Rav Avrohom Gershon Ashkenazi of Kitov zt"l
הרב אברהם גרשון בן אפרים אשכנזי זצ"ל
Adar 25 , 5521
Rav Avrohom Gershon Ashkenazi of Kitov zt"l
Rabbi Avrohom Gershon of Brody was probably born in or near Kuty, Poland around 1701 and died in Yerushalayim in 1761. He is best known as the Baal Shem Tov's brother-in-law.
A scion of a famous rabbinic family, Avraham Gershon is a descendant (possibly the grandson) of Shabsai Cohen ("the ShACh") (1625-1663).
Both Avraham Gershon and his father Rav Ephraim of Brody served in one of the four beis din (Jewish Court) of Brody. It was here that he and his father encountered Rabbi Yisrael "Baal Shem Tov". According to early Chasidic work Shivchei haBesht, his father gave his blessing of marriage for his sister Chana to the Baal Shem Tov on his deathbed. But once Ephraim died, Avraham Gershon was unaware of this secret betrothal until the Baal Shem Tov revealed the engagement contract.
Avraham Gershon rose to a powerful position within the Jewish community of Brody.
In 1747, Avraham Gershon traveled to Yerushalayim, one of the first Chasidim to establish a presence in the holy land. There he embraced the Rashash, together with those who were students of Kabbalah. He lived in Chevron for six years. In 1753, he moved to Yerushalayim and was further associated with the (kabbalistic) Yeshivas Beit El. He died in 1761 and was buried on Har Hazeisim. After the Six Day War in 1967, his grave was rediscovered along with the grave of his second wife Bluma.
https://www.geni.com/people/Rabbi-Abraham-Ashkenazi-of-Kitov/6000000002466244541
Stories of Rav Avrohom Gershon Ashkenazi of Kitov zt"l
There are various traditions regarding how and when the Ba’al Shem Tov’s brother-in-law met Rav Chaim ben Attar, mechaber of the Ohr HaChaim, in Eretz Yisrael:
After the printing of the chumashim Ohr HaChaim in Venice in the year tov-kuf-bais, they reached the Ba’al Shem Tov, who greatly rejoiced in them. He found in them an author whose heart and soul were filled with emotion and excitement for Avodas Hashem. He sent his brother-in-law, Rav Gershon of Kitov, to Yerushalayim to visit Rav Chaim ben Attar’s Yeshiva. He told Rav Gershon that Rav Chaim ben Attar had two Yeshivos, one where they studied nigle (the revealed Torah) and one where they studied the hidden secrets of Toras HaKabbola. The Ba’al Shem warned Rav Gershon to try to attend the Yeshiva for nistar and not to reveal to the Ohr HaChaim who he was, hiding his identity until the Ohr HaChaim would feel it and understand for himself.
When Rav Gershon arrived he requested permission to hear a derosha from the Ohr haChaim. Permission was granted and he studied in Yeshivas HaNigle for about a week. Afterward, he requested admission to the other Yeshiva for Kabbola.
“Who revealed to you that I have a Yeshiva for nistar?”
He answered that his brother-in-law, the Ba’al Shem, had told him. The Ohr HaChaim did not know him, but he scrutinized Rav Gershon from head to toe and declared him fit and ready to study Kabbola. After studying there for three days, the Ohr HaChaim gave word to prevent him from coming back and Rav Gershon found his way blocked from entry. When Rav Gershon approached the Rav’s house to find out why he had been banned, the Ohr HaChaim saw him and said, “I am angry at you. Why didn’t you say your brother-in-law was the Ba’al Shem Tov? You just said, ‘Rav Yisrael Ba’al Shem!’ I don’t know any Rav Yisrael Ba’al Shem, but I know who the Ba’al Shem Tov is! I know him from seeing him in the supernal worlds!” and he no longer allowed Rav Gershon access to the Yeshiva, explaining that he needed no other Rebbe or Rav if he already had the Ba’al Shem Tov. (Doresh Tov Tshortkov, Acharon Shel Pesach p. 194)
Rav Yitzchok of Neshchiz related on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Behaalosecha, tov-reish-kaf-zayin:
Rav Gershon of Kitov met the Ohr HaChaim in Eretz Yisrael and told him about his brother-in-law the Ba’al Shem Tov. The Ohr HaChaim replied that he had heard of him and that his name was Yisrael. Rav Gershon Kitover also asked the Ohr HaChaim why he kept a certain talmid in his Yeshiva whom Rav Gershon had seen behaving improperly, unbecoming for a Yeshiva student. “This is our way,” answered the Ohr HaChaim. “We draw closer those who are distant – we are mekarev rechokim.” (Zichron Tov p. 16 #8)
When Rav Gershon of Kitov traveled to Eretz Yisrael, the Ba’al Shem Tov told him to meet with the Ohr HaChaim. “If he doesn’t know of his greatness, send him regards from me and tell him I see him in Moshiach Heichal – the supernal palace, where Moshiach sits on a throne and studies the Ohr HaChaim.”
When Rav Gershon came to Eretz Yisrael, he arrived at the Ohr HaChaim’s Yeshiva and asked why he studied with talmidim who behave inappropriately; others say that he asked why he studied with people with lowly souls.
The Ohr HaChaim asked Rav Gershon from where he hailed. When he said that he was from Polnoy, the Ohr HaChaim responded that he should return the following day. The next day, the Ohr HaChaim told him, “I saw your Rebbe and he is a very great man.”
Rav Gershon then related his regards from the Ba’al Shem and relayed the Ba’al Shem’s message. The Ohr HaChaim responded, “I don’t know what favor he does me by revealing my greatness. Tell him I saw the Angel of Death and that he stands with one foot on Polnoy and the other on the entire world.” This was a hint at the danger facing European Jewry and that they would need mercy. He also responded that the reason he studied with people with lowly souls was because he sought to redeem holy sparks from places that they had been captured and held hostage. (Kisvei Ri Shuv of Brisk)