Rav Yaakov Yehoshua Falk Katz, the Pnei Yehoshua (1680-1756)
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Issue (# 15) A Tzaddik, or righteous person makes everyone else appear righteous before Hashem by advocating for them and finding their merits. (Kedushas Levi, Parshas Noach; Sefer Bereishis 7:1) Parshas Beshalach Kedushas Ha'Levi'im EVEN HIGHER THAN ANGELS The angel of Hashem who had been going in front of the camp of Yisrael moved and went behind them... (Shemos 14:19) The holy Berditchever teaches us in Kedushas Levi that it is known that the angels are on a higher level than Bnei Yisrael due to their greater holiness. However, when Hashem demonstrates His love for His nation Bnei Yisrael, then they are even higher than the supernal angels. In fact, during the splitting of the sea, HaKadosh Baruch Hu demonstrated His great love for Bnei Yisrael, and they were on a higher level than any other creation. This is the meaning of “The angel of Hashem who had been going in front of the camp of Yisrael moved and went behind them” — the angels who had walked in front of Bnei Yisrael’s camp were previously on a higher level than Bnei Yisrael. But during the splitting of the sea, they stood behind them — “behind” the level of Bnei Yisrael. Bnei Yisrael rose to a level higher than that of the angels because Hashem demonstrated His love for them there. Higher than an Angel? The Tzanz-Klausenberger related the following story, as he heard it from Rav Tevli of Dukla. “I was told this story by Rav Tevli of Dukla, who heard it from his father-in-law, Rav Yosef Moshe, who heard from Rav Yitzchak Ettinger, who heard from the mouth of the author of Yeshuos Yaakov himself. It happened when the Yeshuos Yaakov was but a young avreich living in Yaroslav (a city of misnagdim, opponents of Chassidus).” This is the story he told: [1] One year on erev Yom Kippur, the Rav of Berditchev arrived in Yaroslav. When he entered the shul for Kol Nidrei, he came in crawling on his hands and feet — such was his awe and self-negation before Hashem! He approached the amud and began to recite Kol Nidrei with great reverence and fervor. None of us assembled knew the guest’s identity, but nonetheless he was allowed to continue leading the prayers before the congregation. He had the sweetest voice we had ever heard, and we could tell by the tone and feeling with which he said those stirring prayers that this was a person of great stature. After concluding ma’ariv, he went on to recite the liturgy known as Shir HaYichud before the ark and then he began reciting the entire sefer Tehillim out loud. He stayed there, standing on his feet and saying Tehillim, the entire night! In the morning, when the men started arriving in shul, we found him standing there in the same position that we had left him. Without budging from his place, he simply went on to recite Adon Olam and led the prayers for shacharis. Then he proceeded to read from the Torah and lead the services for mussaf.” “I began to doubt whether this being was human or an angel from heaven!” the Yeshuos Yaakov explained. “His powerful, sweet voice and his unceasing outpouring of emotion were nothing short of angelic. But when the congregation recited their responses and he stood silent I concluded that he must be human. Then he came to the ne’ilah prayers. He raised his voice and roared out the words like a lion, and not one person in the entire congregation was left unmoved. Anyone who had not yet done teshuvah was filled with remorse and everyone there repented. We were sure that only a supernal angel from Heaven could have such powers!” After Yom Kippur had ended and we had davened ma’ariv (the Yeshuos Yaakov went on to relate), I decided to follow him and see where he was staying. I wanted to see if he would conclude his fast and eat as human beings do. Perhaps he truly was an angel who had no need to eat or sleep! I watched as he listened to Havdalah that someone recited and then ask those present, “Please bring me something to revitalize me and fill my hungry soul!” Immediately they brought him some cake, cookies, and fruit to eat, knowing that anyone would be hungry after such a day. “No, no,” he protested, declining the food offering, “this is not what I had in mind. Please bring me a m’sechtas [Tractate] Sukkah.” They brought him the requested volume, and he took the Gemara to his room saying that he needed to rest a bit. I followed him and peeked into his room. What I saw had no resemblance to rest. I saw him sitting enraptured in studying the m’sechta aflame with devotion. I myself could not stay up. I was tired and I fell fast asleep. When I awoke, it was morning. I peeked into the Berditchever’s room and found him still sitting there and learning. While I slept, he had managed to learn almost the entire tractate! “This,” interjected the Tzanz-Klausenberger, “was the Kedushas Levi, about whom his son Rav Meir writes in his introduction to volume 1 of his sefer Kesser Torah, ‘Everyone in the world knows that my father had thousands of students whose hearts my father set aflame teaching them Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos, as well as the works of the poskim and codes of law. Their hearts were excited to serve Hashem when they heard his Torah guiding them on the straight path to serve Hashem.’ “Though he was served Hashem at every moment with such fervor that would make even angels and fiery seraphs jealous,” concluded the Tzanz-Klausenbeger, “he could not rest knowing that he did not study enough Torah on the day of Yom Kippur. Only after the entire m’sechta of Sukkah was his mind appeased. What then can we say about ourselves?” [2] [3] Refuah Sheleima Besoch She'ar Cholei Yisroel ~ זיסל בת אידל סומא | Zisel Bas Aidel Sima ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ לעילוי נשמת הרה''ח ר' אברהם חיים ב''ר שלום ז''ל ▪ נפטר מוצש''ק כ''א שבט תשס''ו ▪ ת. נ. צ. ב. ה. To subscribe and/or add to the Refuah Sheleima list– Please email: [email protected] 10 Shevat Rav Meir ben Yitzchak Katzenellenbogen, the Maharam Padua (1482-1565). Born in Ellenbogen, Germany, founder of the Katzenellenbogen family. After studying in Prague, he went to Padua, Italy, and studied under Rav Yehuda Minz, whose grand-daughter he married. He succeeded his father-in-law, Rav Avraham Minz, as Rav of Padua. Among his contemporaries who sent him shaylos were Rav Ovadiah Sforno and Rav Moses Iserles, the Rema. His epitaph reads: The heavens are clothed in darkness And we don sackcloth Because of the departure of a saint The foundation of the world, a prince pure Who submitted with complete faith To Hashem and his religion Better was his name than the choicest oil Head of the Diaspora, Meir, a righteous man Who departed on the 10th of Shvat In the year 1565 this saint departed. also known as the Rashash, the Shemesh or Ribbi Shalom Mizraḥi,(שר שלום מזרחי דידיע שרעבי : Sar Shalom Sharabi (Hebrew deyedi`a Sharabi (1720–1777), was a Yemenite-Israeli Jewish Rabbi, Halachist, Chazzan and Kabbalist. In later life, he became the Rosh Yeshiva of Bet El Yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. His daughter married Rabbi Isaac Gagin of Jerusalem, making him the grandfather of Shem Tob Gaguine, the "Keter Shem Tob." According to legend, the prophet Elijah appeared to him, and he is understood by the major Kabbalists as being himself the Gilgul of the Arizal. Among his greatest students are the Chida (Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai) and Rav Gershon Kitover (the Ba’al Shem Tov’s brother-in-law). His siddur was known as the "Sidur HaKavanot," and is still used by the mekubalim today for prayer. Rebbetzin Rivka Schneersohn (1833-1914) a granddaughter of Rav Dov Ber, the 2nd Rebbe of Lubavitch, at age 16 married her first cousin, Rav Shmuel, who later became the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe. Surviving her husband by 33 years, for many years she was the esteemed matriarch of Lubavitch. She is the source of many of the stories recorded in the talks, letters and memoirs of her grandson, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe). The Beis Rivka network of girls' schools are named after her. Rav Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe (1880-1950). The son of Rav Shalom Dov Ber, he dedicated his efforts to the yeshiva founded by his father, Tomechai Hatemimim. He was jailed by the Russian government for teaching Torah, and on his release, he settled in Riga, Latvia. He escaped to America in 1940. He passed away on Shabbat morning, the 10th of Shevat, of the year 5710 from creation (1950). Rav Yitzchak Eizek Sher of Slabodka (1875-1952). Born in Halusk, he studied in Volozhin under the Netziv's son-in-law, Rav Refoel Shapira, before moving to Slabokdka. There he studied b'chavrusa with Rav Avraham Grodzinski. In 1903, Rav Yitzchak Eizek married the Alter's youngest daughter, Mariasha Guttel, and moved to Kelm where he continued to learn diligently. He also studied for a brief period in the Mir, where his brother-in-law, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, served as rosh yeshiva. In 1911, the Alter appointed Rav Yitzchak Eizek to the position of rebbi in the yeshiva. In 1928, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel went to Eretz Yisrael, along with the majority of Slabodka's students, and settled in [4] Chevron.