LIGHTS OF OUR RIGHTEOUS TZADDIKIM

בעזרת ה ' יתבר

A Tzaddik, or righteous person , makes everyone else appear righteous before Hashem by advocating for them and finding their merits.

Kedushas Levi, Parshas Noach (Bereishis 7:1)

VA’ES CHA NAN 

_ CHASSIDUS ON THE PARSHA +

Dvar Torah Deciphered Messages The Torah tells us ( Shemos 19:19) that when the Jewish people gathered at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah , “Moshe spoke and Hashem answered him with a voice.” The Gemora (Berochos 45a) der ives from this pasuk the principle that that an interpreter should not speak more loudly than the reader whose words he is translating. Tosafos immediately ask the obvious question: from that pasuk we see actually see the opposite: that the reader should n ot speak more loudly than the interpreter. We know, says Rav Levi Yitzchok, that Moshe’s nevua (prophecy) was different from that of the other nevi’im (prophets) in that “the Shechina was speaking through Moshe’s throat”. This means that the interpretation of the nevuos of the other nevi’im is not dependent on the comprehension of the people who hear it. The nevua arrives in this world in the mind of the novi and passes through the filter of his perspectives. The resulting message is the essence of the nevua. When Moshe prophesied, however, it was as if the Shechina spoke from his throat directly to all the people on their particular level of understanding. Consequently, his nevuos were directly accessible to all people. In this sense then, Moshe was the rea der of the nevua , and Hashem was the interpreter. Moshe spoke the words of the nevua , but Hashem , speaking through his throat, made sure that everyone among the people, from the greatest to the smallest, was able to receive the nevua

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Story On one of his many journeys, Rav Levi Yitzchok stopped in a market town during the week of the trade fair. The town was abustle with a large influx of merchants, traders and brokers. Rav Levi Yitzchok took a room in a Jewish inn where many young Jewish businessmen were also staying. Everyone was focused on the fair, and no one paid any particular attention to Rav Levi Yitzchok. The young men gathered at the crack of dawn for Shacharis the following morning. There was only one pair of tefillin to go around, so they all took turns putting them on and rushing through the appropriate passages in the siddur . After Shacharis , the men ran for the door, their minds already on the opportunities available at the fair. Rav Levi Yitzchok managed to catch one of them before he left. “Young man,” he said, “can I have a word with you?” The young man hesitated for a moment, but then respect won out. “Of course,” he said. “All right, listen carefully. Kdbrr flpptn bklxtn …” The young man gave him a quizzical look. “What did you say?” Rav Levi Yitzchok repeated his incomprehensible gibberish. “What you’re saying makes no sense,” said the young man. “Of course it doesn’t,” said Rav Levi Yitzchok. “But I learned this language from you. Before, when you put on your tefillin , you opened the siddur , and these are, more or less, the words that came out of your mouth. You didn’t say a single coherent word.” The young man shook his head. “I understand that you’re criticizing me, but I have to disagree. Think of a tiny infant babbling and gurgling in its cradle. If you would walk by it would mean nothing to you, just jumbled sounds. But when his mother hears him, she understands what he needs. Perhaps he is thirsty. Perhaps he has soiled himself. The mother understands. We are the children of Hashem , and even if what we say when we open the siddur may sound like gibberish to other people, He understands exactly what we are saying.” Rav Levi Yitzchok’s eyes widened with amazement when he heard the young man’s words. He kissed the young man on his head, and then he danced joyously around the shul . “Master of the Universe,” he cried out, “listen to how this young man advocates for Your beloved people. Take his words to heart. Even if they speak so rapidly to You that their words sound like gibberish, accept their tefillos , because You know that they come from the depths of their hearts. You know that Your children love You, even if they sometimes fail to express themselves in the best possible way.”

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הילולא The anniversary of the petira of a Tzaddik is known as a Hilula , which means “A Day of Joy”. One of the tools that Kabbola teaches is to connect to a Tzaddik (righteous person). The method to connect to a Tzaddik is to adopt the following ritual: 1) Learn the anniversary of his petira or, if this information is not available, the days of Erev Rosh Chodesh , Rosh Chodesh and the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month can be utilized for a connection. 2) Light a twenty-five-hour candle in his or her honor. There is no specific berocha . Some say the following: This candle is being lit in the merit of ______. Others say that it is the custom within Klal Yisrael to light a yahrzeit candle on the day that a relative or a Tzaddik has passed away. The lighting has no accompanying blessing, and people would like to express themselves in a tefilla when lighting the candle. This is not only true on a yahrzeit but on every Yom Tov as well. The author of the Pele Yo’etz , Rav Eliezer Papo (1785–1828), did in fact compose such a tefilla . Rav Papo was the Rav of the city of Selestria in Bulgaria. Bulgaria was a part of the Ottoman Empire at the time. The tefilla of the Pele Yo’etz is reproduced and translated below, as a public service.

Hebrew Tefilla for Lighting a Yahrzeit or Hilula Candle [ ְ פִ ילָ ה הַ נִ מְ צַ ת ַ סֵ פֶ ר אֶ לֶ  הַ מָ גֵ  מִ ַ עַ ל הַ ֶ לֶ א יוֹ עֵ  עַ ל ָ רָ ַ ת וַ יֵ צֵ א עָ מוֹ ד כ ]ד" ]ד"

הַ רֵ ינִ י מַ דְ לִ יק נֵ ר זֶ ה לִ נ&מְ חַ ת & לְ עִ יל& י נִ ְ מַ ת ) בִ י / אִ מִ י מוֹ רָ תִ י / הַ צַ דִ יק ______/ֵ ַ ת ______, יְ הִ י רָ צוֹ  מִ לְ פָ י-נֶ 'ה אֶ /קֵ ינ& וֵא/קֵ י אֲ בוֹתֵ ינ& , ֶ ְ קַ ֵל ְרַ חֲמִ י1 &בְרָ צוֹ 2ָל מַ ע3ֲֶ ה הַ טוֹב ֶ נִי עו3ֶֹ ה , ֵי ְמַחַ ָ בָ ה , ֵי ְדִ י&ר , ֵי ְמַ ע3ֲֶ ה וְ יִ הְ יֶ ה הַ 2ֹ ל 2ֹ לִ כ&זְ ת & לְ נ&מְ חַ ת & לְ עִ יל& י לִ נְ ָ מוֹ ת עַ -מְ יִ 3ְ רָ לאֵ &, ִ פְ רָ ט לְ נֶ פֶ ר& חַ & נְ ָ מָ ה ֶ ל ) בִ י / אִ מִ י / י מִ אִ / י בִ צַ דִ יק ______. יְ הִ י רָ צוֹ  ֶ ִ הְ יֶ נָ ה נַ פְ וֹ תֵ יהֶ 1 צְ ר& רוֹ ת ִ צְ רוֹ ר הַ חַ .י1יִ Translation: Behold I am lighting this lamp for the resting and uplifting of the soul of my father/my mother/the Tzaddik ______the son/daughter of ______. May it be Your will before you, Hashem , our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that all my good deeds whether in thought, speech or action be done for a merit and a resting and an elevation of the souls of your nation Yisrael. It should be especially for the soul of my father/mother/the Tzaddik _____. May it be Your will that their souls be bound in the bond of life. 3) Learn about the person including history, culture, writings and teachings. 4) Study some of his teaching or writings. See more at: www.yeshshem.com/hilulah.htm 

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Y GEDOLIM BE'MISASAM YOSER Z YAHRZEITS FOR WEEK BEGINNING SHABBOS VA’ES’CHANA N http://www.chinuch.org/gedolim_yahrtzeits/Av Biographical information and yahrzeits compiled by Reb Manny Saltiel and www.anshe.org  15 th of Av ~ Begins Fri da y Night (Jul 23rd )  Nachum Ish Gamzu , Tanna and Rav Akiva’s Rebbe for twenty-two years, buried in Tzefas. He was known for saying, “ Gam zu le’tova ” (this, too, is for the best) for everything. There are many famous stories about Nachum Ish Gamzu LeTova;  Rav Benzion Goldberg-Yadler , Maggid of Yerushalayim, (5722/1962);  Rav Amram ben Diwan , a great Moroccan Tzaddik and famous miracle worker, (5542/1782);  Rav Yaakov ben Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izhbitza -Radzin, mechaber of Bais Yaakov , a full collection of the Aggodos from the Talmud , (5638/1878);  Rav Meir Nosson ben Rav Chaim Halberstam (the Divrei Chaim ), father of the first Bobover Rebbe , (5615/1855);  Rav Dovid Yosef ben Rav Shlomo Yechiel Biderman of Lelov, from the members of the Lelover family who did not move to Eretz Yisrael. He was Rebbe in Lelov, Poland, (5657/1897);  Rav Osher ben Rav Aharon II, Stoliner Rebbe , raised by Rav Shlomo Karliner after his father’s petira . Rav Osher later settled in Stolin, (5588/1828);  Rav Shimon ibn Lavi, of Tripoli, L ibya, mechaber of Kesem Poz and composer of the song Bar Yochai . The energy of this year of Hilula has the essence of Moshe and Healing. This is due to the letters of the year ( shin , mem , heh ) being the letters of both Moshe ( Rabbeinu ) and one of the seventy-two names of Hashem from the Zohar ’s explanation of Shemos 14: 19–21. The year also has the same letters as the name Hashem , (5345/1585 approximately);  Rav Tzvi Hirsch Halberstam , Rav of Rudnick, (5678/1918);  Rav Chanoch Henich Dov Padwa , Rav of London (1906–2000). Born in the town of Busk, near Alesk, Galicia, as a young man he studied in Tzelim, and then in the Belz shtiebel in Cracow. In time, his family moved to Vienna. There, Rav Chaim Pinter, the Rav of Bukovsk, became his Rav Muvhok . From 1940 to 1955, he served as the Rav of the Botei Rand neighborhood of Yerushalayim. His first wife was niftar in 1946, leaving him with five children. In 1947, he married Yehudis, the daughter of Rav Avrohom Aharon Sonnenfeld, the eldest son of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonn enfeld, and she raised his children as her own, even marrying them off. He served as Rav in London for almost fifty years, (5760/2000).  16 th of Av ~ Begins Motzai Shabbos (Jul 24th )  Rav Menachem Mendel of Strizov, mechaber of Sova Semochos , (5591/1831);  Rav Yitzchok Meir Levin , chairman of the world Agudas Yisrael organization, (5731/1971);  Rav Moshe Perdo , a Sephardi sage, mechaber of the sefer Tzedek Umishpot , (5648/1888);  Rav Bechor Aharon Alachadeef , a Sephardi sage from Teverya, (5669/1909);  Sir Moshe (Chaim) Montefiore , (5645/1885).  17th of Av ~ Begins Sunday Night (Jul 25th )  Rav Shimshon Wertheimer , (1658 –1724). Born in Worms, Germany, he learned in the Yeshivos of Worms and Frankfurt. After marrying the daughter of the Rav of Manheim in 1684, he move d to Vienna. Within a few years, he became the wealthiest Jew of his day. He served as

