And Moshe Ascended to G-d • The Life of the Holy Chassid

From a childhood in Tel Aviv to the fateful decision that changed worlds in the home of his primary teacher. A life of extreme prishus (asceticism), immense diligence, and total bitul (nullification) of worldly life:

The life story of this holy Chassid, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Tzanani zt"l (of blessed memory).

The Chassid, Gaon, and Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Tzanani was born on Wednesday, the 16th of Nissan, the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach (the intermediate days of Passover), 5713 (1953), to his father Mordechai and his mother Yemima, of blessed memory. During his childhood and youth, he grew up in the city of Tel Aviv. Like others of his age, he enlisted in the army, and after his discharge, he began studying at Tel Aviv University. Due to his sharp mind, all who knew him predicted great things for him. Day by day he progressed, becoming the most outstanding student in the entire university.

In his 23rd year, he met R' Moshe Shvili, who brought him for the first time to our teacher and mentor, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days). When the Rav and the student first met, Rabbi Tzanani decided without hesitation: "Here I shall dwell, for I have desired it," leaving behind the throne of glory and all the immense success that awaited him just outside the door. He clung to the holy path of Rebbe Nachman zy"a (may his merit protect us) in the light of his primary teacher and Rav. After a few weeks, he realized there was an enormous potential in a movement that could change the face of the entire generation and return it to its source. One day, while he was sitting and engaged in study in Rabbi Berland's room, the Rav entered. He stood up and asked our teacher and mentor shlit"a to open the "Shuvu Banim" Yeshiva. Rabbi Berland replied that he did not want to be involved in public affairs and wished to sit and diligently study the Torah. However, he insisted and informed his teacher and Rav that he would not leave the room until he opened the Shuvu Banim Yeshiva. Thus, in the year 5737 (1977), Shuvu Banim Yeshiva was opened in his merit—Rabbi Moshe Tzanani merited to be the first student of Shuvu Banim and the primary catalyst for its establishment—the establishment of hundreds of generations of ba'alei teshuvah (returnees to the faith).

From his first day until his last, he would sit hunched over his books facing the Holy of Holies, meditating on the Holy Torah, the joy of his life. He was proficient and sharp in all the hidden depths of the Torah, both in Nigleh (revealed Torah) and Nistar (hidden/Kabbalistic Torah). He completed the holy Shas (Talmud) countless times with deep, analytical study. Veterans of the Yeshiva relate that for entire days he could sit glued to the Gemara and the Ketzos HaChoshen (a classic legal work) without moving his eyes.

He was a servant of Hashem with wondrous intensity; fasts and prishus (asceticism) were his portion all the days of his life, while his soul, a pillar of fire, burned and ascended to infinite levels. It was a wonder that even during prayers he was glued to the Siddur (prayer book), praying like one counting coins with his finger, letter after letter—not because he did not know the prayer perfectly, but because he wanted to cling to the holy letters that grant wisdom. He merited to be among the pioneers who broke the path to the holy Tziyun (grave site) in the city of Uman.

Aside from Torah and Avodah (divine service), he did not neglect the pillar of Chesed (kindness); every Erev Shabbos (Friday afternoon), he would give thousands of shekels to hundreds of needy families, in addition to the Tzedakah (charity) he would distribute to every poor and destitute person.

For years, he was the primary student and the greatest of the disciples of our teacher and mentor, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. He merited to raise hundreds and thousands of students, bringing them closer to Judaism, attaching them to the Tzaddik of our generation, and being a help to them, giving each one counsel and wisdom with a radiant countenance.

In recent years, his pure body succumbed to the fasts, self-mortification, and the terrible prishus (asceticism) he took upon himself. Consequently, he became bedridden. He was hospitalized for long periods; by great miracles, his spirit remained with us to heal the crushed and broken-hearted. However, he required connection to an oxygen machine. Despite his medical condition, in a wondrous miracle that cannot be explained naturally, with immense self-sacrifice, he continued to serve his Creator without any flaw or the slightest change from his holy path.

He would arrive every morning at our Beis Medrash (study hall). The walk that should have taken about five minutes sometimes took over half an hour (!) due to his medical condition. Despite everything, he would not give up and came every day and every Shabbos; sometimes in the heavy frost, he would walk a few steps and stop again to catch his breath. Every day he would deliver words of the Living G-d from the "Flowing Spring" (Rebbe Nachman) that goes out to water the garden for a long hour. Often, he would choke up in the middle of delivering the shiur (Torah lesson), but he did not stop at all.

On Sunday, the 1st of Teves, while standing in prayer, he suddenly fell to the ground with his remaining strength. His attendants, who rushed to lift him, wanted to take him immediately to the hospital, but he insisted on finishing the Shacharis (morning) prayer of Rosh Chodesh Teves while his entire being writhed in terrible and immense agony. Only after the prayer did he allow himself to be taken to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, his condition deteriorated significantly, and for two weeks, doctors fought for his life while prayers for his complete healing were held constantly. This past Shabbos, during the portion of "And Moshe returned to Hashem," at the time of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin (the time of the third Sabbath meal), the time of the passing of Moshe Re'aya Meheimna (Moses the Faithful Shepherd), the Arelim (angels) and Metzokim (mortals) seized the Holy Ark. Close to the conclusion of Shabbos, the Arelim overcame the Metzokim and the Ark of G-d was captured (a metaphor for the passing of a Tzaddik) – – –

The Chassid, Gaon, and Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Tzanani zt"l was called to the Heavenly Yeshiva on the Holy Shabbos – the 21st of the month of Teves, at the age of 72, years full and overflowing with the service of Hashem until his final day.

His funeral procession departed on Motzaei Shabbos (Saturday night) from the home of our teacher and mentor shlit"a on HaChoma HaShlishis Street, after the Rav eulogized his primary student with bitter weeping. The procession continued from HaChoma HaShlishis Street as hundreds of our community carried the pure bier to the Breslov section on Har HaZeisim (the Mount of Olives).

He left behind six sons and hundreds of descendants, all of whom are Torah scholars engaged in Torah for its own sake, following in his light and his path.

T.N.Z.B.H. (May his soul be bound in the bond of life)