Rav Noach Shachor of Biala zt"l
הרב נח בן יצחק אייזיק שחר זצ"ל
Tishrei 6 , 5670
Rav Noach Shachor of Biala zt"l
Rav Noach Shachor was the son of Rav Yitzchok Eizik of Mir. Rav Yitzchok Eizik was a wealthy Chassid and Talmid Chochom who traveled to the courts of Kotzk and later Ger. Rav Chaim Berlin, the son of the Netziv of Volozhin, married the daughter of Rav Yitzchok Eizik.
Rav Noach, too, was a Chassid of the Kotzker Rebbe, and often traveled to the court in Kotzk. Later, after the petira of the Kotzker Rebbe, Rav Noach traveled to the Gerrer Rebbes. He learned at times with the Avnei Nezer.
It is related that a few hours before the petira of the Chiddushei HaRim, his Rebbetzin asked him what shidduch should be made for his grandson, the infant Avrohom Mordechai, later the Imrei Emes. The Chiddushei HaRim answered that he had set his eye on three of the Chassidim: Rav Lipman, Rav Noach Shachor and Rav Chaim Elazar Wachs, the Nefesh Chaya.
When the time came, the daughter of Rav Noach was suggested to the Sfas Emes for his son, Rav Avrohom Mordechai. The wedding was held in 5641/1881. It is interesting to note that the words of the Chiddushei HaRim were not for naught; all three people that he mentioned later became mechutonim of his children.
Rav Noach lived in Biale, where he headed a Yeshiva in his home for over forty years.
He was fluent in the entire Rashba. Once, during a shiur, one of the talmidim quoted a Rashba that did not entirely agree with the chiddush of Rav Noach. Upon hearing the Rashba, and realizing that he had overlooked and forgotten this Rashba, Rav Noach fainted due to the pain and anguish of forgetting the words of the Rashba.
Rav Noach was renowned for his hasmoda. When a bochur took leave of Rav Noach before one Sukkos, Rav Noach asked him a difficult question and told him to work it out during his vacation. When this bochur heard that a fire had broken out in the home of Rav Noach, he traveled back to Biale to see what could be salvaged. He came on Chol HaMo’ed Sukkos, and saw that the entire house was burned to ashes; only the sukka was still standing, and Rav Noach was sitting in the sukka learning. Seeing the dire situation, the bochur began to cry. When Rav Noach noticed him crying, he comforted the bochur, “Even if you haven’t yet found an answer to my question - that is no reason to cry.” Rav Noach couldn’t even imagine that the bochur was crying over the burned house.
Rav Noach was niftar on the sixth of Tishrei 5670/1909.
Zecher tzaddik livrachah.
www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-6-tishreiseptember-30/