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finance minister for Austrian emperors Leopold I, Josef I, and Karl IV. In exchange for his services, Rav Shimshon requested better treatment for his fellow Jews throughout the Austrio- Hungarian Empire. He negotiated the Jews’ right to live in major cities, including Vienna and Frankfurt, saved the Jews of Rothenberg from expulsion and intervened to save the Jews of Worms and Frankfurt. He was also a Talmid Chochom and helped to establish forty kehillos in Hungary. He founded and endowed a Yeshiva in Frankfurt, setting up his son-in-law, Rav Moshe Kann, as Rosh Yeshiva . In Vienna, he set up a Bais Din . In 1712, he rebuilt the city of Nikolsburg, which had burned down. Rav Shimshon was also in charge of transferring monies to Eretz Yisrael from all of Europe. He also left behind kisvei yad (manuscripts) on Torah , Medrash and Kabbola , (5484/1724);  Rav Osher , mechaber of Mayim Adirim , (5564/1804);  Rav Avrohom Mordechai of Pintchov, (5584/1824);  Rav Shlomo Chaim Perlow of Koidenov, son of Rav Aharon, the son of Rav Mordechai Yaffe of Lechovitch. They were direct ( ben acher ben ) descendants of the Levush . He was raised by his maternal grandfather, Rav Osher Perlow of Karlin, after his father was niftar , and therefore he is also known by the last name Perlow. After his uncle, Rav Noach of Lechovitch, passed away, all the Chassidim flocked to Rav Shlomo. He had several sons who became great Rebbes in their own rights, (1862 / 5622);  Rav Shmuel Eibschutz , Rav of Apta, (5600/1840);  Rav Yehuda Levi (1783–1879). Born in Sarajevo to Rav Menachem Levi, he emigrated to Eretz Yisrael, and became chief Rav of Yerushalayim in 1845. He passed away in Yaffo, (5639/1879).  18 th of Av ~ Begins Monday Night (Jul 26th )  Rav Moshe Bernstein , Rosh Yeshiva Kamenitz. Born in the town of Turetz, he learned in Mir. He became the son-in-law of Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz. He hired Rav Elya Lopian as Mashgiach under the recommendation of Rav Moshe Aharon Stern, (5716/1956);  Rav Tzvi Arye Twersky of Zlatipoli-Tchortkov, (5728/1968);  Rav Shlomo Chanoch ben Rav Yechezkel HaKohen Rabinowitz, the fourth and last Rebbe of Radomsk, who perished with his family in the Warsaw Ghetto. He was a great-grandson of the Tiferes Shlomo . He was known for the network of Yeshivos Kesser Torah he had established throughout Poland and Galicia. The Radomsker Chassidim during the period between the two World Wars were counted among the three largest Chassidic movements in Poland, (5702/1942).  19 th of Av ~ Begins Tuesday Night (Jul 27 th )  Rav Yaakov ben Rav Machir Kuli (Culi), mechaber of Me’am Loez and Yalkut Me’am Lo’ez (5492/1732);  Rav Shimon Sholom Kalisch , the Amshinover Rebbe (1863–1954), born to Rav Menachem of Amshinov, a grandson of Rav Yitzchok of Vorka, founder of the Vorka-Amshinov dynasty. During his teens, Rav Shimon was sent to learn with his uncle, Rav Yeshaya of Peshis’cha. His uncle was so impressed with him that he took him as a son-in-law. In 1918, Rav Menachem of Amshinov passed away, and his older son, Rav Yosef, took his place as Rebbe . Rav Shimon was sent to Otvotzk, a suburb of Warsaw. He also became a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah . In 1933, he spent a full year in Eretz Yisrael with his son, Rav Yerachmiel Yehuda Meir. Although he wished to stay, his obligations forced him to move back to Europe. The Rebbe escaped to Kobe, Japan, along with a group of talmidim of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin ,

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and the entire Mir Yeshiva . After the war, he spent eight years in America. He passed away while planning his immigration to Eretz Yisrael. He is the mechaber of the sefer , Mashmia Sholom . His son, Rav Meir, became the Amshinover Rebbe in Bayit Vegan and was niftar in 1976, (5714/1954);  Rav Naftoli ben Rav Yehuda of Nemerov, one of the closest talmidim of Rav Nachman of Breslov and one of the two witnesses to the promise about reciting Tikun HaKlali at Rav Nachman’s kever , (5620/1860);  Rav Arye Leib Balchover of Zaslev, mechaber of Shem Aryeh , (5611/1851);  Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel of Alesk, (5683/1923);  Rav Menachem Nachum ben Rav Yitzchok Friedman of Boyan-Czernowitz (1868– 1936/5696). The eldest of the Pachad Yitzchok ’s four sons, he was the grandson of Avrohom Yaakov of Sadiger, (5696/1936).  20 th of Av ~ Begins Wednesday Night (Jul 28 th )  Rav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson (1878–1944/5704), born to Rav Boruch Schneur, the eldest of the seven sons of the third Lubavitcher Rebbe , Rav Menachem Mendel (the Tzemach Tzedek ). He was a devoted Chassid of Rav Sholom Dov Ber Schneerson, the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe (the Rebbe Rashab ). After the Rebbe Rashab passed away, Rav Levi Yitzchok became equally dedicated to his successor, Rav Yosef Yitzchok, or the Rebbe Rayatz . Rav Levi Yitzchok and Rebbetzin Chana had three sons. The eldest, Rav Menachem Mendel, became the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe . Rav Levi Yitzchok was considered one of the greatest Talmudic and Kabbalistic scholars of his generation. Rav Levi Yitzchok was chief Rav of the major Ukrainian city Yekaterinoslav (today called Dniepropetrovsk) during the bloody Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent Communist oppression until his arrest and exile. For his stance against Soviet efforts to uproot Jewish learning and practice, he was eventually arrested, tortured and banished to a remote village in Kazakhstan. His spirit, however, was not extinguished, even while his body was broken and eventually gave way to his early passing. Soviet Jewry is not alone in the debt of gratitude it owes to Rav Levi Yitzchok. His personal example serves as a shining beacon of inspiration for all of us today, and for all generations to come. We are also collectively indebted to Rav Levi Yitzchok and his life’s partner, Rebbetzin Chana, for giving us their son, the Rebbe , whose application of their teachings and way of life to all the rest of us changed the very course of world Jewry, (5704/1944);  Rav Yehuda Zerachya Azulai , a great-grandson of the Chida , (5630/1870);  Rav Eliezer of Azipalle (Uzipoli), youngest son of Rav Yehuda Tzvi of Strettin, (5625/1865);  Rav Meir Rabinowitz (1916–2006). The son of the Skolya Rebbe , Rav Dovid Yitzchok Eisik Rabinowitz, Rav Meir was born in Vienna during World War I. He spent three months in forced labor, and escaped with the help of Skolya Chassidim . Arriving in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, he and his brother opened a Skolya Bais Medrash . He, his wife and daughter followed his father to Williamsburg, then to Boro Park. When the Rebbe was niftar in 1979, Rav Meir refused to take over and appointed his son-in-law, Rav Refoel Goldstein. Being entirely mevatel himself, he served his son-in-law with the same kovod he had shown his father, (5766/2006).  21 st of Av ~ Begins Thursday Night (Jul 29 th )  Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of Volozhin and Brisk (1853–1918/5678). Son of the Bais HaLevi , Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Rav Chaim was born in Volozhin, but moved with his family to Slutzk while still quite young, when his father became Rav of the city. When Rav Chaim was twenty, he married Lifsha, the daughter of Rav Refoel Shapira, the son-in-law of the Netziv .

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Since Rav Refoel was a Rosh Mesivta in Volozhin, Rav Chaim moved there. When Rav Refoel moved away, Rav Chaim took the post of Rosh Mesivta of Volozhin in 1880. In 1892, following the closing of the Volozhin Yeshiva , Rav Chaim moved to Brisk where he succeeded his father as the community Rav . Rav Chaim is buried next to the Netziv in the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw. His oldest son was Rav Moshe, who was the father of Rav Yosef Dov and Rav Aharon Soloveitchik. His other famous son was Rav Yitzchok Zev (the GRIZ ), also known as Rav Velvel, the Brisker Rav of Yerushalayim, (5678/1918);  Rav Alexander Sender ben Rav Yitzchok of Komarna. His father was a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, (5578/1818);  Rav Dovid Hager of Zebultov, mechaber of Tzemach Dovid. His father was Rav Menachem Mendel of Kosov. He is a son-in-law of Rav Moshe Leib of Sassov, (5608/1848);  Rav Aharon ben Rav Yissochor Dov Roke’ach, fourth-generation Belzer Rebbe (1880– 1957/5717). He escaped the Nazis and reached Eretz Yisrael in 1944, establishing his court in Tel Aviv. The current Belzer Rebbe is his nephew. The numerous stories of his tzidkus (righteousness) and miracles are legendary. Many of the great Tzaddikim in Eretz Yisrael, from all segments, were very close to him. He lost his whole family to the Nazis during the Second World War. The fascinating story of his escape can be read in Rescuing the Rebbe of Belz , published by Artscroll, (5717/1957). 

Y HILLULA DE’TDE’TZADDIKAZADDIKA Z WHAT’S BEHIND YAHRZEIT MEANINGS & CUSTOMS The Rebbe Reb Melech in Noam Elimelech explains the reason why when we mention a Tzaddik who has passed on we say: Zechuso Yogen Oleinu (may his merit shield us). The Noam Elimelech asks: why would the Tzaddik give away his merit to someone else to shield him? Perhaps he would keep that merit for his own benefit in the next world! He answers that zechuso should not be translated as “merit” rather as zach venoki – “pure and refined”. When we say Zechuso Yogen Oleinu , we are asking that the purity and refinement that the Tzaddik underwent through his Torah study, sincerely motivated lishma – which refined him; this light should be drawn down over us all and stand by his generation to shield and protect us all. ( Parshas Bo ).

 Those Tzaddikim who, during their lifetimes, awakened and roused the hearts and souls of the Jewish people, continue to do so even after they have passed on from this world. (Atzei Chaim – Mishpotim ). 

