“The Izhbitzer was a Breslover, He Learned Likutey Moharan” – Rav Berland on the Rebbe of Izhbitza

IN RECENT DAYS, THE STUDENTS OF MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A HEARD OVER AND OVER THE NAME OF THE ADMOR OF IZHBITZA MENTIONED DURING THE SHIURIM OF THE RAV SHLIT”A, IN WHICH HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS GREATNESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAVELLING TO HIS GRAVESITE. SO WHO WAS THE REBBE OF IZHBITZA?  BELOW IS A SHORT PROFILE OF THE LEADER OF CHASIDUT IZHBITZA AND THE AUTHOR OF THE RENOWNED CHASIDIC BOOK, “MEI HASHILOACH,” IN HONOR OF HIS YAHRZEIT, WHICH FELL ON 7 TEVET. Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner was born in the year 5560 (1800) to his father, Rabbi Yaakov Leiner, who was a disciple of the Seer of Lublin.  In his early childhood in the city of Tomashov, he became a disciple of Rabbi Pinchas Bunim of Peshischa zy”a.  As a young man, he moved to Peshischa and he would dedicate himself to ascetic practices in order to remain close to his holy rabbi.  With the passing of Rabbi Pinchas Bunim of Peshischa in the year 5587 (1827), he accepted onto himself the leadership of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, whom he had known since his youth in the city of Tomashov.  Rabbi Menachem Mendel, seeing how Rabbi Mordechai Yosef had drawn close to him, began to send many Chasidim to him for advice, because of the limited time the Rebbe of Kotzk had at his disposal.  As the Rebbe of Kotzk further closed himself in, more and more Chasidim gathered around Rabbi Mordechai Yosef, until by Simcha Torah 5600 (1839), Rabbi Mordechai Yosef began to conduct himself as a Rebbe, due to ideological differences with his rabbi, the Rebbe of Kotzk.  On that Simchat Torah, he instructed his Chasidim to hold their own hakafot separate from the central minyan of Kotzk.  After Simchat Torah, Rebbe Mordechai Yosef moved together with his Chasidim to his childhood home of Tomashov, and in later years, he settled in the town of Izhbitza, near the city of Lublin.  There, he gave over many words of Torah. MOREINU HARAV ELIEZER BERLAND SHLIT”A SAID RECENTLY THAT RABBI MORDECHAI YOSEF, THE REBBE OF IZHBITZA, WAS THE ONLY ADMOR OF HIS TIME WHO LEARNED AND TAUGHT LIKUTEY MOHARAN AND THE TORAH OF BRESLOV.  MOREINU HARAV SHLIT”A SAID OF HIM THAT HE WAS A BRESLOVER. About six years after his passing, his grandson, the 3rd Rebbe of Izhbitza, Rabbi Gershon Chanoch Leiner, published his words of Torah in the book, “Mei HaShiloach.”  The book is named after a rare statement of Rabbi Pinchas Bunim of Peshischa about Rabbi Mordechai Yosef, that “his Torah is like the waters of the Shiloach, whose waters are few, but deep and penetrating the depths.”  The book’s title also alludes to the initials of his name, Mei (Mem-Yud) -- “Mordechai Yosef.” Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner, the first Admor of Izhbitza, author of the book “Mei HaShiloach,” passed away on Shabbat Kodesh of Parashat Vayigash, 7 Tevet, in the year 5614 (1854) – 171 years ago. The Rebbe of Izhbitz was buried in the cemetery on the outskirts of the town.   During the Holocaust, the Germans destroyed the cemetery, but his holy grave remained intact and has been newly restored with a ohel built on his grave.  The ohel’s exterior walls are covered with gravestones from the Jewish cemetery. To reach his gravesite in the town of Izhbitza, Poland, click here [https://maps.app.goo.gl/TmrhtKfpdq6RZaZc6].