אברהם משה מפשיסחה

Rav Avraham Moshe Bonhardt of Peshischa (c. 5560/1800–1 Tevet 5589/1828), called the Illui HaKadosh, was the son of Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa and led a part of the Peshischa chasidim after his father’s petirah. He was known as an illui from his earliest years, and a circle of chasidim had already gathered around him in his father’s lifetime. He married Braindel, daughter of Rav Shmuel Rafael’s of Yozefov, a son-in-law of the Yid HaKadosh, Rav Yaakov Yitzchak of Peshischa. His father spoke of him in the highest terms, saying that his neshama was drawn from the place of the neshama of David HaMelech.

He had the gift of music: by the chasidic tradition he played the violin by the rules of song, and each night said tikkun chatzot to his own playing. His avodah in saying Tehillim drew notice — he said them with such exertion, in fixed niggunim, that he would sweat and at times bring up blood, until the doctors forbade it and he took to hearing perakim from others. He was known as a man of great weeping.

When his father was niftar the court divided. Some took Rav Menachem Mendel of Tomashov, later of Kotzk, as their rebbe; others, among them Rav Yisrael Yitzchak Kalish of Vorka, Rav Shraga Feivel of Gritza and Rav Yaakov Aryeh of Radzimin, turned to Rav Avraham Moshe. He worked to keep the split from opening and did not succeed. He refused the position at first, saying his body was weak and could not carry the burden, and wanting Rav Yitzchak of Vorka to serve in his place; in the end he yielded to the chasidim.

Two years later, he was niftar (died), not yet thirty years old, on the road from Warsaw to Peshischa, and he was buried in the town of Biala Rawska. His two children were orphaned young and were raised in part by Rav Yitzchak of Vorka, whom his chasidim took as his successor and who drew them in time into Vorka chasidut. His son Rav Tzvi Hersh Mordechai Bonhardt, son-in-law of Rav Yitzchak of Vorka, headed his own chasidic court in Peshischa; his daughter Sarah Hadas married Rav Fishel Heller of Makov, a grandson of Rav Nosson Nuta of Makov, son-in-law of Rav Chaim Chaykel of Amdur.