Preiļi

Born in 5619 (1859) in Volozhin.

He served in the rabbinate in the town of Pozeluva (Padzelvė), and was known by the epithet “the Pozelover rabbi.”¹⁾

He served as rabbi here from 5657 (1897).

The Gaon of Rogatchov held him in very high regard and was accustomed to say of him: “Feivke ken lernen” (“Feivke knows how to learn”).

He perished in the Holocaust with the members of his community in the month of Menachem Av 5701 (August 1941).

In the responsa Tsafnat Pa'aneach, vol. 1 (Jerusalem 5725), responsa of the Gaon of Rogatchov to him were printed (sections 10–11) from the year 5670.

Yahadut Latviya, pp. 385–6. Latvia: Batei Knesset VeRabbanim, p. 244, where it states he was rabbi in Ponedel (Pandel) before this, in the years 5652–5657 (1892–1897). Pinkas HaKehillot, p. 209.

His letter of thanks to R. Mordechai Dubin for assistance in obtaining a plot of land, and request for further help:

Preil, the eve of Shabbat, the Torah portion of “for Your salvation I have hoped” —

May the mountains bear peace and blessing to the honor of the friend of God and of my soul, the rabbi, the Gaon, renowned for name and praise, who seeks the good of his people — the distinguished Mr. Mordechai Dubin, may he live —

After greeting you:

I hereby give thanks and blessing to your distinguished honor for his good deed in troubling himself greatly on my behalf to obtain the plot of land so necessary for us; may God grant that I merit serving him in worthy ways.

Now I turn to him in the following: on Wednesday after this coming Shabbat, January 7, there will be a session of the plan committee and plot of land number 368 will be brought before them for confirmation; please, in his goodness and kindness, go to the above-mentioned Plenar session and see that it is confirmed, for perhaps some protest will be lodged against the said land. My hope strengthens me that he will surely find a place for my request; I have been brief and lean on his precious honor that he will do, with God's help, what is within his power, and he who begins a mitzvah is told to finish it.

And I am his friend and admirer; may his peace and wellbeing increase all his days, as he desires and as desires one whose heart is with him, A. Shraga Weisboard.

I beseech his distinguished honor: when the said plot of land number 368 is confirmed, please be good enough to inform me.

Latvia and Rabbis