Rav Dovid HaLevi of Stephin zt"l
הרב דוד בן יהודה מסטפין זצ"ל
Tishrei 11 , 5570
Rav Dovid HaLevi of Stephin zt"l
Rav Dovid HaLevi of Stephin was the son of Rav Yehuda HaLevi (some say Shmuel). He was descended from, and named after, Rav Dovid HaLevi Segal, author of the commentary Turei Zahav on the Shulchan Aruch. He married (second marriage) the daughter of Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlatshuv.
Rav Dovid was a disciple of Rav Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch. He served as maggid mesharim in Stephin, where he established his own independent dynasty.
He was a great leader, who influenced many. It was said of him: “With honor and awe will all the tzadikim of Poland remember his name; the stories of his wonders and miracles are endless!”
A kuntres of Rav Dovid’s wise advice and upright customs (Hanhagos Tovos) is printed in Rav Aharon of Karlin-Kingsberg’s ethical last will and testament (Tzavaah). The kuntres was also printed in the sefer Mayim Rabim of Rav Yechiel Michel of Zlatshuv. Among these is a grave warning to avoid theft, even just that of a shava peruta (tiny, insignificant amount).
Each Erev Yom Kippur he made a siyum, completing all of Shas Bavli annually. In the year that he passed away he called in his sons to bless them before Erev Yom Kippur and uncharacteristically burst into tears and asked them to take his place davening from the amud. He passed away on Motzaei Yom Kippur 5570 (1809).
His sons were Rav Yisrael Dov, who succeeded him in Stephin, Rav Chaim Moshe, and Rav Yechiel Michel of Potshnik, founder of the Brezhna dynasty. His daughters included the wife of Rav Shmaryahu Weingarten, founder of Bluzhov dynasty, and Shifra, the wife of Rav Moshe HaLevi of Ludmir, the son of Rav Shlomo of Karlin.
See also Eretz Hachaim p.48; Ohalei Tzadik p.59; Sippurei Chassidim, Moadim p.288.