On Wednesday, a large crowd gathered at the levayah of Reb Moshe Elya Blau, z”l, an eminent Bobover Chassid. Reb Moshe was the well-known previous owner of Eichler’s Judaica store in Boro Park.

Reb Moshe was born in Crown Heights, the oldest of four, to his esteemed parents, Rabbi Avrum Shmuel, a Bobover Chassid, and his wife. His father was a Rebbi in the Bobover Cheder in Crown Heights and later became the administrator for the Bobover Rebbe, zy”a, in Crown Heights.

As a child, Reb Moshe learned in the Bobover Cheder, then in Mesivta Eitz Chaim d’Bobov, and then went on to Eretz Yisrael, learning there in Mesivta Kiryas Bobov, with great hasmadah, which continued into later years.

Reb Moshe marri ed the daughter of Harav Yaakov Mordechai Kelman, z”l, a Bobover Chassid in Europe.

After learning several years in kollel, he took over ownership of the renowned Judaica store, Eichler’s in Boro Park. When he started out, it was a small shop. Over the years, it flourished and eventually became Boro Park’s largest and most popular Judaica store.

People loved coming in to the store to be greeted with his trademark smile. He would also always show great kavod for talmidei chachamim, taking the time to show them all the new sefarim.

On the busiest day of the year, on Erev Pesach, many people would come to the Bobover Rebbe for special Erev Pesach matzah. The door was open for a few hours and then would get locked for the day and only family was allowed in.

Once, Reb Moshe came to the door only to find it locked. He knocked and the gabbai opened the door. He was surprised to see Reb Moshe, and asked if he could help him with something. Reb Moshe asked to go in, and the gabbai went to ask the Rebbe if he could let someone in. The Rebbe said, “Reb Moshe is like a child in my house, he can come in even though the doors are locked.”

Reb Moshe had the privilege to build a large private sukkah for the Rebbe in which the Rebbe was able to have a real simchas Yom Tov. One Sukkos, after Reb Moshe had his second stroke, lo aleinu, when he could barely talk, his son saw him mumbling something. Coming closer he heard his father say, “B”H, Hashem was good to me and gave me the privilege to have built the sukkah for the Rebbe.”

The Bobover Rebbe, zy”a, after a long and hard day, enjoyed taking a stroll down his block to where Reb Moshe lived and Reb Moshe would always greet him with great honor. He would then take the Rebbe into his private study and show the Rebbe all the new sefarim that were coming out. The Rebbe loved seeing these new editions of old sefarim, making them more accessible.

Reb Moshe had the zechus to have two beautiful handwritten letters from the Rebbe thanking him for all the good he did and for being so devoted.

Often, the Rebbe would call Reb Moshe, sometimes in the middle of the night, for urgent money matters. Reb Moshe always gave the amount needed with a smile and always very discreetly.

When Harav Naftali Tzvi Halberstam, zy”a, who later succeeded his father as Bobover Rebbe, had to move out of his home for renovations, he moved into one of Reb Moshe’s apartments and, when the time came to move back to his house, the Rebbe wanted to pay. Reb Moshe would hear of no such thing. “I don’t take money from my Rebbe’s son.”

A day later, when he went to the apartment he saw that the Rav left a blank check with a note that he should fill in the amount. But Reb Moshe never deposited the check.

At the shivah, the Bobover Rebbe, shlita, said that he too, stayed in one of the apartments for two years and also wanted to give Reb Moshe money, but got the same answer: “I don’t take money from my Rebbe’s son.”

Reb Moshe also had a strong connection to Rabbi Moshe Zoberman, a well-known Maggid Shiur. He went to Rabbi Zoberman’s shiur, or listened by phone, even after he had a stroke.

Reb Moshe gave tzedakah to many talmidei chachamim in a discreet manner. He also loved supporting kollelim so that many young men could sit and learn and bring nachas to the Eibershter.

When Reb Moshe took walks with his children and saw a talmid chacham, he would say that this person learned the whole Shas, or this person knows the entire Shulchan Aruch and so on. He gave a clear message of love for learning. And he was zocheh to build a real Torahdige home where his children carry on his love for the Torah.

Reb Moshe also gave many people in his community money so that they could make a wedding in a dignifi ed manner. He also made sure that the source of the money was hidden.

Reb Moshe was a much loved person and all who knew him, even just as an acquaintance, felt like he was their closest friend. He treated each and every person with warmth and respect.

His family was very devoted to him, trying in every way possible to lessen his pain after his strokes. He continued learning and spreading Torah even as he was in tremendous pain.

Reb Moshe is survived by, ybl”c, his chashuve father Rabbi Avrum Shmuel and mother; his brother, Reb Shulim Blau; and his sisters, Mrs. Pearl and Mrs. Schwartz.

Reb Moshe also left his special eishes chayil, Yachet, with whom he built his beautiful family of eight sons and three daughters. Sons: Reb Yecheskel; Reb Ben Zion Shulim, Reb Shimon, Harav Duvid (a Maggid Shiur in Eretz Yisrael), Reb Chaim Elazer, Reb Naftula Tzvi from Ashdod, Reb Elimelech, and Reb Yisroel; and his daughters: Mrs. Miriam Bila Salczer, Mrs. Chumy Appel and Miss Rivka Sura Blau; and sons-in-law,

Reb Yaakov Kupel Salczer, and Reb Yitzchok Yehuda Appel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)