It is with sadness that we inform of the passing of Rabbi Yechezkel Besser, ob"m, Rav of Congregation Yisroel Chaim in NYC and member of the Agudas Yisroel Presidium. Rabbi Besser's wife is an einikel of the Alter Rebbe and his family is listed in the Sefer Hatzetzoim.
Rabbi Besser merited to have many kiruvim from the Rebbe and a close relationship with Bais HaRav, as well as yechidus with the Rebbe,and related his special experiences in the JEM series My Encounter.
An amazing story that was told by Rabbi Besser about a yechidus with the Rebbe that he emrited in the chof or lamed years. Not all the details are available, and possibly not all are accurate. It seems that the Bais Yisroel of Gur sent Rabbi Besser to the Rebbe in order to ask the Rebbe to participate in a booklet of chidushei Torah that was to be published in honor of the Siyum HaShas for those who learn the Daf Hayomi.
Some of the points that the Rebbe mentioned in the yechidus
Rabbi Meir Shapira was a "yedid" of the Rebbe the shver and he even participated in my chasene, obviously his takona is precious to me.
The Rebbe used the expression "Ich halt mit". It was unclear to Rabbi Besser whether that meant that the Rebbe learnt the daily daf, or that he paid attention to the goings on.
The Rebbe smiled and said, did you not notice that the siyumim that I make are almost always on the masechta of the Daf Hayomi, or one that they recently concluded?
Concerning his participation in the booklet, the Rebbe said that after his visit to the Tzion of the Rebbe the Shver he will reply.
Two weeks later, Rabbi Chodakov called Rabbi Besser and dictated the Rebbe's answer to him: The gist of the answer was that since the Frierdiker Rebbe did not participate in this takono, the Rebbe is precluded from doing anything that his father in law did not do, but he will, iy"H send a letter of greeting to the siyum.
Source: Bechadrei Charedim
To view Rabbi Besser relating about his encounters, click here
