Rav Mordechai Twersky of Kuzhmir zt"l
הרב מרדכי בן אברהם טווערסקי זצ"ל
Tammuz 8 , 5677
Rav Mordechai Twersky of Kuzhmir zt"l
Rav Mordechai Twersky of Kuzmir Born in Kiltz 1843 - passed away 8 Tammuz 1917
Son of Rav Avraham Trisker Maggid
Rav Mordechai was the scion of the Tshernoble dynasty.
Rav Mordechai was son in law of Rav Asher Perlow of Stolin. In 5649 he was appointed as rebbe in Valovka, however the Russian authorities chased him out, and he moved to Dombowa in Galicia. There the Austrian authorities chased him out since they considered him a Russian, and he moved to Chelm in Poland, from there to Lublin and from there to Kuzmir where he settled and became known as Kuzmirer rebbe. When World War I broke out he moved to Kiltz, where the chassidim and followers flocked to him. He was known to request huge sums for pidyonos which he distributed to tzedakah, he would often burst into torrents of tears after receiving kvitelach. His Torahs were liberally peppered with Gematrios and Notrikon, his prayers were enlivened with flaming enthusiasm and heartfelt pleas. He passed away in the midst of his davening while wrapped in his Tallis and crowned with his Tefillin. He had no sons, over his kever an ohel was erected without a headstone. His Torah was collected and published as Maamar Mordechai. Rav Mordechai told how his father and father-in-law promised him that they would do all they could to help him have children on condition that he would agree to sleep in a bed for at least three hours a night. However Rav Mordechai responded that he was unable to pay such a heavy price! He left behind in his last will and testament - tzavaa that people should come to his kever, daven, light oil candles, study Mishnayos and recite Tehillim.
Stories of Rav Mordechai Twersky of Kuzhmir zt"l
The Trisker Maggid, the Mogen Avrohom, told his son that he worked very hard for a long time to draw down his father Rav Mottele the Chernobyler Maggid’s neshoma into him. In fact, Rav Mordechai of Kozmir himself used to say, “My father davened to Hashem that I should be granted very holy, lofty souls: the neshoma of my grandfather, Rav Mordechai of Chernobyl, as well as the neshoma of the Tzaddik Rav Mordechai of Neshchiz. His prayers were answered and Hashem granted that I have these neshomos. (Panei’ach Raza Ohr HaMeir)
Once, as a young child, Rav Mordechai was in the sukka talking to some boys his age and their conversation was full of jokes and boyish, childish matters. When his father, the Trisker Maggid, saw this, he grew very upset and scolded the young child, saying, “You should know that I worked very hard to draw down my father’s neshoma into you and now here you stand, chatting about idle matters – in the sukka of all places?! Don’t you know that someone who speaks idly is like an earthernware vessel, a kli cheres, and the Halocha is that no earthenware keilim are allowed in the sukka! Hearing this, the young child began to sob uncontrollably. “There there,” the Trisker Maggid consoled him, “the din is also that regarding a kli cheres, sheviroson zehu taharoson – breaking them purifies them from any defilement and tuma. Your crying and broken heart has purified you; this is sufficient!” (Hillula Kaddish p. 182–183)
Even as a young child, Rav Mordechai’s kedusha and sanctity were evident. When he was but eight he was once present at a bris, where his father, the Trisker Maggid, served as the sandak and held the newborn baby. He observed that someone was sitting beside his father: an old man with a long white beard.
“Father, who is the elderly man sitting beside you?” he asked innocently.
“That is Eliyohu HaNovi,” answered the Trisker Maggid, “and being that you can see him, I order you too to sit beside him!” (Hillula Kaddish p. 183)
Rav Mordechai married the daughter of Rav Osher of Stolin, the son of Rav Aharon of Karlin, mechaber of the Bais Aharon. Once, the Bais Aharon asked him to come early in the morning to study with him. However, when Rav Mordechai arrived to study with his grandfather-in-law, instead he found him pacing to and fro. Finally he summoned the courage to ask why they were not studying and the Bais Aharon answered him, “Go gezunterheit – you may leave. Your grandfather, the Chernobyler Maggid, may his merit shield us, has just paid me a visit from the worlds above and warned me not to meddle in his grandson’s derech and to leave you be to follow your way.” Shortly thereafter, Rav Mordechai returned to Turesk to his father, the Trisker Maggid. (Hillula Kaddish page 183)