalkus, R. Dan followed the Rebbe Maharash, rather than the other holy sons of the Tzemach Tzedek. He explained himself:

“The impressive personalities of the different brothers is apparent – their geonus, Chassidus, and avoda – all besides for the youngest, the Maharash, where you don’t see anything special. Yet, when you begin talking with him, you see that there isn’t an area of Torah that he isn’t fluent in. That means that he learns Torah secretly lishma, and Chazal say in Pirkei Avos that such a person is blessed with special powers and secrets.”

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After the printing of the Rebbe Maharash’s Likutei Torah L’Gimmel Parshiyos, R. Shlomo Zalman of Kopust disputed a chidush written there that the letters of the ‘reshimu’ weren’t impacted by the tzimtzum. R. Dan Tumarkin stood up for his Rebbe’s honor, and he began a weighty correspondence with the Kopuster Rebbe that lasted over two years.

Although he was defending his Rebbe’s position, R. Dan nonetheless wrote to the Kopuster with great respect. While R. Dan was very knowledgeable in Chassidus, the mashpia R. Groinem thought that he “wore a garment too big for him” in debating with the Kopuster.

Still, the Kopuster was impressed with R. Dan’s understanding of Chassidus, and he wrote that “halevai there should be baalebatim like him in the thousands.”