The Tzaddikim who reside in the world of truth are called Melitzei Yosher , for during their lifetimes they advocated on behalf of the Jewish people to protect them from all manner of prosecution, and they continue to plead our case and advocate on our behalf in the next world, just as Chazal teach us regarding Moshe ( Sota 13b) that “Moshe passed away there” (Devorim 34:5) and yet it says in Shemos (34:28) that he was there with Hashem ? The Gemora answers the contradiction by saying that just as in the first place he stood and served before Hashem , so does he now still stand and serve before Hashem till this day, advocating

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Y GEDOLIM BE’MASAYHEM Z STORIES & ANECDOTES Nachum Ish Gamzu, 151515 ththth of Av ––– Tu B’Av Rav Akiva’s Rebbe The Story of Nachum Ish Gamzu fell on my face and said, ‘Let the eyes that (The stories appear in Maseches Taanis took no pity on your eyes become blind; let 21A.) my hands which took no pity on your hands A story is told that Nachum Ish be cut off; let my legs which took no pity on Gamzu was blind in both eyes, missing your legs be cut off.’ And my mind did not both legs, missing both hands and his find rest until I said, ‘Let my entire body be entire body was covered in boils. He was covered with boils!’” lying in a dilapidated house with the legs of Nachum Ish Gamzu said to his his bed in buckets of water so that ants talmidim , “Woe to me had you not seen me could not crawl onto him. Once his like this.” talmidim wanted to remove his bed from The Gemora then goes on to ask the house and then remove the furniture. why they called him Nachum Ish Gamzu? It Nachum Ish Gamzu said to them, “My answers that whatever happened to him he children, first remove the furniture then would reply, “Gam zu letova – This, too, is remove my bed because you may be for the best.” assured that as long as I am in this house it  won’t collapse.” They listened to him and removed the furniture, then the bed, and Here is another story about Nachum the house collapsed after Nachum Ish Ish Gamzu: Gamzu was outside it. Once the Jews wanted to send a gift His talmidim asked of him, “Rebbe, to the court of Caesar. They decided to send since you are completely righteous, why did Nachum Ish Gamzu to deliver it because he this happen to you (the boils, no arms was accustomed to have miracles etc...)?” performed on his behalf. They sent him He replied, “My children, I brought with a chest filled with precious stones and it upon myself. I was once traveling on a pearls. On his way he spent a night at a road to the house of my father-in-law and I certain residence. During the night the had three donkeyloads of food items: one of residents arose and took all the stones and food, one of drink, and the last one of pearls from the chest and replaced them delicacies. A poor man approached me and with sand. The next morning he saw the said, ‘Rebbe , sustain me.’ dirt and said, “This too is for the good,” and “I replied, ‘Wait until I unload some went on his way to Caesar. He went to the food from the donkey.’ palace and untied the chest. After the “ Before I had a chance to unload the emperor saw the dirt he wanted to kill the donkey the man’s soul departed. I went and Jews, as he thought they were mocking

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] him. Nachum Ish Gamzu thought, “This he went. too is for the best.” When they returned and spent a Then Eliyohu HaNovi appeared as a night at the same residence as before Roman official. Eliyohu said to Caesar, (where he had been robbed) the residents “Perhaps this sand is from the sand of asked, “What did you bring to Caesar that Avrohom Avinu (which was used in the he gave you such honor?” battle of the four kings).” When Avrohom Nachum replied, “Whatever I took threw the sand at an enemy it turned into from here (the residence).” swords and when he threw straw it turned The residents immediately into arrows. demolished their houses and brought the There was one city the Romans rubble to the palace. They said to Caesar, could not conquer. They tested some of this “The dirt that Nachum brought was from dirt against that city and they conquered it. our residence.” They tested it in battle and, After this they went to the emperor’s finding it contained no special powers, they treasure vault and filled the chest of executed the residents for attempting to Nachum Ish Gamzu with precious stones defraud them. and pearls in gratitude for his gift and off  RaRaRavRa vvv Amram bbbenben DiwanDiwan,, 15 ththth of Av ––– Tu B’Av It is always with a feeling of respect Hashem ’s will. By his rich and varied and awe that the Jews of Morocco evoke pursuits, he contributed to the elevation the holy name of Rav Amram ben Diwan. and dissemination of Torah in all the Rav Amram ben Diwan was born in communities of Morocco. Rav Amram was Yerushalayim, and later settled in Chevron. also known for his miracles. His blessings In 5523 (1743), he was chosen by the always came to pass, and Jews would travel Rabbonim of Chevron as an emissary to from all the towns of Morocco to urgently Morocco with the mission of collecting seek him in order to be delivered, through money for the Yeshivos of the Holy Land. his merit, from their troubles. He occupied He decided to settle in the Moroccan town himself with the well-being of everyone in of Wazan, and there he founded a Talmud particular, and the well-being of the Torah and a Yeshiva , where numerous community in general. His home was talmidim came to quench their thirst for always open to all the afflicted who came study by drinking from the source of his knocking at his door, hoping that the words. Tzaddik would be their staunchest Rav Amram defender before our Father, the Holy One, became attached to his blessed be He. talmidim . His fatherly After a long stay in Morocco, Rav affection created a solid Amram felt a great longing for Eretz connection between Yisrael. He therefore interrupted his holy them. He provided for work. His talmidim , to whom he had all their material needs, taught Torah , had themselves become and spiritually directed great scholars over the course of the years. them on the path that Thus he decided to return to the Holy leads to the Land. When he arrived in Chevron, he performance of became friends with Rav Chaim Bagoyo and Rav Avrohom Gedalia, the Rabbonim 9
Va’eschanan / [email protected] of the city. Together they studied Torah honor. Many of the city’s notable men and penetrated many of its wondrous quarreled over the merit of having him as secrets, ascending day by day the rungs of their guest. He was finally received by Rav perfection in Torah study and divine Menasheh ibn Denan, one of the leaders of service. Fez’s Jewish community. However, Rav Amram’s stay in The story is told that Rav Chevron was short-lived. An unfortunate Menasheh’s children were all girls, and that incident caused his departure, forcing him another girl had just been born to him. Rav to take up the mantle of sojourner once Amram advised him to name her Fedina, again and return to Morocco. The following which means, “we have finished”. In other story describes what happened: words, we have finished giving birth to At that time, Jews were not girls. And it was thus that after this girl, permitted to enter the tomb of the Rav Menasheh had only boys. Patriarchs. However, for Rav Amram, this Not long after his arrival in Fez, Rav prohibition did not in the least quench his Amram and his son Rav Chaim traveled to fervent desire to daven there. He therefore all the towns of Morocco in order to spread disguised himself as an Arab, and without the teaching of Torah . He arrived in Sefru, being where he lodged in the Elbaz home. Having noticed he no children of their own, they asked him entered the for a blessing to have a son. Rav Amram cave with blessed them and promised that in the the rest of following year, at the very same time of the Muslims year, the wife would give birth to a son who who had also come there to daven. Imagine would later become a great Torah scholar. his emotions when he approached the tomb The blessing of the Tzaddik came to of the Patriarchs! As his face became fruition. The son who was born to the Elbaz drenched with tears, he quietly uttered his family was given the name of the Tzaddik , tefillos , beseeching the Creator of the world Amram, and afterward the name of Rav to hasten the Final Redemption. No one Amram of Sefru became famous as a Gaon doubted that this “Muslim”, so absorbed as and great Torah Scholar. he was in his tefilla , was nothing other than While Rav Amram was staying in the a Jew. Suddenly, as Rav Amram was Elbaz home in Sefru, his son Rav Chaim fell preparing to leave, an Arab saw and deathly ill. The doctors gave him no chance recognized him. Immediately, he ran to the of recovering. Rav Amram davened to the Pasha and informed him of the offense. Creator of the world that He take his soul Rav Amram incurred heavy in place of his son’s. His son, Rav Chaim, suffering for such a sacrilege. A friend of recovered from his illness, and they Rav Amram, who was also a servant of the continued on their journey to all the towns Pasha , hurried to warn him that he of Morocco. When they arrived in Wazan, intended to arrest him. In the middle of the Rav Amram himself fell gravely ill, and night, Rav Amram, accompanied by his soon afterward rendered his soul to his young son, Rav Chaim, left their home. Creator. They feared returning to Yerushalayim or a The tomb of Rav Amram became a neighboring country because during that place of pilgrimage for all the Jews of era Turkish power held sway over several Morocco. Each year on Lag BaOmer , countries. He therefore decided to return to thousands of Jews come to Wazan to make Morocco. As soon as he arrived in Fez, the the pilgrimage to the grave of the saint. city’s inhabitants welcomed him with great Numerous miracles are said to have 10
Va’eschanan / [email protected] occurred at his tomb: “incurable” illnesses have a child for fifteen have been healed, the blind have regained years. They were told their sight, the mute have found their to go and daven at the voices, the paralyzed have retuned home on kever of Rav Amram. their own, and infertile women have had After finishing the children after davening there. entire Tehillim at the They tell that a French military kever, the husband sergeant had a son who remained heard the sound of a paralyzed after a serious illness. This baby crying. Nobody else in the vicinity sergeant had a Jewish friend who advised heard this wondrous sound. Nine months him to take his son to the tomb of Rav later this couple had a child. Amram ben Diwan in Wazan. At first, the One known source who wishes to sergeant was skeptical and refused, but remain anonymous tells the following then later promised that if a miracle were stunning story: to happen and his son would be healed, he “I was zoche to hear this story from would build a road with his own money in the father and I actually held this miracle order to facilitate access to the tomb of the baby in my arms. After hearing this story, I Tzaddik . The miracle occurred: As soon as called two friends who, like me, were his son approached the tomb of Rav having a challenging time with shidduchim . Amram, he was healed. The happy father I told them we needed to book tickets and kept his promise and constructed a road go daven at this great Tzaddik ’s tomb. that leads to the tomb of Rav Amram. “We booked and headed out to The great poet, Rav Dovid ben Morocco. En route we decided to spend Hassin, composed a liturgical poem Shabbos in Gibraltar. We ate our Shabbos especially in his honor, a song that is sung meals with the president of the community, by the Jews of Morocco on the day of his Mr. Solomon Levy. He told us about his Hilula . nephew who had been crippled from birth. His son, Rav Chaim ben Diwan, The parents of the boy decided to go to the continued his father’s work. He traveled tziun of Rav Amram. After davening , they from town to town with the goal of went for a walk and left the boy in his instructing Torah . He died at a ripe old age wheelchair to continue davening. The boy and rests in the village of Anranz, south of davened a little and then drifted off into a Marrakech. His tomb has also become a slumber. In his dream a man with a white place of pilgrimage for all the Jews of beard appeared. Morocco. “He said, ‘What are you doing in a May his merit protect us, Amen !! cemetery? You are a Kohen . You must leave www.hevratpinto.org/tzadikim_eng/034_rabbi_amram_ben_diwa at once.’ n.html “The boy replied, ‘I can’t walk. How  can I leave?’ “Rav There are many fascinating stories Amram replied, of the yeshuos of those who were zoche to ‘Just pick daven at the kever of the great Tzaddik and yourself up and Mekubol Rav Amram ben Diwan in walk out.’ Morocco. The boy A story is told of a couple from awoke and, miraculously, he used his own Monsey, New York, who were not zoche to two feet to wobble out of the kever . He

