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R. Moshe son of R. Arye Tzvi Zilberblat

Krustpils / Kreutzburg

His origin is from the district of Brisk.1)

He served from 5665 as rabbi in Novhardok,2) and at the beginning of 5667 (1906) was elected rabbi here.3)

Author of the books: She'elot uTeshuvot Moshe MiBechurav (first edition, Podgórze near Kraków, 5659; second edition, Vilna 5672); Tiferet Bachurim (first edition, Warsaw 5664; second edition, Vilna 5673).4)

In the newspaper HaZman, 25 Sivan 5674, a letter was printed from the Gaon R. Meir Simcha HaKohen, rabbi of Dvinsk, “to the honor of my distinguished friend, the notables of the congregation of God in the city of Uman,” that it is proper to appoint him as rabbi in their community (and from the headline “letter of congratulation” it appears they accepted him as rabbi).

More about him in Me'orei Yisrael, pp. 278 ff. In the book Gedolei HaDorot, vol. 3, p. 1041, it is written (without citing a source) that he passed away in 5694. It should be noted that there are those who speak highly of him, and there are those who do not. This is not the place to discuss it.

Latvia and Rabbis

1)
So he writes on the title page of his book She'elot uTeshuvot Moshe MiBechurav, first edition.
2)
At the beginning of his books a letter was printed from R. Mordechai, rabbi of Oshmyany and Slonim, from 22 Sivan 5665, blessing him on receiving this appointment. But it is puzzling that in the heading of the letter he writes “the rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the holy congregation of Kreutzburg,” while he himself writes in this letter that he was elected rabbi in Novhardok and only later was elected rabbi in Kreutzburg.
3)
In his books a congratulatory letter was printed from R. Yaakov Kapilavitch, rabbi in Minsk, from the beginning of 5667, blessing him on being appointed rabbi here. Also in the introduction to his book She'elot uTeshuvot Moshe MiBechurav, second edition, written in 5671, he writes: “the city and mother in Israel, the city of Kreutzburg, may it be preserved — for about five years I have been accepted there as rabbi and teacher” (though there are those who cast doubt on the authenticity of these approbations).
4)
There a congratulatory letter was printed from R. David Jakobson, the rabbinic decisor in Lubavitch. In the second edition, at the beginning of the book, a letter was printed from the Gaon R. Meir Simcha HaKohen on the obligation to provide a kosher mikveh here in Kreutzburg.