Pinchas Menachem Justman

Pinchas Menachem Justman
Portrait of Rabbi Pinkas Menakem Justman, The Piltzer Rebbe.
Personal details
Born	1848 Góra Kalwaria, Poland
Died	1920 , Poland

Pinchas Menachem (Elazar) Justman or Yustman or Yostman (1848–1920) The Piltzer Rebbe or Pilcer Rebbe, also known by the title of his main work, the Siftei Tzadik or Sefsei Tzadik. In his early years was known as Reb Mendel of Ger. was a Hasidic Rabbi who after the passing of his brother-in-law Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, became a Rebbe for some Gerrer Hasidim, in Pilica, Poland.

He was born in Góra Kalwaria in 1848 to his father Rabbi Binyamin Leizer Justman and mother Tzina Pesa Justman née Alter, daughter of the Chiddushei Harim the first Gererr Rebbe, and named Pinchas Menachem. He was known to family and friends as Reb Mendele of Ger. His mother, Mrs. Tzina Pesa, died when Pinchas Menachem was young, Orphaned of his mother, he was brought up by his grandparents, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter (known as the Chiddushei Harim) and his wife. When he was about nine years old, his grandfather took him to visit the Kotzker Rebbe, an event which left a lifelong impression on him. He married Hendel Lea, daughter of his uncle Abraham Mordechai Alter, in 1864.

Justman published the fifth printed Edition of the Jerusalem Talmud, at Piotrkow, 1899–1903, with commentary of Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky (Ridbaz).

In 1905 when his brother-in-law, the second Gerrer rebbe—Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, died, some of the Hasidim sought to bestow the mantle of leadership upon him. He moved out of Gora Kalwaria to Pilica, or Piltz as known by Hasidim, and become their Rebbe. He added the name Eleazar to his name Pinchas Menachem, when he was very ill, on 23 of Tamoz 1912, Eventually he recovered from his illness. In 1915 he moved to Wieruszów, four years later he moved to .

He died on Shabbat 10th of Kislev 1910, in Częstochowa. Funeral was held on Monday because of a disagreement between the Community of Pilz and the Community of Częstochowa regarding the burial place. Eventually was he buried in the Jewish cemetery of Częstochowa, next to his son Yitzchak Meir who died a year earlier. The sixth Rebbe of Ger, was named Pinchas Menachem—by his father Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter—after his beloved uncle Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Justman.