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] continued with physical therapy and today Moroccan descent and if he ever had heard is walking like a normal person. of Rav Amram ben Diwan. He turned to me “After Shabbos , we traveled from in awe and said, “I am named after him. My Gibraltar to Morocco. We davened and mother was childless for many years and recited the full Tehillim at the kever . We made the journey to his kever . She stayed a few days and toured Fez, and then promised the Tzaddik that if she had a returned to the United States. The baby, she would name him Amram. I am following Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan , I made that baby.” a l’chaim and got engaged. The following These stories are truly beyond the two weeks, one after another, my two scope of our imagination. Rav Amram of friends got engaged.” Diwan’s yahrzeit is coming up this Tu B’Av On a recent trip to Eretz Yisrael, and people from all over the world are after davening at Kever Rochel , an Israeli- traveling to his kever to daven . looking man asked me for a ride into See more Yerushalayim. As we were riding in the car, at: www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/ad/447051/upcoming-yartzeit- wanting to make light conversation, I asked of--reb-amram-ben-diwan-continues-rich-history-of-yeshuos- his name. He said, “My name is Amram .html#sthash.cxv53Szy.dpuf Biton.” Stunned, I asked if he was of  Rav Tzvi Hirsch HalberstamHalberstam,, 15 ththth of Av ––– Tu B’Av Rav of Rudnik Rav Tzvi Hirsch Halberstam, born in appointed Rav of the Polish town of Niska, 5606/1846, was the son of Rav Boruch of serving for ten years. Gorlitz, son of Rav Chaim of Sanz, the In 5647/1887, his father, Rav Divrei Chaim. His mother was the Boruch, moved to Gorlitz and handed over daughter of Rav Yekusiel Yehuda the Rabbonus of Rudnik to Rav Tzvi Teitelbaum, the Yetev Lev of Sighet. Hirsch. Rudnik was a small town on the At the age of fifteen, Rav Tzvi Hirsch banks of the San River in southern Poland, married the daughter of Rav Yisrael near Russia. Horowitz of Barnov, son of Rav Eliezer of Four members of the illustrious Dzikov, and he lived with his in-laws for Sanzer dynasty served as Rabbonim there: the next three years. Afterward, he moved the Divrei Chaim ; Rav Yechezkel Shraga, to Sanz, to the court of his illustrious later of Shiniva; Rav Boruch of Gorlitz; and grandfather, who cherished him. his son Rav Tzvi Hirsch. This Rabbinic In 5635/1875, less than two years dynasty in Rudnik began in 5572/1812, before his petira , the Divrei Chaim called when the community approached Rav in Rav Tzvi Hirsch and said to him, “I am Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz to help them, and old and sick and have no more strength. Go the Divrei Chaim was appointed Rav . to your other grandfather, the Yetev Lev in After Rav Boruch of Gorlitz’s petira Sighet, and learn Torah from him.” The on the first of Adar 5666/1906, Rav Tzvi Divrei Chaim was niftar a year later, on the Hirsch became Rebbe in his place. twenty-fifth of Nissan 5636/1876. Rav Tzvi Hirsch’s zivug sheini was After learning under his grandfather the daughter of Rav Meir Meshulom in Sighet for a year, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Shapira, a grandson of Rav Tzvi Elimelech received semicha from him and was of Dinov. During World War I, Rav Tzvi

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Hirsch fled to Hungary, settling in Transylvania, in 5687/1927. He survived Kleinvardein. In 5676/1916, he fell ill and World War II and founded Kiryat Sanz in went to Vienna for medical care. He was Netanya. He was known as the Sanz- niftar on the fifteenth of Av 5678/1918 in Klausenburger Rebbe. Kleinvardein, and his aron was brought to The other sons were Rav Avrohom, Gorlitz, where he was buried next to his who was Rav in Rudnik, and (from his first father, Rav Boruch. zivug ) Rav Naftoli; he also had a daughter His most famous son, Rav Yekusiel who married Rav Moshe Halberstam of Yehuda (later Rav and Rebbe of Bochnia. Klausenburg), only fourteen at the time, Zechuso yagen aleinu. delivered an hours-long hesped . He www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-15-avaugust-11 founded his own court in Klausenburg,

 Rav Menachem Mendel of StrizovStrizov,, 161616 ththth of AvAvAv Mechaber of Sova Semochos Rav Menachem Mendel was born in Rav Menachem Mendel served as 5548/1788 in Tarnow. His father was Rav Rav in Strizov for a while, where he wrote Moshe Avrohom Dovid. As a child he many responsa in Halocha , especially on excelled in Torah , outshining the other the topic of agunos . After serving as Rav in children his age. Aside from his ge’onus , he Strizov he returned to Tarnow, the city of served Hashem with a unique inner fire, his birth, where he led an elite group of and was a mushlom in Torah and Avodas Chassidim to higher aspirations in Avodas Hashem . Hashem . Unfortunately, he was niftar at His Rebbe was Rav Menachem the young age of forty-three. Mendel of Rimanov, who cherished him. This is how his passing came about: He also traveled to the Kozhnitzer Maggid During his last year, 5591/1831, a terrible and the Chozeh of Lublin. plague erupted in his town and many Rav Mendel of Strizov was the Ba’al Yidden tragically succumbed. It was only Mussaf in the Rimanover court, famous for after Rav Mendel offered himself as a his fiery davening as well as for being a kappora that the dying stopped… great Tzaddik . He had the privilege to help Sova Semochos al HaTorah, a the Yomim Noro’im tefillos of the holy collection of Divrei Torah that he told his Rimanover Rebbe reach the highest talmidim on Shabbosos and Yomim Tovim , celestial spheres. was revered by all as a holy sefer . It was One Yom Kippur , the Rimanover reprinted with a lengthy foreword in Rebbe suddenly banged his machzor shut 5759/1999. Another of Rav Mendel’s in the middle of Mussaf . After davening , seforim is Sova Semochos al Maseches the Rebbe explained to the perplexed Kiddushin . Chassidim that Rav Mendel was trying to Yehi zichro boruch. have the kavonos of the Kohen Godol on www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-16-avaugust-12/ Yom Kippur , and because he was so young the Rebbe feared that it would harm him! 

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Sir Moses MontefioreMontefiore,,,, 161616 ththth of Av Born in Livorno, Italy, in 1784, of next sixty-some years and his list of Sephardi descent, Sir Moses traced his accomplishments is truly magnificent. lineage back to the exiles from the Spanish When he was appointed Sheriff of London, Expulsion. When he was still a young child, he specifically wrote in his contract that he his family resettled in England. Young would be absolved from working on Moshe became a member of the London Shabbos and Yom Tov . He also specified Stock Exchange at a time when there were that he was to be absolved from entering a only twelve licensed Jewish brokers in all of church on non-Jewish holidays. Even when England. In a matter of a few years he had he was traveling, he almost always made amassed great wealth and had become a sure to travel with an entourage of at least member of the London Aristocracy. In ten Jews to ensure that he would have a 1812, he married his wife, Judith, whose minyan . He also took along with him one sister was the wife of Reb Nathan Meyer of the many Sifrei Torah that he owned. Rothschild, one of the wealthiest Jews in Europe at the time. Sir Moses eventually In 1840, a monk named Thomas became the stockbroker for his brother-in- disappeared from his home several weeks law and as a result of their partnership they before Pesach . The French consul in amassed a tremendous fortune. In Damascus blamed the Jews for his addition, he was a partner in a large disappearance and claimed that they killed insurance company as well as a gas the monk to use his blood for matzos . company that introduced gas lighting to Prominent Damascus Jews were many of the major cities of Europe. Sir imprisoned and tortured. Many died and Moses also had a hand in building railroads some, who could not withstand the torture, and many other industrial and financial “confessed” under duress to the crime. enterprises. As the years passed, Moses and Upon learning of it, Sir Moses traveled to Judith grew together in their Yiddishkeit . Damascus to save the honor of the Jewish In 1837, Montefiore was appointed Sheriff people. In 1846, Sir Moses was invited by of London. In the same year, Queen the Russian government to visit Russia in Victoria, who had recently ascended the connection with its Jewish situation. Upon British Throne, awarded him the honorary returning to London, he demanded equal title of Knighthood, bestowing upon him rights for the Jews and stressed that it the title “Sir” Moses. In 1846, he was would also be an economic blessing for the elevated to the rank of Baron. By the time country. Montefiore’s hundredth birthday he was forty-one years old, Sir Moses, with was celebrated as an official holiday in his wife’s encouragement, decided to retire London and he was accorded great honor from business affairs and devote the rest of by both Jew and non-Jew alike. The his life, time and considerable resources to Montefiores passed away childless, but Jewish affairs. The welfare of the Jewish they left behind a legacy of tzedoka and people became his sole business for the chessed that endures to this very day.  Rav Shmuel EibschutzEibschutz,,,, 11171777ththth of AvAvAv Rav of Apta Born in 5514/1756, Rav Shmuel descendant of the Megaleh Amukos . Eibschutz was the son of Rav Naftoli Hertz, Rav Shmuel learned under Rav related to Rav Yonoson Eibschutz, and a 14
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Akiva Eiger for a number of years. Later, in 5595/1835, he became Rav in After settling in Vorka, he was Apta, a post he held until his petira . attracted to the ways of Chassidus and Rav Shmuel was niftar on the 17 th of traveled to the court of the Maggid of Av 5600/1840, at the age of eighty-six. He Kozhnitz. As was customary among was buried in Apta. Chassidim , they did not wear woolen His sons were Rav Berish, Rav in clothes because it was possible that they Zelichov; Rav Efraim, Rav in Piaseczna and contained sha’atnez , an Issur d’Oraisa Sulifa; Rav Mordechai; and Rav Simcha. (Torah prohibition). Rav Shmuel, who Among his famous talmidim were Rav came from a non-Chassidic background, Yissochor Ber of Radoshitz and Rav Yaakov wore woolen clothing, but upon joining the Aryeh of Radzimin, who grew up in Rav Chassidim , he changed to silk garments. Shmuel’s home. Later, in Posen, he met Rav Akiva From the many manuscripts of his Eiger, who asked him why he wore silk and chiddushim , only the one on Torah was not wool. Rav Shmuel explained the published, under the name Toras Shmuel . opinion of the Chassidim . At once, Rav His chiddushim on Shas were never Eiger ripped off his woolen garment, published, except those on the sugya of exclaiming that he was shocked that he Kavsa in Maseches Shabbos , which were hadn’t thought of this issue himself. It is printed at the back of Toras Shmuel . The related that Rav Akiva Eiger stood there, sefer was highly regarded by many of the waiting until he was brought new garments generation’s Gedolim and received glowing free of any halachic issues. haskomos . Rav Shmuel also went to the court of Zecher Tzaddik livrachah. the Chozeh . www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-17-avaugust-13/ He was appointed Rav in Vorka, where he served for thirty-eight years.  Rav Tzvi Arye Twersky of ZlatipoliZlatipoli....TchortkovTchortkovTchortkov,, 11181888ththth of AvAvAv Rav Tzvi Arye Twersky, born in Rav Herschel was sent to the Dachau 5550/1890, was the son of Rav Mordechai concentration camp together with his Yosef of Zlatipoli. In 5673/1913, he married nephew, Rav Shlomo Friedman, son of Rav the daughter of Rav Yisrael of Tchortkov Mordechai Nachum. Following many and settled near his father-in-law. miracles, they were both freed and able to With the advent of World War I, Rav make their way to Eretz Yisrael, settling in Herschel, as he was fondly called, fled with Tel Aviv. his father-in-law to Vienna, along with Following the petira of his nephew, many other Rebbes of the Ruzhin Rav Shlomo, in Cheshvan 5619/1958, Rav dynasties. Hershel was named Rebbe of the Following the petira of his father on Tchortkover Chassidim as well. the 26 th of Iyar 5689/1929, Rav Herschel He wrote the seforim HaTov was appointed Rebbe . He reluctantly V’Hatachlis and Emuna V’Daas on accepted but remained in Vienna with his Hashkofa. brothers-in-law, Rav Nachum Mordechai Rav Hershel was niftar on the 18 th of and Rav Dov Ber. Av 5628/1968 at the age of seventy-eight When the Nazis took over Austria, and buried on Har HaZeisim.

