tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6453787673476195995.post2280248199671939232..comments2024-03-28T23:20:49.777-05:00Comments on Beis Vaad L'Chachamim: Reb Meir Simcha's YahrtzeitEliezer Eisenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16036989084122930226noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6453787673476195995.post-48966639789401597352012-08-22T12:04:35.946-05:002012-08-22T12:04:35.946-05:00How was he supposed to know the difference between...How was he supposed to know the difference between shin and sin -- he's a Litvak! >grin><br><br>My greatgrandfather, Rav Yisrael Avraham Abba Krieger, later R' Yisrael Avraham Abba Meir Simcha Krieger, spent a number of years living with his rebbe, R' Meir Simcha haKohein miDvinsk.<br><br>I had the opportunity to fly to Israel to see my maternal grandfather, his son, one last time before my grandfather's passing. He was already bedridden, and "Grandpa" spent that week telling me more interesting parts of his life story.<br><br>But when discussing his father and his rebbe, you could hear the yir'ah in my grandfather's voice. It was always "HaRav Meir Simchah haKohein miDvinsk", never "he", never even "Rav Meir Simcha". And my grandfather would try to sit up while doing so.<br><br>My greatgrandfather, who went on to be the shtat-rav in Kashduri (Litta), the non-Austritt Kehillah in Frankfurt, and Boston (RYBS's precessor), was obviously close to the rebbetzin. After all he lived in her home from his adolescence through to his wedding day. At Rav Meir Simchah's levayah, R' Yisrael Avraham Abba took on his rebbe's names to keep them alive in his family. R' Meir Simchah had no living children at the time of his passing, and the rebbetzin was worried that the name would be lost in Israel.<br><br>Anyway, Rav Meir Simcha was known in Litta as THE rav to go to when you had Shalom Bayis issues. So, after his petirah, many many thankful couples named children after him. Which is part of the reason why he was zokheh not to really need my greatgrandfather's gesture -- Meir Simcha is a common name pair, much more so than many other rabbanim. But it did comfort the almanah, so it wasn't for naught.Micha Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612144735431285113noreply@blogger.com