Rav Moshe Tzvi Hager of Stanovitz zt"l
הרב משה צבי בן ברוך הגר זצ"ל
Teves 29 , 5656
Rav Moshe Tzvi Hager of Stanovitz zt"l
Born in the year תר"ב to Rav Baruch Giterman of Savran, a grandson of Rav Moshe Tzvi of Savran. Moshe Tzvi was educated by his maternal grandfather the Rav David Hager of Zavletov. After his grandfather passed away in תר"ח, Moshe Tzvi’s family moved to Tarnipol when his mother remarried. Her second husband was the gaon, the author of Minchas Chinuch. In Tarnipol, the Minchas Chinuch continued his stepson’s education, until he became a “keli machzik beracha - a vessel that could hold its own fill of blessings”.
His mother brought him before his uncle the Toras Chaim of Kosov who showed the young lad great affection. As he grew, so did his good name. He married Mariam Yenta, the daughter of Rav Yosef Binyamin Volf of Tiverev. He drew close to the author of Tzemach Tzadik - the Vizhnizter Rebbe, and became one of his closest followers. Eventually, he was appointed as the av beis din of Stanovich and its environs where he presided over some 1,200 families. He eventually adopted his mother Rebbetzin Folya Hager, daughter of Rabbi David Hager's maiden name and changed his last name from Giterman to Hager. The Tzemach Tzadik appointed him as rebbe (as one who would continue the dynastic chain of the Savraner rebbes) and so he accepted kvitelach and pidyonos (the notes of petition and monetary gifts of his followers) like other rebbes. He davened with the nusach of Kosov /Vizhnitz adding a unique sweetness to his supplications. Rav Moshe Tzvi Hager passed away on the 29th of Teves and is buried in Stanovitz. He was succeeded by his son Rav Yitzchak Meir Hager of Satanovich (1860–1926).
The Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz used to say about him, “Rav Masye - as he was affectionately known - was my grandfather, the Tzemach Tzadik’s right hand man. The Tzemach used to say about him, ‘My Masyeh is my general; when he davens together with us, the entire davening goes great and it is a totally different experience from ‘Hodu’ to ‘Aleinu’ – from beginning to end!’” (Sarfei Kodesh)