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The Zlatipoli-Tchortkov dynasty is Zechuso yogen aleinu . being perpetuated by his only grandson, www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-18-avaugust-14/ Rav Chaim Michoel Biberfeld, shlita, in London.  Rav Shimon Sholom Kalisch ,,, 111 999ththth of AvAvAv The Amshinover Rebbe The Chassidim recount that after the From an early age he demonstrated petira of Rav Yitzchok of Kalisch (the great intelligence and a heart filled with founder of the line of Rebbes of Vorki and kindness. Everyone loved him, but his Amshinov), his son Rav Yaakov Dovid went father, Rav Menachem, loved him the most. from Amshinov to Kotzk. Rav Menachem He would say to him, “Shimoli, my son, Mendel of Kotzk asked him if he had seen Chassidus has three principles: Love of his father, Rav Yitzchok of Vorki, in a Hashem , love of Torah , and love of Eretz dream, and Rav Yaakov Dovid said that he Yisrael.” In fact, Rav Shimon saw in these had not. Rav Menachem Mendel then said the guiding principles of his life, and he to him, “I saw your father. I was looking for strived with all his might to acquire them him in the world above because I wanted to and to make them an integral part of his see him. Therefore I asked where our Rav character. Yitzchok was, and the ministering angels In his youth, he walked about in his told me to go look for him in a higher father’s Bais Medrash and chatted with the abode. At first I looked for him among the Chassidim who came to him for help. He talmidim of the Ba’al Shem Tov , but they spoke to their hearts and encouraged them, told me that he was in a higher abode. I making sure to provide them with then looked for him in the abode of the something to eat and drink, as well as a Acharonim , of the Bais Yosef and the place to sleep. Rema , but I did not find him there. Finally, Later on he married the daughter of I went to the abode of the Amoro’im , and Rav Yeshaya Kalisch of Peshis’cha, his when I asked where our Rav Yitzchok was, uncle. At his father-in-law’s home, he they told me that he could be found by a advanced in Torah and Chassidus to such a river not far from there. I approached the degree that he became a great Chassidic river and found him standing, bent over his leader. cane, looking at the river. ‘Rav Yitzchok,’ I asked him. ‘What are you doing here?’ He After the petira of his father, Rav replied, ‘This river is made from the tears Shimon Sholom inherited a portion of his of the Jewish people. I cannot leave this Chassidim . He settled in Otbotsk, near place.’” Warsaw, and directed its community with great love. His Chassidim purchased a villa This story is typical of all the Rebbes in the forest for him, and his Bais Medrash of Vorki and Amshinov, among them being was always full of Jews who came there Rav Shimon Sholom Kalisch of Amshinov. seeking his advice. The Rebbe knew a All these Rebbes possessed an tremendous amount about business and extraordinary love for the Jewish people. industry, and great industrialists came to Rav Shimon Sholom was born to see him for business advice. Rav Menachem, the Rebbe of Amshinov, in His noble appearance, long beard, 5643 (1883). and pleasant-looking and smiling face

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] made a great impression on those who saw him gathered Yeshiva talmidim who had him. He behaved with extreme modesty, managed to flee war-torn Europe. He cared which earned him the hearts of the Jewish for these refugees with great devotion and masses. The Rebbe saw only the good in provided them with food. He also people, and to him there were no evil Jews; prevented them from giving up hope, there were only bitter and unhappy people reminding them that deliverance can come who were worthy of immense pity. in the wink of an eye. Thanks to these good Whoever had problems could find refuge deeds of his, many escaped annihilation. with the Tzaddik of Amshinov. After the war, the Rebbe arrived For close to thirty years, the Rebbe safely in the United States. His Chassidim led the Bais Medrash of Otbotsk. Crowds purchased a house for him in Borough rushed to his Bais Medrash on Shabbos Park, Brooklyn, and there he reopened his and the holidays, and the talks he gave to Bais Medrash , this time in the land of the Chassidim revealed his great love for America. There too he made numerous every Jew. Chassidim , and many were those who came In 5694 (1934), he left for Eretz to see him. The Rebbe turned many away Yisrael, where he remained for more than a from sin, as Shabbos desecrators began to year. Upon his return to Poland, he was observe it because of him. He built Talmud filled with praise for the Holy Land and was Torahs and mikves , and he participated in in the habit of saying, “I am a Jew of Eretz many conferences designed to strengthen Yisrael.” He was preparing to go and settle Torah observance. Before long, the Rebbe there, when all of a sudden the Second had won over the Jews of America and his World War erupted and the Rebbe had to home became a center of attraction for all flee from Warsaw. He first found refuge in types of Jews. Lithuania, the center of the misnagdim , In 5714 (1954), he decided that his but something surprising then happened: place was in Eretz Yisrael, where his the misnagdim also went to him for advice Chassidim impatiently awaited him, and so and blessings! Many saw a Chassidic Rebbe he purchased a ticket and prepared to for the first time in their lives, and they leave. However, the Rebbe suddenly fell ill, were impressed by the radiance of his face, and on the 19th of Av his soul departed in his way of life, and his charisma. Many holiness and purity. His Chassidim brought devoted themselves to him and became his his body to Eretz Yisrael and buried him in followers. Teverya. From Lithuania he wandered as far The Rebbe left behind an only son, as Japan, and finally ended up in Shanghai, Rav Meir Kalisch, who settled in China, where he stayed for the remainder Yerushalayim and founded the Shem Olam of the war. During his exile in Shanghai, Yeshiva in memory of his illustrious father. the Rebbe revealed his character by his www.hevratpinto.org/tzadikim_eng/155_rabbi_shimon_shalom_ splendor and the goodness of his heart. His kalish.html home was open to everyone, and around  Rav Yaakov KuliKuli,,,, 11191999ththth of AvAvAv Rav Yaakov Kuli was born in Eretz France or Germany. Rav Machir was the Yisrael in 5449/1689 or 5450/1690. His son-in-law of Rav Moshe ibn Chaviv, the father, Rav Machir, was a scion of an mechaber of Get Poshut . honored family that had come from either At this time, the Turkish regime was 17
Va’eschanan / [email protected] very cruel to the Jewish yishuv in The next year, 5488/1728, Rav Yerushalayim, and Rav Yaakov and his Yaakov edited the sefer Parshas Derochim . family moved to Tzefas. In Tzefas their fate Three years later, he finally published his was not much better, and in 5474/1714, grandfather’s Mishne LaMelech , one of the they relocated to Constantinople. most famous commentaries on the Rav Yaakov edited various Rambam ’s Mishne Torah , enriched with important seforim . The first fruit of his numerous notations of his own. To both literary activity was the publication of the these works Rav Yaakov wrote a preface. writings of his grandfather. Rav Moshe ibn Rav Yaakov also edited his Chaviv (the Maharam Chaviv ) was niftar grandfather’s Ezras Noshim , at the in 5456/1696, when Rav Yaakov was still a beginning of which there are two responsa young boy, but the influence he had on his of his own. young grandson was immense. The most important work of Rav While working on his grandfather’s Yaakov and the one for which he is best writings, Rav Yaakov formed a close known is his commentary on the Torah and relationship with the Rav of Nach entitled Me’am Lo’ez . This work is a Constantinople, Rav Yehuda Rosanes, very elaborate, encyclopedic commentary mechaber of Mishneh LaMelech on the in Ladino, dealing with all aspects of Rambam . He appointed Rav Yaakov as Jewish life, with material taken from the Dayan . Gemora , the Medrash and early Rabbinic In 5487/1727, Rav Yaakov published literature. his grandfather’s work Shammus Ba’Aretz , Rav Yaakov also wrote a halachic a three-volume work on a few Masechtos : sefer called Simonim L’Oraisa , which Yom Teru’a on Maseches Rosh Hashana , remained in manuscript. Tosefes Yom HaKippurim on Yoma , and Rav Yaakov was niftar on the 19 th of Kappos Temorim on Sukka . Av 5492/1732. In that same year Rav Yehuda Zecher Tzaddik livrachah. Rosanes was niftar and Rav Yaakov was www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-19-avaugust-15/ entrusted with the job of preparing his manuscripts for print. Even for a Talmid Chochom of his caliber, it meant a task of several years.  Rav Menachem Nachum of BoyanBoyan....CzernowitzCzernowitzCzernowitz,, 11191999ththth of AAAvAvvv The oldest of the Pachad Yitzchok ’s carried in, people noticed that he had four sons, Rav kicked off part of the blanket covering him Menachem Nachum, was and commented about his vigor. The zeide born on the 21 st of Kislev (grandfather), Rav Avrohom Yaakov of 5629 (1869). Being the Sadiger, remarked, “It seems that this child firstborn, his father will not succeed in concealing his holiness.” made a pidyon haben The words of the Sadigerer Rebbe were (redemption of the borne out in later years. The child grew up firstborn son) when he to become the famous Rav Menachem was thirty days old. Nachum, noted for his fiery zeal in his When the infant was worship of Hashem .

