December 29, 2023 · 00:07:00
Yahrtzeit Yomi #894!! טז טבת Rav Chaim Kreiswirth Rav of Antwerp רב חיים ב״ר אברהם יוסף גאב"ד אנטווערפען (1918 - 2001) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Today, 16 Teves, marks the 22nd Yahrtzeit of Rav Chaim Kreiswirth ZTL. Rav Kreiswirth was the longtime Rosh Av Beis Din in Antwerp, Belgium, and the founder and Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Merkaz HaTorah in Jerusalem. Already in his youth, Reb Chaim was renowned for his phenomenal brilliance, excellent character traits and geniality, and was dubbed the "Cracover Illui" at the young age of 15, in recognition of his prodigious powers of Talmudic analysis. Reb Chaim studied for many years in the famous Torah centers of Poland and Lithuania. Upon application to the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva, he was tested by the Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Meir Shapiro. Rav Shapiro was duly impressed by Reb Chaim’s proficiency in all aspects of Torah. Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski as well as Rav Chanoch Henoch Eigis (both of Vilna) were very fond of him, and gave his sefer on Tractate Zevachim a warm approbation (the manuscript of which was lost during World War II). As accomplished as the Rav was in the realm of Torah Scholarship, so was he proficient in the realm of chessed and tzedakah, particularly as it pertained to the plight of young widows and orphans. Many hundreds across the globe, found tremendous financial support and relief, thanks to the untiring efforts of the ״אנטווערפען רב״ (as he was admiringly known). Ra