On the first day of Chanukah, Rabbi Yochanan Twersky, the Tolner Rebbe of Jerusalem passed away at the age of 93. Thousands upon thousands participated in the funeral which began in Bnei Brak, where the Viznitzer Rebbe led the cortege. During the last few weeks, the Tolner Rebbe lived in Bnai Brak where his Chassidim had set up a special house and shul for him.
The hearse then continued on toward Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem, where the Rebbe’s home and shul were. It then proceeded to the Bes Medrash of his grandson Rabbi Yitzchok Weinberg in the Bucharin section and from there to Har Hazeisim, where he was interred near his wife.
From Bayit Vegan until Har Hazeisim, the procession proceeded by foot. The funeral lasted several hours into the evening.
Among those attending the funeral were many great Rabbinical luminaries as well as Hasidic leaders of Israel including the Belzer Rebbe, Gerrer Rebbe, Rachmastrivker Rebbe, Stoliner Rebbe, Amshiniver Rebbe, Zeviller Rebbe and the Boyaner Rebbe among others.
There were no eulogies delivered as that was his wish and also because of Chanukah.
It is interesting to note that Rabbi Yochanan Twerksy used to quote on Chanukah the famous vort of Reb Chaim Antenu, of why doesn’t one say Shehechiyanu (the blessing that one has lived to see this day) when one passes on to the next world. Rabbi Chaim Antenu was zoche (blessed) to die on the first day of Chanukah after he said the Shehechiyanu. Rabbi Yochanan Twersky was also zocheh to pass away right after he completed the three brochos on the first night of Chanukah.
Rabbi Yochanan Twersky, who was born ninety-three years ago in Tolshin, Russia came from a long line of Hassidic rebbes. He was a descendant of Rabbi Dovid of Tolno and the son of Rabbi Mordechai Dovid of Tolno. His father was reportedly the first Rebbe in New York.
When Rabbi Yochanan Twersky was thirteen, he wanted to go to Eretz Yisroel to learn. His father didn’t permit it saying, “should I allow my only son to leave me?” At that time Yochanan was the youngest, born after three daughters. “Do you mean to say,” young Yochanan answered, “that if you had another son, then you would permit me to go?”
“Yes,” answered his father, agreeing, not dreaming for a moment that after thirteen years he would still have a child. “If I’ll have another son, you can go.”
Sure enough the following year, a son was born to his parents, and Yochanan was permitted to travel to Eretz Yisroel.
There was always a joke in the family that it was thanks to his brochoh, the Tolner Rebbe’s parents had another son.
In Eretz Yisroel he studied in Yeshiva Ohel Moshe in Jerusalem and received ordination from Rabbi Yitzchak Yeruchom Diskin and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.
He was married to his beloved Rebbetzin Tzipporah Pearl, the daughter of the Strettiner Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Langner of Toronto, Canada.
In 1934 he came to Montreal where he opened a Bais Medrash. At the time, his was the second Hasidic Beis Merash to open in Montreal. The first belonged to my grandfather, Rabbi David Flam, also known as the Olesker Rebbe, an older son-in-law of the Strettiner Rebbe, married to my grandmother Sarah Langner.
Many Hassidic Rebbes who traveled through the city, often stayed at the Tolner Rebbe’s home including the former Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum and Rabbi Yaakov of Karlin Stolen.
In 1950 he moved to Israel when his only child, Gitel and her husband Rabbi Yisroel Weinberg immigrated to Kfar Darom. The Tolner Rebbe at that time moved with his Rebbetzin to Rechavia on Rechov Abarbanel near the Tchebiner Rebbe.
Soon after he moved to Beit HaKerem and then eventually moved to Bayit Vegan in Jerusalem where he made his home.
He learned in Chavrusa with the late Rabbi Dovid Jungreis and the late Rabbi Simcha Bunim Verner.
The late Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach used to say about him in jest that he knew the entire Shas from the Chok. The Chok was a book for laymen that had quotes of the Talmud. Rabbi Auerbach would say this about him because each time Rabbi Auerbach would mention to him a certain Gemorrah, Rabbi Yochanan would know it and say, “just saw it in the Chok.”
Rabbi Yochana Twersky was one of the kindest sweetest persons one could meet.
When I was a student in Jerusalem, I would frequent his home often as he was my great-uncle. One particular Shabbos meal remains in my memory. My vivacious great aunt, Mima Perel , his rebbetzin had invited my cousin Esther Nemetsky and me for Friday night dinner with them. Since I knew what a Grand Rabbi he was, I had been wondering that he would sit at the table with two young single women even though we were related.
I didn’t have long to wonder. The Tolner Rebbe walked in on Friday with a huge challah; it must have been half of his height.
“Look what a beautiful challah we have for Shabbos,” he said to us. “Such a big Challah deserves its own table. I think it would be a good idea to place the Challahs on a separate table,” he continued.
He then took a separate table, set upon it a white table cloth, placed wine, the Kiddush cup and the Challahs and then said, “I think I’m going to have to sit with the big Challah,”.
And that is how he was able to sit separately without making us feel uncomfortable.
We roared with laughter then, not knowing that Esther would eventually marry his grandson Shloime Weinberg.
His eating alone at the separate table lasted a short time. Before long his chassidim came to take him to his shul which was in the same building on Rechov Hapisgah 60 where “er hat gefiert tish” (he received his chassidim).
Another Friday afternoon, I remember him coming in with a huge smile on his face. “Hernor” (listen) he called his rebbetizn. He always called her “hernor” not by her name for respect.
“I bought you a present,” he said.
He then put his hand in his bekeshe pocket and out came a petrishke (parsnip)! “Lekovod Shabbos, for the soup,” he said smiling.
His home was always joyful and he was always smiling. I loved to visit. I would sit there for hours listening to the beautiful poetry that his Rebbetzin had composed about various Jewish themes. She was beautiful and a dynamic personality. “We Pearls are alike, ” she used to say to me and we would always laugh together.
Several years ago, when the Tolner Rebbe was in his high eighties, and I asked him how he was feeling, he said to me, “Baruch Hashem, He has given me a long life. Look how good Hashem has been to me. I have lived to be in my eighties. I have much to be grateful for.”
During my recent trip to Israel two weeks ago, I went to Bnei Brak with my husband Moti to visit him. He was sleeping and we were told he would be resting for many hours, that it would not be advisable to wait. I had hoped to return later that day, but alas it was not to be.
Although it will not be discussed until the Shiva is over, it is presumed that the oldest grandson, Reb Yitzchok Weinberg, who is a brilliant Talmid Chochom and a tremendous personality may be appointed the new Tolner Rebbe.
American Jewish Times, Dec. 18, 1998 29 Kislev 5759