"Popular fancy created around him a halo of miraculous deeds"
Shortly before Yom Kippur 1928, a vivid portrayal of Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz was published in a Newark paper.
Among the many other deans of European rabbinical schools, he distinguishes himself as one who follows the path of strict logic in the interpretation of the Talmuds and the codes. He avoids the way of hair-splitting pilpul and obeys the cool laws of reasoning. His piety, bordering on saintliness, is equally famous.
Although he does not trade in blessings in the manner of the Hassidic rabbis, popular fancy created around him a halo of miraculous deeds. Mayor Walker said that never before has he seen a mystic gaze like that of the remarkable eyes of Rabbi Leibowitz.
Even among the Orthodox rabbis he is the mystery man. For they are astonished at his ability to ignore all the care of the material world and be entirely absorbed in a heavenly life. He came to this country in the interests of his rabbinical seminary, where 500 selected students do research in rabbinical literature.
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