Rav Meir Arik zt"l
הרב מאיר בן אהרן יהודה אריק זצ"ל
Tishrei 15 , 5685
Stories of Rav Meir Arik zt"l
Initially, Rav Dov Beirish did all he could to make a living through other means, rather than serve as a Rav. One of these means was a contract he had as a coal supplier when coal was still a popular fuel for energy and the sale of coal was a profitable business.
It once happened that after checking the bank account of his coal mine, Rav Dov Beirish realized that through some clerical error, his account had inadvertently been credited five thousand zloty.
Rav Dov Beirish immediately sank into deep thought. There was of course no question that he would return the money immediately. His hesitation was not as to whether to keep the mistaken funds. The question that bothered him for several hours was how he would return the money without causing any pain, anguish or trouble to the clerk that had made the mistake in the first place! The worry that someone might suffer some loss or embarrassment because of his actions, justified as they would obviously be, worried him to no end.
He eventually devised a plan for returning the funds in a way that no one would be blamed or suffer any loss, and his face was visibly filled with relief and satisfaction.
All during this time, Rav Dov Beirish sat and studied, learning Torah half a day and taking care of his business concerns the other half. He spent the nights studying and teaching, answering queries and questions that rabbanim, gaonim and talmidim posed to him. Many came to consult him; his uncle, the Rav of Tchebin, Rav Yaakov Levi (the son-in-law of his wife’s grandfather Rav Chaim Kluger), would send his sons to consult with him on all matters, especially difficult ones.
Rav Dov Beirish’s father, the author of Kochav MiYaakov and Rav of Hrimlov, had a great disciple and talmid named Rav Meir Arik, who was the Av Beis Din of Buchach and the author of Imrei Yosher. Rav Meir Arik was considered one of the gedolei hador, a genius and one of the greatest poskim in Galicia. When a halachic query was sent from Tchebin to Rav Arik, he agreed to answer it on only one condition, that the Gaon of Tchebin, as Rav Meir Arik called Rav Dov Beirish, would agree. It was a great honor for such an esteemed rav to treat Rav Dov Beirish in such a way when to all appearances Rav Dov Beirish was a baal habayis and a working-class merchant, rather than a Rav or posek.
It was Rav Meir Arik who pressured Rav Dov Beirish to enter the rabbinate and assume his life’s role as a posek and Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Dov Beirish had for twenty years hidden himself from the public eye and lived as a businessman off his coal mine, and he staunchly refused to accept a position in the rabbinate for as long as he could. Finally, Rav Meir Arik delivered the following berachah: “I bless you that you should lose all your money and be forced to finally accept the chair of the rabbinate!”
The Imrei Yosher’s berachah was summarily fulfilled not long after it was uttered. The incident itself illustrates once again the future Tchebiner Rav’s fine character, outstanding middos, and sincerity for emes. Not long after Rav Meir Arik’s berachah, Rav Dov Beirish gave up his source of income and savings willingly and knowingly in the following manner:
A coal merchant by the name of Reb Binyamin Filler ordered a large number of railroad cars full of coal shipments. The order was substantial and profitable indeed. A few days later, word reached Rav Dov Beirish that the value and price of coal was going to plummet. As soon as he heard this, Rav Dov Beirish realized that Reb Binyamin would lose a lot of money, as he had purchased the coal at peak prices. Rav Dov Beirish did not transfer the coal to the buyer, Reb Binyamin, as agreed. Instead he waited and watched as the predicted prices plunged and went down along with his entire savings and fortune. Everything was gone. . .
Reb Binyamin’s investment was saved, and he did not lose his money. But Rav Dov Beirish was left bereft of most of his financial means. Left with no choice, he sold his concerns and left the marketplace behind. In 5683, his uncle Rav Yaakov Levi, the Rav of Tchebin, passed away. Finally, Rav Dov Beirish acquiesced and agreed to accept the vacant position as Rav of Tchebin.
Besides his position as Rav of Tchebin and Rosh Yeshiva of Kochav MiYaakov, he also agreed to serve on the staff as a member of the spiritual leadership of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, a position created after the passing of the Rosh Yeshiva and founder, Rav Meir Shapira. Among the illustrious members that served alongside the Tchebiner Rav were the likes of Rav Fromer of Kozhiglov, Rav Friedman of Boyan, Rav Firer of Krasna, Rav Ziemba Hy”d of Warsaw and others.