Reb Binyomin Kletzker

Few Chassidim intrigue us as much as Reb Binyomin Kletzker. His greatness was that he was a phenomenally successful businessman, whose every action and decision was influenced by and in accordance with the Chassidus he learnt. Those teachings permeated him to such an extent that quite often, to the shock of his associates, he would become absorbed in a thought of Chassidus in the middle of his transactions, reflecting on it for an extended period of time.

He demonstrated that living according to the Torah's ideals and being an extremely successful businessman can and should exist in harmony. He is famous for declaring at the bottom of his ledger that the sum total of his possessions was Ein Od Milvado - there is nothing besides G-dliness.

This brought to life the concept that our purpose, and indeed the entire purpose of creation, is to transform the world into a G-dly place, and reveal that the essence of everything is G-dliness. It was noticeable that Reb Binyomin's every action was motivated solely by the desire to fulfill the will of Hashem. He personified the life of a true Chossid!

This is why the Rebbe wrote that his story should be publicized among businesspeople so they can strive to emulate him.

It is a tremendous honor to present to you the sixth volume of the Early Chassidic Personalities series, featuring my ancestor, Reb Binyomin Kletzker.