Rav Meir Bransdorfer zt"l
הרב מאיר בן שלמה ברנסדורפר זצ"ל
Iyar 20 , 5769
Rav Meir Bransdorfer zt"l
Rav Meir Bransdorfer was born on the 27th of Elul 5694/1934 in Antwerp. His father, Rav Shlomo, was a descendant of Rav Yissochor Shlomo Teichtel, mechaber of Mishnas Sochir. Rav Shlomo was married in Hungary and moved to Antwerp following his chasuna, where Rav Meir was born.
During World War II, the family went into hiding in France, and in the summer of 5705/1945 they moved to Eretz Yisrael.
Rav Meir became close to Rav Aharon Roth, the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe. After the latter’s petira, he grew close to his son-in-law, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, who cited him as a prime example of hasmoda (diligence) and Ahavas HaTorah. The Toldos Aharon Rebbe stood up for him despite Rav Meir’s much younger age.
Rav Meir married the daughter of Rav Shimon Dov Krischevsky, who had served as secretary of the Diskin Orphanage Home, as well as secretary to Dr. Moshe Wallach, head of Shaare Zedek Hospital.
Rav Meir had received semicha at the age of twenty-two, and at thirty became a moreh horo’a and the Rav of the Toldos Aharon community. The Minchas Yitzchok, Rav Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss, entrusted him with all matters of shechita; he said that whatever Rav Meir paskened was accepted in Shomayim.
Rav Meir was close to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, who sent him shailos in halocha. Indeed, he was greatly esteemed by Gedolei Yisrael everywhere.
In 5721/1961 he was appointed to oversee all inyenei shechita and mikvaos.
With time, Rav Meir became a leading posek and received shailos from all over the world. He was called upon twenty-four hours a day. Everyone knew that he was always available, as he was up most of the night, learning.
It was known that Rav Meir learned Torah mitoch ha’dchak (in poverty). He lived in a one-room apartment in Botei Ungarin.
Together with his friend, Rav Moshe Halberstam, Rav Meir became a Chaver HaBadatz in Elul 5756/1996, when the Gaavad, Rav Moshe Arye Freund, was niftar.
Rav Meir was a mohel mumcheh; he served as mohel at more than three thousand brisos.
Rav Meir was niftar on the 20th of Iyar 5769/2009 at the age of seventy-five. He was buried on Har HaZeisim, next to his father and his Rebbes, leaving behind a family of Marbitzei Torah and Talmidei Chachomim.
Many of his teshuvos were published in the four-volume She’eilos U’teshuvos Keneh Bosem.
Zecher Tzaddik livrocha.