The Rebbe Rashab Studied His Hand Washing

Born in Latvia and raised in Chevron, R’ Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov was sent by the Rebbe Rashab to Samarkand, where he served as a rov and taught Torah to the young.

Reb Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov was born in Latvia in Nisan 5623 (1863). His father Reb Eliezer Shimon was a grandson of Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel Slonim, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, and he was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek.

At age ten, his family moved to Chevron, where he studied with the famed Reb Shimon Menashe Chaikin, the rov there. He married the daughter of Reb Berel Kalisker. He spent a total of seven years in Samarkand, serving as their rov and strengthening Yiddishkeit there.

In 5762 (1902), he returned to Chevron and was appointed the rov of the Ashknazim. He made trips to Lubavitch to visit the Rebbe Rashab and assisted with founding the Yeshiva Toras Emes in Chevron in 5672 (1911). After World War I, he moved to Yerushalayim, and was appointed by the Frierdiker Rebbe as the menahel of Colel Chabad. He passed away on 27 Teves 5712 (1952).

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While in Lubavitch, he spent much time with the Rebbe Rashab, who respected him greatly. He would eat at the Rebbe’s home, and the Rebbe would honor him to wash his hands for bread before him, so he could watch his dikdukim in the halachos of handwashing. After he washed, the Rebbe told him that he too washes that way.

Reb Shlomo Leib heard many things from the Rebbe Rashab, including the following: One who is careful about the respect and cleanliness of seforim will merit that – if he writes a sefer – his sefer will be kept clean and respected.

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Once Reb Zelig Slonim was very tight financially, and borrowed one lira from Reb Shlomo Leib’s tzedaka fund to cover the costs of the oncoming Shabbos.

When Reb Zelig returned home, he simply could not find the money, and returned to the home of Reb Shlomo Leib. Together they searched for the money, but it was not found. Reb Zelig returned home very broken; not only did he not have money to buy food for Shabbos, but also he had the burden of paying up the loan.

Reb Shlomo Leib resolved to take another lira from his own money and although he was old and walking was hard, he went to the home of Reb Zelig and announced happily that he had found the lost money. Reb Zelig was overjoyed. The next morning Reb Zelig found the lost lira on the floor of his home and realized the chesed that Reb Shlomo Leib had done.

For sources, visit TheWeeklyFarbrengen.com