Bidspirit auction | Eulogy for the Holy Gaon

Eulogy for the Holy Gaon Rabbi Elyakim Getz Bodanzky ABD Kormend, in the handwriting of the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Leib Königsberger ABD Steinamanger. - A moving eulogy on the passing of the Holy Gaon Rabbi Elyakim Getz Bodansky Rabbi of Kormend written in manuscript by the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Leib Königsberger, Av Beit Din of Steinamanger. It was delivered during the days of BeHaB when the community gathered in the synagogue for a fast. The author notes that the gaon passed away on the night of Yom Kippur. On p. 6 he writes in his eulogy: “Two of the great leaders of the generation have been taken from us: the great gaon, our master and teacher Rabbi Elyakim , Av Beit Din of the holy community of Körmend, and the gaon Rabbi Aryeh Yehuda Leib of the holy community of Kittsee. Two pillars of fire who illuminated our path through their leadership.” He further writes:  “For although in the life of the gaon of blessed memory we saw only righteousness in matters of money, and he never deviated even a single step from the path of his fathers, directing everything for the benefit of the townspeople—in the fear of God and in acts of kindness—nevertheless scoffers informed against him and searched for ways to attribute ulterior motives to each and every one of his good deeds. This about a man who lived his entire life in suffering and self-affliction. And we saw at the time of his death, when Yom Kippur had just begun, a short time before he passed away, when they anointed him, how distressed he was that he had transgressed the five afflictions mentioned in the Mishnah. Yet he comforted himself that it was necessary, since he was in danger and the preservation of life overrides these prohibitions.” The Goly Gaon Rabbi Elikim Getz Bodansky was born in the city of Deutschkreutz (Tzehlem) in 1781 to his father R. Yuzpa Brantsch, son of R. Leib of Trittisch. He was a disciple of Rabbi Levi Pollak, Av Beit Din of Deutschkreutz. In 1804, at only twenty-three years of age, he was appointed Av Beit Din of Kobersdorf, and two years later he became Av Beit Din of Körmend, where he served for thirty-nine years until his passing on the night of Yom Kippur 1845. He corresponded in halachic matters with the leading sages of his generation. The holy gaon Rabbi Moses Sofer refers to him in his responsa with exalted titles such as “a worker of wonders, ” “the remarkable and diligent one, ” “the great luminary and distinguished rabbi, ” and more. He authored the responsa work Noda LeMisgav and the book Misgav Le’Itot, but both were never printed and were lost over the years. The Gaon Rabbi Aryeh Yehuda Leib Popper was born in 1776 in Stomfa and was a student of the Chatam Sofer in Pressburg. From 1812 he served as rabbi of Tschoss, and in 1823 he was appointed rabbi of Kittsee. He passed away in Vienna on 26 Elul 1844 and was buried in Kittsee. The author of the manuscript, the gaon Rabbi Yehuda Leib Königsberger, Av Beit Din of Steinamanger, was born in 1791 to his father Rabbi Ozer of Deutschkreutz. He was also a disciple of the Chatam Sofer. He married the daughter of the wealthy R. Aharon Ungar of Rechnitz. By 1818 he was already serving as a dayan in Rechnitz and was the right hand of the Av Beit Din, the gaon Rabbi Alexander Meisels. Later he was appointed the first Av Beit Din of the community of Steinamanger (Szombathely), serving from 1839 until his passing in 1862. 13 written sides.