English Translation
Similarly, [Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz in his youth] was very much beloved by Rabbi Yaakov David Willowsky (the Ridvaz), who greatly enjoyed studying with him. Once, he fell ill and didn’t come to the study hall for several days. One day, the Ridvaz came to his house at the edge of the city to visit him and discuss Torah studies, which was quite remarkable. The great Ridvaz himself came to visit a young boy. This strong connection continued even during the brief period when our Rabbi [Rabbi Baruch Ber] lived in Slutsk after his marriage. Our Rabbi is the only one whom the Ridvaz cites twice in his commentary on the Jerusalem Talmud. In one instance he writes: (Nedarim Chapter 2, Law 4) “And my dear friend Rabbi Baruch Dov, may he live long [n”y], asked me…”
[From “The Rabbi Who Resembled an Angel” (Jerusalem 2005) p. 6]
Original Hebrew Version
…כְּמוֹ כֵן הִתְחַבֵּב [הַגָּאוֹן רַבִּי בָּרוּךְ בֶּער לֵיבּוֹבִיץ בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ] מְאֹד עַל הַגָּאוֹן רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב דָּוִד וִילוֹבְסְקִי הָרִידְבָּ”ז שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁתַּעֲשֵׁעַ עִמּוֹ רַבּוֹת בְּלִמּוּד. פַּעַם חָלָה וְלֹא הִגִּיעַ כַּמָּה יָמִים לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. וְהִנֵּה יוֹם אֶחָד מַגִּיעַ הָרִידְבָּ”ז לְבֵיתוֹ בִּקְצֵה הָעִיר לְבַקְּרוֹ וּלְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ בְּלִמּוּד, וַיְהִי לְפֶלֶא. הַגָּאוֹן רִידְבָּ”ז בְּעַצְמוֹ מַגִּיעַ לְבַקֵּר נַעַר צָעִיר. קֶשֶׁר אַמִּיץ זֶה נִמְשַׁךְ גַּם בַּתְּקוּפָה הַקְּצָרָה שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ [הַגְּרַבָּ”בּ] הִתְגּוֹרֵר בִּסְלוּצְק אַחַר נִשּׂוּאָיו. רַבֵּנוּ הַיָּחִיד שֶׁהָרִידְבָּ”ז מְבִיאוֹ פַּעֲמַיִם בְּחִבּוּרוֹ לִירוּשַׁלְמִי בְּפַעַם אַחַת הוּא כּוֹתֵב: (נְדָרִים פֶּרֶק ב’ הֲלָכָה ד’) “וְהִקְשָׁה לִי יְדִידִי הָרַב ר’ בָּרוּךְ דֹּב נ”י…”
הרב הדומה למלאך״ (ירושלים תשס״ה) עמי 6
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