Daugavpils / Dvinsk / Dinabug / Denenborg / Denabarg
Born in Kupishok, Lithuania, in 5634 (1874).1)
He studied at the Volozhin Yeshiva.
He married on 9 Adar 5655 the daughter of R. Mordechai Eliashberg, rabbi of Bauska, five years after the passing of his father-in-law.
In 5660 he was accepted as rabbi in the town of Pashvitin2), district of Kovna.
During the First World War he traveled to Russia and was accepted as rabbi in the city of Bakhmach, Ukraine. He was then accepted as rabbi in Sumy, district of Kharkiv, and served there in the rabbinate for eight years.
In 5689 (1929) he was appointed rabbi of the Mitnagdim congregation in Dvinsk.
He passed away on 20 Tishrei 5697 (6 October 1936) in Riga, and was brought to rest in Dvinsk.
On his tombstone it is written: “Forty-five years he bore the dignity of rabbi in several important holy congregations.”
His annotations on the responsa Teshuvot LaShoel were printed there at the end of the book. Torah novellae from him were printed in Yagdil Torah (Slutsk) and in the monthly Kol Torah (Jerusalem). A letter from him was printed in Gano veHitzil, vol. 2 (Brooklyn 5697).
Yahadut Latviya, p. 391. Yahadut Lita, vol. 3, p. 57 — what is written there, that he perished in the Holocaust, is an error. Monthly Sha'arei Tzion, Tishrei–Shevat 5697.
Text of his tombstone:
Here is stored the holy ark —
our teacher and rabbi, crown of our head,
the great Gaon, righteous man and humble:
our master the Rabbi R. Elchanan, may the memory of a righteous and holy man be for a blessing,
a righteous priest, upholding every breach,
son of the great Torah scholar
R. Aharon Yehuda Leib HaKohen, may the memory of a righteous man be for a blessing.
Forty-five years he bore the dignity of rabbi
in several important holy congregations,
and from 5689 rabbi and Av Beit Din of our city, may it be protected.
Torah scholars benefited from the light of his Torah,
and the common people from his wisdom and his upright life (?).
He was summoned to the heavenly yeshiva,
20 Tishrei, year 5697.
Alas for us, woe for us, woe!
In peace may he rest until he rises to life.
Latvia and Rabbis