The Worcester Melamed Who Surprised the Frierdiker Rebbe

In honor of the 95th yahrzeit of Reb Moshe Binyamin Martin – the childhood melamed of the Frierdiker Rebbe in Lubavitch – Anash.org is pleased to share a tribute by R’ Mayer Simcha Abramowitz originally written for his 50th yahrzeit.

By Anash.org reporter

Reb Moshe Binyamin Martin was the childhood melamed of the Frierdiker Rebbe in Lubavitch who went on to immigrate to America around the year 5760 (1900) and establish a cheder in Worcester, Massachusetts.

In honor of his 50th yahrzeit on 9 Tammuz and the 100th birthday of the Frierdiker Rebbe on Yud Beis Tammuz 5740 (1980), R’ Mayer Simcha Abramowitz wrote a tribute in Yiddish to be published in the Algemeiner Journal.

As we mark his 95th yahrzeit, Anash.org is pleased to share the original article, graciously shared by R’ Mayer Simcha Abramowitz:

Enclosed you will find a photo of R’ Moshe Binyomin Martin z”l, the melamed from the town of Lubavitch in White Russia, who was also the teacher of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l. As you surely know, today, the 12th of Tammuz, marks the 100th birthday of the Baal HaGeulah, R’ Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn zt”l, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, who passed away on the 10th of Shevat, 5710 (1950), in America. The 9th of Tammuz is the 50th yahrzeit of the melamed, R’ Moshe Binyomin, a”h.

The melamed came to Worcester, Massachusetts, around the year 1900 and established a cheder in Worcester. Over the years, R’ Moshe Binyomin would travel to Brooklyn to visit the Lubavitcher Chassidim who were then living in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.

R’ Moshe Binyomin passed away 50 years ago in Brownsville and was brought to burial in Worcester.

Shortly before his passing, R’ Moshe Binyomin had a yechidus with the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe. This took place in the years 1929–1930, during the Previous Rebbe’s visit to America.

In connection with that yechidus between the melamed R’ Moshe Binyomin and his student – the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l -I found a very interesting diary entry in the journals of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe writes the following note in his diary from Wednesday, the 2nd of Elul, 5689 (1929), in New York:

“At 2 in the afternoon, Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson came in (Rabbi Simpson a”h was the gabbai of the Lubavitcher Rebbe —M.A.) and said that an elderly man was seeking permission to come in to see me. He didn’t give his name or say which city he was from. It was already late, and he said that it had been about 30 years since we had last seen each other, and he wanted to see if I would recognize him.
I gave him permission to enter.

“As soon as the door opened and I saw him, I immediately recognized that this was my melamed, who used to test me in Mishnayos during the winter, in my youth – R’ Moshe Binyomin, the teacher. He stood in the doorway. I greeted him and reminded him of the days when he used to teach me.”

This is the excerpt from the diary regarding the visit of the melamed. I am sending a photo of R’ Moshe Binyomin, the teacher, who in Worcester was known by the family name Martin. I am also enclosing a photo of his gravestone in the Jewish cemetery in Worcester.

I hope that this material about R’ Moshe Binyomin, the honorable teacher, will be published in the “Algemeiner Journal” in honor of the 100th birthday of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe and the 50th yahrzeit of R’ Moshe Binyomin z”l, which falls on the 9th of Tammuz.