Living Legacy: Rav Elozor Rubin, zt”l, the Sassover Rebbe

Yehuda Alter 

This week’s ‘living legacy’ profiles a great tzaddik who resided on the Lower East Side of New York and was known as a poel yeshu’os in a spiritually-barren America of a century ago. 

Rav Elozor Rubin of Sassov was born to his father Rav Yaakov Yosef ABD Glogov, a descendant of Rav Osher Yeshaya Rubin of Ropshitz, who was the son-in-law of Rebbe Naftoli Tzvi of Ropshitz. His mother was Rebbetzin Hesya, a descendant of the Admorim of Koznitz. 

The Rebbe was known as a great tzaddik, a tremendous lamdan, with an incredible striving for the truth. Many people streamed to him to hear advice and counsel and to receive his brochos. People also came to witness the Rebbe’s avodas hakodesh, and the Rebbe was known to be moser nefesh for even the smallest minhag. 

On the 24th of Av of the year 1873, his father was niftar when he was only ten years old. A short while later, his paternal grandfather, the Glogover Rebbe was niftar. The Divrei Chaim of Sanz took in the young boy and raised him as his own child. The Sassover Rebbe merited to be drawn close to the tzaddik and drew much inspiration from being in his inner circle up to the passing of the Divrei Chaim in 1876. 

The Rebbe married the daughter of Rebbe Uri Langner of Rohatin, and together the couple gave birth to a son, Rav Elimelech. Tragically, the Rebbetzin passed away at a young age. He got married for the second time to Rebbetzin Rechil, the daughter of the Sassover Rebbe. The couple remained in Sassov, and the Rebbe devoted his days and nights to learning with incredible diligence. 

In addition, he became known as an incredible ba’al menagen, and he composed numerous beautiful niggunim that endure to this day. He was also an incredibly heartfelt ba’al tefillah. 

During World War One, the Sassover chasidim in America prevailed upon the Rebbe to come and lead them, and he acquiesced, arriving in the United States in the year 1920. Despite the darkness of America at that time, the Rebbe did not budge one hairsbreadth from the traditions of his holy forefathers. He was an expert mohel and performed many brissim according to the traditions of yore. 

In 1930, the Rebbe published his sefer Zichron Elozor.

The Rebbe was niftar on the 16th of Teves of the year 1933 and was interred in the Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, New York. His ohel has served as a magnet for Yidden to come and draw yeshu’os and miracles just as they did during the Rebbe’s lifetime.