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Va’eschanan / [email protected]

Every Friday night, when R av but as he was about to explain, he suddenly Menachem Nachum recited kiddush , his fainted. When word of the incident reached face was afire like a torch. He became so the ears of his zeide, he warned his excited when he uttered the first words, Chassidim that from then on they could not that the cup shook violently in his hand and speak to him regarding such topics! most of the wine spilled. Often the cup fell Rav Menachem Nachum grew up from his hand, but the Rebbe was so under the close scrutiny of his zeide . He engrossed in the words that he never acquired a prominent place among the realized that his cup had been refilled and elder Chassidim . Blessed with an excellent replaced in his hand. memory, he helped transcribe the Divrei Those who saw his kiddush never Torah that his zeide delivered during the forgot it, even many years later. In a letter, tisch on Shabbos . A letter written by Rav one of his Chassidim described the Dudia of Berditchev ( mechaber of the kiddush : “At the appointed time the Rebbe classic sefer Tehilla LeDovid), bears arrived, his appearance like that of a testimony to the young boy’s brilliance. In malach (angel). In a lion’s voice he started the letter, written when Rav Menachem to recite kiddush , all the while our hearts Nachum was just twelve years old, he were thumping with fright. Within the first writes, “The additions between the lines are few seconds, all the wine had spilled from the sections of the Rebbe ’s Torah that I the cup – such was his dveikus (attachment wasn’t able to recall and was reminded of to Hashem ). I don’t believe that anyone by the young Rav Menachem Nachum who was there wasn’t moved to thoughts of shlit”a .” teshuva .” Rav Menachem Nachum was not When one of Rav Menachem just a son to his father, but a fervent Nachum’s Chassidim described his avoda Chassid also. At the chassuna (wedding) of to his youngest brother, Rav Mordechai one of the children of the Belzer Rav , Rav Shlomo, he exclaimed, “What’s the Yissochor Dov, in 1899, the Belzer Rav chiddush ? My brother is on the madreiga asked Rav Menachem Nachum, who had (level) of Tzaddikim from previous attended the chassuna , to stay for Shabbos generations.” Sheva Berochos . Rav Menachem Nachum Similarly, when he would say Torah , refused, telling him that when he left Boyan it was also with great dveikus , often he had not told his father that he would be accompanied with sighs and sobs. By the away for Shabbos . The Belzer Rav , end of the tisch, (the Rebbe ’s table) there however, did not take ‘no’ for an answer wasn’t a dry eye in sight. The Chassidim and told him that he could tell his father returned home after Shabbos purified and that he had been pressured into staying for uplifted from what they had seen and Shabbos . Rav Menachem Nachum still heard. An extraordinary story is told from refused and answered, “I have never yet when Rav Menachem Nachum was still a excused myself to my father!” The Belzer young child. A group of Chassidim were Rav was extremely impressed with his busy discussing Moshiach and the final response and did not press him further, geula . In the middle of their conversation, and when Rav Menachem Nachum left on Rav Menachem Nachum came over to them his journey home, the Belzer Rav and told them, “When Moshiach comes, we accompanied him to the station as a sign of will be the generals.” One of the Chassidim respect for him. proceeded to ask the young boy when he To what extent Rav Menachem thought Moshiach would finally come. Rav Nachum respected and stood in awe of his Menachem Nachum started to answer him, father can be seen from his tzavo’a (ethical

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] last will) which he wrote before his petira. overcrowded with refugees and the In it he wrote, “I command that they bury atmosphere of confusion and turmoil was me in the hut where the holy body of my not conducive to rebuilding Boyaner father zt”l is buried, but it should be as far Chassidus . away from my father’s kever (grave) as Next to the Bais Medrash , a large possible.” court was built. From there Rav Menachem The Boyaner Rebbe also held his son Nachum was able to lead his Chassidim in in high esteem, relying on him as his style as his father had done in Boyan. On representative on various occasions. One the arrival of the new Rebbe in Czernowitz, year, during one of the winter months, bad thousands turned out to accompany him as weather prevented the Boyaner Rebbe from he entered his new court for the first time. being able to perform the mitzva of The Rebbe ’s court became a magnet Kiddush Levona . The last possible night to for the thousands of Boyaner Chassidim , a be mekadesh the levona (to bless the new beacon of light in the ever-darkening moon) arrived, and still there was no sign gloom. The Rebbe would sit and listen to of the moon. The Chassidim became the woes and worries of his Chassidim , as worried that their failure to perform the one by one they loaded him with the mitzva was a bad omen of things to come. problems in their hearts. Due to the war They asked the Rebbe to daven that the many had lost their homes and their jobs, clouds should clear so that they should not and they had no one to help them. For miss out on this important mitzva . The hours on end, day after day, the Rebbe Rebbe instructed them to go to his son, Rav would sit and listen to their woes as they Menachem Nachum, and tell him in his poured out their hearts to him, leaving his name that he should see to it that there be a room only after he had succeeded in clear levona . Rav Menachem Nachum comforting them, convincing them that accepted the shlichus and a few minutes through their bitochon combined with the later the clouds cleared, leaving the moon zechusim of the Tzaddikim , all would turn shining brightly for all to see. out for the best. The Boyaner Rebbe trained his son Even when the situation seemed to take over his position. On one occasion hopeless, the Rebbe still did not rest from the Boyaner Rebbe spoke of his wish to live davening , begging Hashem to help His in Eretz Yisrael. He told his Rebbetzin, “We Yidden and improve their lot. A Chassid will go and settle in Eretz Yisrael, and as whose sister was lying in hospital in critical for the Chassidim , Boruch Hashem we condition came to the Rebbe , begging him have whom to leave them with.” to daven for her. The Chassid gave the The outbreak of the First World War Rebbe an enormous sum of money as a in 1914 changed his plans and the Boyaner pidyon (soul redemption), hoping that it Rebbe was forced to flee to Vienna where would help his sister somehow. The Rebbe , he was niftar on the 17 th of Adar 5677 however, did not accept the money and told (1917). For the Boyaner Chassidim this him, “What do you want? To bribe me with second blow was enough almost to break money?” Hearing the Rebbe ’s negative them. Not only had the Rebbe ’s court in reply, the Chassid started to cry, begging Boyan been totally destroyed, they had now the Rebbe to have pity on his sister and lost their crown as well. save her. The Rebbe took the pidyon , and Rav Menachem Nachum decided to after he wished the ill lady a speedy move to Czernowitz, where there was a recovery asked the man to leave the room. large Boyaner Bais Medrash that had been No sooner had the door shut, than the opened many years earlier. Vienna was Rebbe started to pace up and down in great 20
Va’eschanan / [email protected] dveikus , imploring Hashem to have mercy finished davening , he spoke a few words. and revoke the decree. The same day the “When one realizes the greatness of the woman had a miraculous recovery, living to Gedolim (luminaries) buried here, and an old age. On one of the rare occasions thinks that we were zoche to have them as that the Rebbe spoke about himself, he our leaders, it is possible to come to gaava said, “It doesn’t take me long to understand (arrogance) chas vesholom . Instead, one the problems of others, and it doesn’t take has to make sure, as my holy zeide from me long to secure a yeshua (favorable Sadiger once said, ‘When a person outcome) for them.” remembers the kedusha (holiness) of the The Rebbe took onto himself the zeides and compares it to our own lowly worries of Klal Yisrael , carrying the heavy madreiga , he becomes humble and small burden on his shoulders. Only through in his own eyes and not chas vesholom superhuman strength was he able to soldier haughty.’” on, not allowing the constant problems to In a letter from one of the Chassidim break him. On one occasion, after he heard who accompanied the Rebbe , he wrote, of a particularly distressing problem, he “When these words left the Rebbe ’s mouth, commented to one of his close Chassidim , tears streamed down from his eyes. All “Chazal (our sages) tell us, if a person has a those around him also cried with true problem he should speak it over with broken hearts, and I could not stop myself others. One person on his own cannot cope from crying along, and cried then with such with a problem and therefore Chazal advise a broken heart like I have never cried us to speak over the problem with a second before.” person... Nu , and what should I do?” The On the 29 th of Sivan , the Rebbe left Rebbe added with a sigh, “I sit here the for Yerushalayim, and again thousands whole day and everyone tells me their turned out to meet him with the Rav of problems and I have to bear it all!” Yerushalayim, Rav Yosef Chaim Besides the thousands of Boyaner Sonnenfeld at their head. Despite the royal Chassidim living in Europe, the Rebbe also welcome, the Rebbe was not besimcha had many Chassidim living in Eretz (joyful). He told his Chassidim , “In Yisrael. Due to the high costs involved, Yerushalayim one sees the Churban most of them could not afford to go to see (destruction) in every corner.” His body the Rebbe . Therefore, it was with great became covered in boils and blisters from simcha (joy) that they received the news his anguish. His pain was such that he that the Rebbe had agreed to their request couldn’t sleep at night and spent the time to visit Eretz Yisrael. pacing up and down in his room. During the four weeks that the When the Rebbe arrived back in Rebbe spent in Eretz Yisrael, he infused Czernowitz, he told his Chassidim , “The new life into his Chassidim . He took a ship reason for my trip was to heal my neshoma , from Trieste to Alexandria in Egypt from (soul) and even though the journey was where he traveled by train, arriving in Lod very difficult, my neshoma gained from the on the 15 th of Iyar 5687 (1927). From Lod, trip. If Hashem helps a person to prepare the Rebbe traveled to Tzefas, where an himself properly in chutz laaretz , (outside estimated crowd of four thousand people Eretz Yisrael), then when he arrives in came out to welcome him. While in Tzefas, Eretz Yisrael, he truly feels the kedusha he went to daven at the kever of the Arizal (holiness) of the land in all his bones.” and the other Tzaddikim buried there. His For almost twenty years, the Rebbe tefillos , which were accompanied by hot led his flock. In his last years, as the threats tears, aroused the many onlookers. After he from Germany became louder and louder, 21
Va’eschanan / [email protected] his whole being was totally given over to family decided to ask the Rebbe ’s cousin, entreating Hashem to annul the evil the Sadigerer Rebbe, Rav Avrohom Yaakov, decrees. When a Chassid asked him for a to try to persuade the Rebbe to change his berocha (blessing) to a certain problem, he mind. The Sadigerer Rebbe agreed and answered, “Now isn’t the time to worry went especially to Czernowitz to speak to about people’s private problems; now is the the Rebbe . On various occasions the time to worry about the klal (community) Sadigerer Rebbe would relate the following as a whole.” To a second person he story, which he himself had witnessed: commented, “The plight of the Yidden When he opened the door to the doesn’t leave my mind for a second.” room where the Rebbe was lying in bed, he Although his tefillos had always been full of stopped in shock. Standing next to the bed sighs and tears, in his last years his tears was the Rebbe ’s father, the Pachad became a veritable flood as he poured out Yitzchok of Boyan. Immediately, the his heart in constant tefilla . Sadigerer Rebbe closed the door and went Although the Rebbe had been away. An hour later, the Sadigerer Rebbe suffering for a number of years from a returned and when he opened the door for severe kidney disorder, he had managed to the second time, the Pachad Yitzchok was conceal it from even his closest Chassidim . still standing there in the same place. The Although he suffered terrible pains, in his Sadigerer ended this story saying, “From typical way he had managed to hide it. this incident I understood that his days The severity of his pain can be seen were numbered, and he was already busy from what the Rebbe wrote in his tzavo’a : preparing to leave this world.” “Even though Chazal say that a person only Ten days before his petira , the suffers if he has sinned, and who can say Rebbe agreed to travel to Vienna to that they are innocent from sin? A person undergo medical treatment. After a few knows how he has acted, and I don’t chas days his condition took a sudden turn for vesholom feel that I have committed such a the worse. sin that I should have received such During his last hours on the 19 th of suffering...”. His pains were such that his Av 5696 (1936) he lay peacefully in bed, his zeide , the Sadigerer Rebbe , said, face radiant as he prepared himself to meet “Tzaddikim accept suffering on themselves his Creator. His whole being glowed with to atone for the sins of the generation.” kedusha as his holy neshoma ascended. In his last year, his illness became Zechuso yogein oleinu . worse and the doctors decided that he www.nishmas.org./gdynasty/chapt6.htm would have to undergo an operation. The Rebbe , however, refused to hear of it. The  Rav Levi Yitzchok SchneersSchneersonononon,,,, 202020 ththth of AvAvAv Rav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson was father, Rav Boruch Schneur, was a great- born in 1878, on the 18 th of Nissan , in the grandson of the third Lubavitcher Rebbe , town of Podrovnah (near Gomel), to Rav Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Boruch Schneur and Rebbetzin Zelda known as the Tzemach Tzedek . Rochel Schneerson. Rav Levi Yitzchok was As a small child, Rav Levi Yitzchok the eldest of four children: two brothers, showed signs of being a prodigy, as the Rav Shmuel and Rav Sholom Shlomo, and Rebbe Rayatz would later write: “Already one sister, Rebbetzin Rada Sima. His from a young age, his extraordinary talents

