Living Legacy: Rebbe Mordechai Shraga Feivush of Husyatin

Yehuda Alter 

The 22nd of Iyar marks the yohrtzeit of the Husyatiner Rebbe, the sixth child of the Heilige Ruziner. 

The Rebbe was born on the 20th of Iyar of the year 1834 in the town of Ruzin. His father was Rebbe Yisroel of Ruzin, the son of Rebbe Sholom Shachna of Prohbisht, the son of Rebbe Avrohom Hamalach, who was the son of the Maggid of Mezrich. His mother was Rebbetzin Sarah who likewise hailed from tzaddikim. 

His father named him Mordechai, after his uncle Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl, saying, “People are surely wondering why I named my son for someone who is still alive. They don’t understand that our uncle has not been on This World for thirteen years already!” 

He also said that his six children are each k’negged another one of the sedorim of Shishah Sidrei Mishanh, and this son is Seder Taharos, since he is an exceptionally holy and pure child. 

Indeed, the tzaddikim of his generation attested to his exceptional holiness, and his avodas Hashem with great mesirus nefesh. He did everything to conceal his greatness, but he later became known for his greatness in Torah as well as his superhuman avodas Hashem. 

In 1850, he married Rebbetzin Brocho, and four months later, his father, the Heilige Ruziner left this world. 

For a while, he led the kehillah in Ruzin together with his brother, Rebbe Shalom Yosef of Sadigura, but he later moved away to various towns, until he came to Husyatin where he would remain until his petirah. 

Husyatin was a small town, but due to the presence of the tzaddik, it became a magnet for thousands of chassidim who came to draw light and inspiration from the Husyatiner. The Rebbe was involved in all aspects of Yiddishkeit in the town—erecting mikva’os, yeshivos, and all other needs for a Yiddishe kehillah.

He was known as a tremendous ga’on, and a poe’l yeshuos, and his avodah was with great deveikus and fervor. Many of his chassidim were exalted ovdei Hashem. 

The Rebbe did not speak much—even in divrei Torah, and certainly not in mundane matters, and he dedicated most of his day to learning with tremendous diligence.

Two days before his passing, the Rebbe was already confined to his sickbed, and he instructed the meshamshim not to ask him anything because he would no longer answer. The Rebbe entered a deep state of deveikus, and he was niftar two days later. 

The Rebbe’s holy neshomoh left this world on 22 Iyar 1894—130 years ago—and he lies interred in the Beis Hachaim in Husyatin.