Dovid Biderman

Polish Rabbi (1746-1814)

Rabbi Dovid Biderman
Title	Lelover Rebbe
Personal
Born	1745 (1745) Lelów, Poland
Died	January 28, 1814 (1814-01-29) (aged 59) Lelów, Poland
Religion	Judaism
Spouse	Chana
Jewish leader
Successor	Rabbi Moshe Biderman (son-in-law of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowicz)

Yahrtzeit	7 Shevat^[1] (5574)
Dynasty	Lelov

Grand Rabbi Dovid Biderman (1746-1814)^[2] of Lelów was the founder of the Lelov Hassidic dynasty. He is commonly referred to as "Reb Dovid Lelover".

Biography

Rabbi Dovid of Lelov was a disciple of the Seer of Lublin, a disciple of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, who was a disciple of the Magid of Mezritsh, the successor to and leading disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.^[2]

There is a Hasidic legend that Napoleon Bonaparte asked Rabbi Dovid of Lelov if he would be successful in his conquest of Russia. The rebbe told the Emperor that he would not. After Napoleon's defeat, he allegedly passed through Lelov and told the Rebbe that he was indeed correct. He then gave the Rebbe his velvet cloak. The Hasidim say that Rabbi Moshe of Lelov, the son of Rabbi Dovid, took the cloak to Jerusalem with him, and made the cover for the Holy Ark in his synagogue from it.^[3]^[4]

References

^ "Yahrtzeit of Harav Dovid of Lelov, Zy"a, Marked in Poland". Hamodia. January 29, 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Grand Rabbi Dovid Biderman, The Lelover Rebbe". Geni.com. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
^ Parashas T'tzaveh 5755. Breslov.com
^ "Napoleon's Red Velvet Cloak". chabadaz.com. Chabad of Arizona. Retrieved 14 January 2021.

External links

Migdal Dovid biography written by Rabbi Mordechai Bruckman and republished by Rabbi Shlomo Zev Zweigenhaft.
Kodesh Hilulim biography written by Rabbi Moshe Yair Weinstock
Reb Dovid Lelover's Special Kol Nidre on Stitcher.com.
Rav Dovid Lelover and the Rebbe Rayatz of Chabad zy"a by Rabbi Yehoshua Rubenstein on yutorah.org
Reb Dovid of Lelov - Is It A Crime To Favor Your Own Child? on "revach.net"