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] were discovered.” He mastered Kabbola , professionals, who also held Rav Levi Talmud , and Chassidic philosophy and was Yitzchok in great esteem. His wife, ordained by the leading Torah authorities Rebbetzin Chana, who was fluent in several of his time, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of languages, contributed to her husband’s Brisk and Rav Eliyohu Chaim Meizel of success and influence as a communal Lodz. leader. In 1900, at the age of twenty-two, During his years of leadership, Rav Rav Levi Yitzchok, who had already Levi Yitzchok resolutely engaged in become renowned as a Kabbalistic and religious activism, never giving in to the halachic scholar, married Rebbetzin Chana ever-growing pressure from Soviets. He Yanovsky. The daughter of Rav Meir oversaw the building of a new mikve and Shlomo Yanovsky, the Rav of Nikolayev clandestinely officiated at weddings and and Chassid of the Rebbe Maharash , the circumcisions. One area of particular note fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe , young Rebbetzin was his involvement in the production of Chana was known as a scholar in her own kosher-for-Pesach matzos. As all factories right. Rav Sholom Dov Ber Schneerson, the in Russia were owned by the government, it fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe , had suggested the was their policy that set the standard for match. The wedding took place on the 13 th the matza production. of Sivan , in Nikolayev, where Rav Levi Yet, even the Soviets knew that for Yitzchok and Rebbetzin Chana would the Jews to purchase their matzos, they remain for almost a decade. would require a Rabbinic authority to Rav Levi Yitzchok and Rebbetzin provide halachic certification. When they Chana gave birth to three sons: Menachem turned to Rav Levi Yitzchok, who was Mendel, Dov Ber and Yisrael Arye Leib. renowned as the chief Rav of a prominent The eldest, Menachem Mendel, was born city, he demanded that he be allowed to on the 11 th of Nissan 1902 and would grow install his own rabbinic supervisors, up to become the seventh Lubavitcher otherwise he could not offer certification. Rebbe , known as the Rebbe . When they refused, Rav Levi Yitzchok In 1909, at age thirty-one, Rav Levi remained steadfast. He traveled to Moscow Yitzchok was called upon to serve as Rav of and met with the Bolshevik revolutionary, the Ukrainian city of Yekatrinoslav (known Mikhail Kalinin, to explain his position. today as Dniepropetrovsk). The fifth Rebbe , Rav Levi Yitzchok’s efforts bore fruit and Rav Sholom Dovber Schneerson, was the Soviets relented. The Pesach matzos instrumental in securing the position, and would be produced under the proper he sent letters to various community rabbinic standards. leaders, including Sergei Pavlov Fallei, one On the 9 th of Nissan 5699 (March of the city’s most respected members of the 28, 1939), at three o’clock in the morning, Zionist movement. Rav Levi Yitzchok also four agents of the NKVD arrived at the met with Menachem Ussishkin, a Schneerson home on 13 Barikadna Street. community activist who had served as Stationing guards at each of the secretary of the First Zionist Congress. doors, they began to search the house. Following his appointment as Rav , Rav Rifling through the thousands of folios of Levi Yitzchok eventually assumed the Rav Levi Yitzchok’s written works on position of chief Rav and served the Kabbola , Halocha , and rabbinic community for thirty-two years, until 1939. correspondence, they confiscated his Aside from a small Chassidic rabbinic ordination certificates and a constituency, the Jewish community of petition from the community of Jaffa that Yekatrinoslav included many non-religious he emigrate and serve as chief Rav , along 23
Va’eschanan / [email protected] with visas for the entire family. Rav ’s release. They contributed thousands Finally, at six o’clock in the morning, of rubles, giving most of their wealth, in after they had ended their search, Rav Levi order to acquire the proper permits for the Yitzchok was arrested for his activities on relocation. After six weeks fraught with behalf of Judaism in the Soviet Union. setbacks and obstacles, they were finally After more than a year of torture and able to obtain the release documents. interrogations in Stalin’s notorious prisons, Immediately after Pesach , Rav Levi Rav Levi Yitzchok was tried in Moscow and Yitzchok and Rebbetzin Chana left Chi’ili sentenced to five years of exile in Central and arrived in Alma Ata. In this large city, Asia. Rebbetzin Chana subsequently their living conditions improved somewhat, followed him to be with him at his remote and they worked more vigorously to help location of exile. others in need. Yet, through the summer, Rav Levi Yitzchok and Rebbetzin the Rav ’s illness grew worse. A young Chana’s first home in Chi’ili was a single friend made a special trip from Leningrad room in the dwelling of a crude Tartar to Alma Ata, together with a well-known couple who had a young child. The room doctor. The doctor did not have a good had no door and was damp, muddy and prognosis for the Rav . He had no cure for filled with swarms of mosquitoes. They his ailment. lived in extreme poverty and discomfort, Rav Levi Yitzchok and Rebbetzin with no privacy. Though they never Chana endured those heartbreaking days discussed it, pangs of hunger tormented with exceptional strength and fortitude. them. Once, they did not taste a piece of Despite the dire conditions, they continued bread for an entire month. to welcome any depressed or broken With World War II ravaging Europe, person into their home, attending to his or many refugees and displaced people ended her specific needs and providing food when up in the Kazakhstan region where Rav necessary. Levi Yitzchok had been exiled. Rav Levi On the 20 th of Av , Rav Levi Yitzchok soon became well known among Yitzchok’s condition turned critical. the Jewish refugees. Large groups of men Although he was no longer able to speak, and women, especially those women whose he still continued to murmur words of husbands were taken away for the war Torah or Tehillim . That evening, Rebbetzin effort, would visit the esteemed Rav and Chana took a short rest so that she would his wife, seeking counsel on various have the strength to continue caring for matters. him; when she awoke, she found the house With meager resources at their filled with people. Her husband had disposal, and facing a constant threat to returned his pure soul to its Maker. their very lives, Rav Levi Yitzchok and www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/117515/jewish/Rabbi-Levi- Rebbetzin Chana heroically reached out to Yitzchak-Schneerson.htm their brethren in need, helping in every  which way, materially and spiritually. In 1944, as Rav Levi Yitzchok’s Once as part of the census, the sentence was nearing its end, his physical Russian government sent out a condition began to deteriorate. Though he questionnaire asking several queries of its was unaware of this, a serious illness was citizens. Among the questions was: “Do you spreading through his body, severely believe in G-d?” weakening him. Meanwhile, friends in Many Jews were inclined to answer nearby Alma Ata resolved to secure the in the negative because they feared

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] arousing government suspicion and/or fraught with danger for them. It was only losing their jobs. When the Rebbe ’s father after I begged and pleaded with them to go learned of this, he gave an impassioned to a Rav who would arrange a proper sermon, explaining that denying belief in Jewish wedding for them that they Hashem was equivalent to heresy. No promised me they would. But they set the matter what the risks, every Jew was condition that the chupa (wedding obligated to answer affirmatively. ceremony) would take place at your home, Among his listeners was a honored Rav , and nowhere else. I came in government employee whose wife had advance to give you time to prepare for already filled out the census form for him, their arrival.” stating that he did not believe. The words At exactly midnight, the couple of the Rebbe ’s father motivated him so arrived. They were immediately brought powerfully that he went to the census office into a side room so that no one would see and asked the government to correct the them. form. He wanted to be listed as a believer. The Rav began to prepare for the Later when the Rebbe ’s father was marriage ceremony. First, he needed to get arrested, his interrogators asked him how a minyan (quorum of ten adult male Jews). he had dared to make such statements. He By now it was after midnight. The streets answered that his words were totally in were empty, deserted; not a living creature support of the government. “Jews could be seen. Where would it be possible inherently believe in Hashem ,” he told his to get another eight to complete a minyan questioners. “I was merely exhorting them at this hour? to tell the truth and not lie to the The marriage needed to take place government.” that night at any cost. A delay could not be www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2658219/jewish/Do-you- afforded. It was necessary to get eight believe-in-Gd.htm “kosher” Jews, people who could be relied  upon to keep a secret and not tell anyone what they had seen. Otherwise, the lives of The following story happened in the the Rav , the young couple, and everyone USSR in 1935, a time when Soviet present would be in danger. oppression was at its peak, and the KGB Within half an hour, the room held was tracking all Jewish activity as nine men. Only one was missing, a tenth “counterrevolutionary” and “anti- man for the minyan . government”: What did the Rav do? One night, at 11 o’ clock, a knock was In Rav Levi Yitzchok’s apartment heard on the door of Rav Levi Yitzchok building, a young Jew had been assigned by Schneerson, the chief Rav of the city of the government to serve as head of the Dnepropetrovsk. An older woman entered housing committee. It was his the apartment. She looked around responsibility to spy and keep careful tabs nervously to make sure that there was no on any irregular movements in the home of one there besides the Rav and his family. the Rav , and verify that no religious “Rav ,” she whispered. “I have come ceremonies were taking place. It was to him from a distant city that I cannot identify by that the Rav sent a messenger, asking him name. In another hour, at midnight, my to come. daughter and son-in-law will be here too. When he arrived, Rav Levi Yitzchok They are both serving in high-level told him that he wanted him to serve as the government positions; coming here is tenth man of a minyan , so that he could

