Reb Dovid Biderman of Lelov zy"a

Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a

ר׳ דוד לעלובער זי״ע

Years 1746–1814 Yahrzeit 7 Shevat 5574
28 January 1814 · usually January or early February Kever / tziyun The alte Beis Hachaim, Lelów (Lelov), Poland — the ohel was destroyed under the Communist regime and later rebuilt

Upcoming yahrzeit: 15 January 2027 (5787)

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Biography

Reb Dovid Biderman zy"a, founder of the Lelov dynasty, was born in 1746 (some accounts say near Lelov). He was niftar on 7 Shevat 5574 (28 January 1814). The earlier English site already described him as a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin zy"a, who was a talmid of Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a, a talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch zy"a, memaleh makom of the Baal Shem Tov zy"a.

He learned first by Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a and, after 1787, by the Chozeh of Lublin zy"a. He is remembered not for printed seforim, but for his rachmanus. The accounts say he would not speak, or hear, badly of another Yid. The Chozeh zy"a is quoted as praising him in the strongest words. Among his main talmidim was Reb Yitzchok of Vorka zy"a.

He was laid to rest in Lelov. The Beis Hachaim and ohel stood into the 1950s, were then mostly destroyed, and were rebuilt after 1988 through the avodah of Lelov Chassidim, including Reb Shimon Biderman zy"a. The ohel is again a makom where Yidden come.

Historical background

Reb Dovid zy"a's years were the blossoming of Polish Chassidus after the Maggid's histalkus: the hoifen of Lizensk, Lublin, Peshischa, Kozhnitz, and Rimanov, and later the path that led to Vorka and Amshinov. It was also the time of the last chalukos of Poland (1793, 1795) and the wars of Napoleon. After his histalkus, his son Reb Moshe zy"a eventually brought the Lelov hoif to Eretz Yisroel (arriving in 1850), a rare early Chasidic aliyah.

Before & after

Who came before

Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a — His first Rebbe
The Chozeh of Lublin zy"a — His Rebbe after Reb Elimelech's histalkus

Who came after

Reb Moshe Biderman of Lelov zy"a — His son and memaleh makom, who later settled in Eretz Yisroel
Reb Yitzchok of Vorka zy"a — A principal talmid; his son was the first Amshinover Rebbe

In his dor

Reb Mendel of Rimanov zy"a — A talmid-chaver of Reb Elimelech zy"a, a leading Galician Rebbe in the same dor

Sources

The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.

Pictures of the tziyun

The marble matzeivah of Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a, in the ohel in Lelów (Lelov), Poland. The inscription reads: the holy rav, Ohev Yisrael, Rebbeinu Dovid of Lelov, son of Reb Shlomo, niftar 7 Shevat 5574. Photo: Global Kvittel.

The same marble matzeivah of Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a in the ohel in Lelów, from another angle. Photo: Global Kvittel.

The marble matzeivah of Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a in the renovated ohel in Lelów. The inscription clearly reads Rebbeinu Dovid of Lelov, niftar 7 Shevat 5574.
Photo: קובץ על יד, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Interior of the ohel in Lelów, with the kever, a glass lantern, and a wall plaque that reads: the holy rav, Ohev Yisrael, Rebbeinu Dovid of Lelov, niftar 7 Shevat 5574.
Photo: Paweł 'pbm' Szubert, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

The exterior of the present ohel over the kever of Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a in Lelów, photographed in the snow.
Photo: מ-ב-צ, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rebbeim

Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a
Reb Yaakov Yitzchok, the Chozeh of Lublin zy"a
He was also close to the Yid HaKadosh of Peshischa zy"a and to the Maggid of Kozhnitz zy"a

Seforim

He did not mechaber a sefer, and he rarely said Torah in public. Later, stories and pieces of Torah were gathered in Migdal Dovid (Piotrkov, 1930), Likutei Divrei Dovid, Kodesh Hilulim, Pri Kodesh Hilulim, and Tiferes Beis Dovid.

What he is known for

Wonderful ahavas Yisrael — it is told that he could not speak badly of another Yid
Founder of the Lelov dynasty; his son Reb Moshe later brought the hoif to Eretz Yisroel

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Reb Dovid of Lelov zy"a — The alte Beis Hachaim, Lelów (Lelov), Poland — the ohel was destroyed under the Communist regime and later rebuilt

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