Rav Dovid Moshe Freidman of Chortkov zt"l
הרב דוד משה בן ישראל פרידמאן זצ"ל
Tishrei 21 , 5664
Rav Dovid Moshe Freidman of Chortkov zt"l
Rav Dovid Moshe Friedman of Chortkov, the son of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin, was born on Shavuos, 5587 (1827). He was the son-in-law of Rav Aharon of Chernobyl. His second marriage was to his niece, the daughter of his brother, Rav Shalom Yosef of Sadigura.
Rav Dovid Moshe’s father had great hopes for him from the day he was born. When Rav Yisrael gave out mashke for l’chaim to the chassidim to celebrate his son’s birth, he told them: “It is not I who should give you mashke for l’chaim, but rather you should buy some for me! Because the soul that descended to this world today will draw Bnei Yisrael close to their Father in Heaven.”
After his father’s passing, when all of the brothers spread out and became leaders of their own, Rav Dovid Moshe founded his dynasty in Chortkov. It would grow into one of the largest, most highly regarded courts in Galicia, numbering thousands of chassidim.
The misnagdim, along with the town Rabbi, Rav Yeshaya Meir Horowitz Kohen Shapira, tried their best to prevent his arrival and settlement in Chortkov, but their efforts failed.
Rav Dovid Moshe sat all day toiling in diligent Torah study, secluding himself from people and even from his own family. Even his nights were sanctified for Torah study, allowing himself to sleep no more than two hours a night.
He said regarding himself: “I asked Hashem for three things and He granted them to me: That I not move even one limb without performing a yichud unification to Hashem; that when someone petitions me and gives me a donation, I feel his pain; and that I love every member of Klal Yisrael even those who are very distant from me.”
Rav Dovid Moshe spoke little and smiled less; his words were measured and few, counted as one counts precious diamonds and pearls. Even his Divrei Torah were infrequent, although at the onset of his leadership he spoke often, an abundance of Torah flowing from his lips. He distanced himself from all discord and machlokes.
He had a positive attitude towards the renewal of yishuv Eretz Yisrael. When Ahavas Tzion was founded by Rav Asher Yeshaya of Riminov, Rav Feivel Halevi Shreier of Bohorodczany , Rav Aharon Marcus and others, Rav Dovid Moshe also joined as a supporter after a visit from askanim Dr. Avraham Zaltz, Leon Shpitz and Dovid Fast.
Rav Dovid Moshe’s sons were Rav Nachum Mordechai, who passed away in his father’s lifetime on the 26th of Tammuz, and Rav Yisrael of Chortkov, who succeeded him.
His Torah was published as Divrei Dovid as well as in the collections Beis Yisrael and Knesses Yisrael. His biography and toldos was published as Tiferes Adam, by Rav Reuven Margolis.
Rav Dovid Moshe passed away on Hoshana Rabbah, the 21st of Tishrei, 5664 (1903).
[See also Sippurei Chassidim, Torah, 115, 184, 287, 322, 336, and Moadim, 5, 30, 290, 300, 373, 476]
Stories of Rav Dovid Moshe Freidman of Chortkov zt"l
His holiness was apparent from childhood. His brothers would call him by the nickname der tzitzis yid, because even as a very young child Rav Dovid Moshe would cry inconsolably if they forgot to dress him in his tzitzis!
The Rizhiner would say that his six sons corresponded to the six orders of the Mishnah. He said that Rav Dovid Moshe corresponded to Seder Kadshim because he was the holy of holies!
His brother, Rav Menachem Nachum of Stefanisht, testified: “When my brother recites Tehillim, Hashem gives him the entire world as a gift, declaring: “It’s all yours do with as you please!” But my brother is a faithful servant, so he gives it back to Hashem as is, whole and untouched.”