A Pillar of Chessed and Tzeddakah Departs From Our Midst

YS Gold 

Klal Yisroel lost a legend of chessed over Shabbbos with the passing of the beloved and deeply admired Reb Chaim Ber Meisels, z”l, patron of almonos and yesomim, single mothers and fathers, and Yidden in need in every corner of the globe. 

Askonim and ba’alei chessed everywhere mourned the terrible loss, because they more than anyone knew—if only in part—the incredible chessed which defined him. His family, as well, is feeling terribly orphaned of their father, husband, brother and son at this time. And then there are the countless people whom Reb Chaim Ber so selflessly and generously helped who are feeling so alone in the aftermath of his passing, not knowing who their patron will now be. 

At any given moment, Reb Chaim Ber could be raising funds for dozens of causes. “He had a rotation of people who loved to give through him, and he would approach each person every couple of weeks,” recalled one friend and admirer. “They loved to give him money because of how real and compassionate he was towards those in need,” he said. 

He would approach each potential donor with a sunny disposition, with a positive message… and the money would pour in. Moments later, thousands of dollars would be delivered to a person in need, a rebbi marrying off a daughter, an almomoh or a single mother struggling to make Shabbos, or any other of his myriads of recipients. 

If his life was a saga of chessed, the yisurim that he endured at the end of his life were a tale of acceptance and emunah of a caliber seen by tzaddikim. “In the darkest of times, when he was in bed with terrible pain, he would send out messages of emunah, expressing the goodness of Hashem and his love for his Creator,” said one recipient of his messages. 

In a fitting tribute to a man who bridged worlds with his chassodim, the Satmar kehillah immediately announced the formation of a Gemach Chaim Dov which will continue his golden legacy of chessed.   

Reb Chaim Ber ascends to the Olam Ha’Emes carrying along with him weighty bundles of the chessed that he did on This World, But for the thousands who were impacted by his enormous heart, life will never be the same.