Rav Gedaliah Aharon Kenig
Date of Passing: 23-Tammuz. Rav Gedaliah Aharon Kenig was famous for his extraordinary ability to connect with any Jew, and for his openness to all types of...
Rabbi Gedaliah Aharon Kenig
(1921 – 1980) Rav Gedaliah Aharon Kenig was famous for his extraordinary ability to connect with any Jew, and for his openness and accessibility to all types of spiritual seekers. His one-room home in Jerusalem was always open to all. He was recognized as a genius in the revealed as well as the mystical aspects of the Torah, and channeled his knowledge into the world by giving practical simple advice to those who came to him. He held that one must always work to refine their character and through personal example, taught sensitivity and patience towards others, in even the most trying of circumstances.
Born in Jerusalem in 1921, Rav Gedaliah was a young man when he was drawn to the teachings of Rebbe Nachman by Rav Avraham Sternhartz. He was the leading disciple of Rav Avraham and for the duration of their 15-year relationship, virtually no day passed that Rav Gedaliah didn't see his mentor. He authored Chayey Nefesh, a book on what it means to bind oneself to the Tzaddik, and left numerous other unpublished manuscripts, including commentaries on the Likutey Moharan. A trip to the United States in 1979, to publicize Kiryat Breslev in Tsfat, helped mark a decisive opening of the door to the outside world for those interested in Breslev Chassidut.
He was single-minded in his devotion to Rebbe Nachman, saying , "He's saving the world!" He saw as his life's work the establishment of the Breslev community in Tsfat, a mission personally entrusted to him by Rav Avraham. Rav Gedaliah believed the fulfillment of this mission would bring tremendous good to the world, by ultimately being the vehicle that would bring the light of Rebbe Nachman completely into the world.
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