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Va’eschanan / [email protected] conduct a Jewish wedding for the young ring on the bride’s finger and said, “Behold Jewish couple who was getting married you are betrothed to me…” The ceremony that night. was complete. “Me?!” he jumped back as if bitten It was now 1:30 a.m. The bride and by a snake. groom hurried to vacate the premises, as “Yes, you!” did all the other participants – except for The young man rushed to the two. windows and closed all the shutters. Then These were people who held he sat down quietly, and alertly watched Communist Party cards. They took their the unfolding events. cards out of their pockets, approached Rav The Rebbetzin brought a big Levi Yitzchok, and said emotionally, “As of tablecloth to serve as the chupa canopy, now, Rav , we are with you and we do not and four of those present, like living posts, want to part from you. All of this” – held up its four corners. pointing to their cards – “is worth nothing to us when we are with you, honored When the kesuba (marriage Rav …” contract) was drawn up, the bride and groom were summoned from their hiding From the memoirs of Rebbetzin place in the other room. The bride’s face Chana Schneerson (1880-1964), mother of was veiled, and the groom tried to cover his the Rebbe , Rav Menachem Mendel face, too, so he would not be recognized. Schneerson, of righteous memory. The ceremony began. No candles Translated from Toldos Levi Yitzchok, were lit due to the bride and groom’s fear of published and copyright by Kehot discovery. Seven circles were conducted Publication Society, all rights reserved. www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/960577/jewish/A-Tenth- around the groom as is customary, and the Man-for-the-Minyan.htm Rav arranged the marriage and recited the blessing over the wine. The groom put the  Rav Eliezer of UzipoliUzipoli,,,, 202020 ththth of Av Rav Eliezer was a Chassidic leader, Like his father, Rav Eliezer davened son of the Tzaddik Rav Yehuda Tzvi of and sang with tremendous joy. He showed Strettin (who was the foremost talmid of a great deal of love toward all Jews, never the famous Chassidic Rebbe , Rav Uri of displayed anger, and distributed great Strelisk). He was born in Poland. amounts of money to tzedoka . He was Rav Yehuda Tzvi of Strettin had four known as a man of miracles and wonders. righteous sons, who he said were the Rav Eliezer was niftar in Strettin incarnations of Dovid HaMelech ’s warriors. and left behind two sons, Rav Nachum of He said about his son Eliezer, that he Burstein and Rav Uri of Stanislav. performed his spiritual work with a great www.dailyzohar.com/ degree of concealment and modesty that even fooled the Soton .

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Rav Chaim Halevi SoloveitchikSoloveitchik,,,, 212121 ststst of Av A Bigger Ba’al Chessed or Gaon ? Torah !” It is said that Rav Chaim Brisker was Rav Chaim was the son of the Bais a Ba’al Chessed of unimaginable greatness, HaLevi , Rav Yosha Ber Soloveitchik, the but this part of his character was Rav of Brisk. He married the daughter of overshadowed by his genius. The Chofetz Rav Refoel Shapiro, the son-in-law of the Chaim was a Gaon BaTorah beyond Netziv . He had three sons: Rav Velvel, who comprehension but this Gadlus was succeeded him and is known as the Brisker overshadowed by his character. Rav , who escaped Europe during the His house was open to the public Holocaust with his older sons (Rav Yosef and people would make themselves at Dov, Rav Dovid, Rav Refoel and Rav Meir) home as if they owned the place. At times and replanted the Brisker dynasty, with Rav Chaim would not go to sleep because Yeshivos and all, in Yerushalayim; Rav someone was in his bed. The Brisker Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, who immigrated to the said that his father’s home was much worse United States and became Rosh Yeshiva of than a Reshus HoRabbim (public area). If Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon , you made your bed in the street, the where he was succeeded by his two sons, authorities would come and take it away. In Rav Yosha Ber and Rav Aharon; and Rav his father’s house, there were no rules and Yisrael Gershon, whose son was Rav Moshe people did whatever they wanted. Soloveitchik of Switzerland. In 1895, after a fire destroyed many Before becoming Rav of Brisk, at a homes in Brisk, Rav Chaim slept on the very young age Rav Chaim was co-Rosh floor in the hallway of the shul and, despite Yeshiva of Volozhin, together with his the pleas of his family, refused to sleep in wife’s grandfather, the Netziv . In the early his home when so many Yehudim did not years of the Netziv ’s tenure at Volozhin, have a roof over their heads. Rav Chaim’s father, the Bais HaLevi , was Rav Chaim hated money and when it co-Rosh Yeshiva with the Netziv , but their came into his hands, he made sure it did vastly different personalities forced them to not remain in his possession very long, split up. Rav Chaim’s famous talmidim certainly not overnight. His family would included, first and foremost, his sons as hide any money they had in the house. At well as Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz, some point, the Kehilla of Brisk stopped Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rav Elchonon giving him his paycheck and gave it only to Wasserman and Rav Shimon Shkop. st of his wife, because he would disburse it Rav Chaim was niftar on the 21 Av 5678/1918. Through these talmidim immediately to the poor. and the Yeshivos who follow his Derech To describe his chessed is HaLimud , as well as every ben Torah who impossible. To try to describe his Torah is gets a geshmak out of repeating a chiddush downright chutzpa. We will share one story from Rav Chaim, Rav Chaim continues to that gives a glimpse of how he felt about live in the hallowed halls of every Yeshiva Kevod HaTorah . One Motzo’ei Shabbos , today and in the heart, mind and mouth of after spending many hours dictating twelve every serious Talmid Chochom . pages of chiddushim into the wee hours of Yehi Zichro Boruch ! the morning to one of the shochtim in Brisk www.revach.net/stories/gedolim-biographies/Reb-Chaim-Halevi- who would write for him, he stopped and Soloveitchik-A-Bigger-Baal-Chesed-Or-Gaon/3995 reached out for the papers and tore them into shreds, declaring, “False Torah cannot  exist. The world only needs authentic 27
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Rav Chaim Brisker’s Glass Does Not to one dei’a (halachic opinion), in order to Shatter put a Mezuza in a doorway, it needs to have Rav Chaim Soloveitchik made a a door. The door is there just to make sure Seudas Mitzva in his house. The table was that the Mezuza is 100 percent l’chat’chila . set with his finest glass and china in honor Why else would someone have a door? of the occasion. One of the the participants www.revach.net/stories/gadlus/Rav-Chaim-Soloveitchiks-Brisker- got up from the table and accidentally took Door/4259 the tablecloth with him as he got caught on it. The tablecloth crashed to the floor with  all its expensive and delicate contents Rav Chaim Soloveitchik’s Demands falling to the ground. In the home of Rav Chaim Everyone was horrified and turned Soloveitchik, everything was hefker . to look at Rav Chaim, waiting for his Anyone off the street could come in and reaction. Rav Chaim told everyone not to take whatever they wanted and no one in worry and assured them that nothing the family was allowed to utter a single broke. They slowly approached the word. Families would sometimes come in wreckage and unraveled the tablecloth. and take a room for themselves and no one Sure enough every single piece was intact would say anything. and nothing was damaged. His son, the Brisker Rav , said that he All eyes turned to Rav Chaim for an once came to his own bed at night and explanation. Rav Chaim explained that he found someone lying in it. He had no place was not a novi or a miracle worker. He only to sleep that night but did not say anything knew the Kabbola that he had from Rav to anyone about it. Chaim Volozhin. Rav Chaim Volozhin said Rav Dovid Soloveitchik said that one that no harm will ever come to something time his father, the Brisker Rav , was bought from money earned honestly and writing a D’var Torah that his father, Rav fairly. Rav Chaim said that since all his Chaim, had told him to write for him. As he money was earned fairly he was sure that was in middle of writing, a schlepper nothing could have broken. And so it was. barged in from the street and asked the www.revach.net/stories/story-corner/Rav-Chaim-Briskers-Glass- Brisker Rav for the pen. The Brisker Rav Doesnt-Shatter/4141 told him he would give it to him in a  minute when he had finished writing. When Rav Chaim heard this, he screamed, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik’s Door “What is going on here that we don’t lend Rav Chaim Brisker was an incredible our pens...?!” (Holchei Nesivos – Middos Ba’al Chessed . His home was totally hefker Tovos ) to all those who wanted to enter. People ate www.revach.net/stories/gadlus/Rav-Chaim-Soloveitchiks- his food, took away his seforim , and even Demands/4941 slept in his bed, leaving him nowhere to sleep some nights. His concern for others  was so great that it did not dawn on anyone Bubba that they were inconveniencing him – and Rav Chaim Brisker Heeds the Meisa they probably weren’t. His house was the local “hangout” for anyone who had One time Rav Chaim Soloveitchik nowhere to go. paid a visit to his elderly cousin. When he Someone once asked why he had a walked into the house, a button fell off his door on his house if it performed no coat. His cousin quickly took out some function whatsoever, since it was always thread and sewed the button back on while open. The answer was obvious. According Rav Chaim was wearing the coat, which is 28
Va’eschanan / [email protected] said to make someone forget his Torah . The-Bubba-Meisa/3891 Rav Chaim then employed the known antidote and took the edge of the collar and  put it in his mouth. Rav Chaim on Chessed Puzzled, Rav Chaim’s cousin said to A person who closes his Gemora him, “Do you really believe in these Bubba because he must perform a Chessed is Meises ?” considered to have his Gemora still open. A Rav Chaim answered that when it person who opens his Gemora to avoid came to anything to do with forgetting doing a Chessed is considered to have his Torah he did not play around – and he Gemora still closed. even took Bubba Meises very seriously. www.revach.net/daily-headline/headline/Rav -Chaim-on- (Dirshu Chizuk ) Chesed/5097 www.revach.net/avodah/olam-hatorah/Rav-Chaim -Brisker-Heeds-

 Rav Aharon Roke’ach of Belz , 212121 ststst of Av When Rav Aharon of Belz hastily even in his lifetime his father delegated dressed and left the mikve when his father psak Halocha to his young son, Rav Rav Yissochor Dov of Belz wanted to come Aharon. In 1927, R av Yissochor Dov was in, his father said, “ If my body were as holy niftar and during the levaya Rav Aharon, as his I wouldn’t feel the need to ever go the who was then forty-seven years old, was mikve .” The Shineve Rav once said about crowned the next Rebbe of the Belzer Rav Aharon that it seemed the Yetzer Hora dynasty. completely forgot about him. In the 1930s, Belz flourished under Rav Yeshayale Tchchoiver said that Rav Aharon’s leadership. Rav Aharon was a Rav Aharon never committed any aveira . strong leader and took a stand against the There was only one pasuk that he was not inroads of the Haskola in Belz, making mekayem : Ein Tzaddik baaretz asher many new takonos . Rav Aharon’s fame yaaseh tov v’lo yecheta – “there is no spread throughout Europe, so much so that person in the world who only does good when the Nazis invaded, Rav Aharon was and does not sin”. This pasuk the flawless one of their top targeted Rabbonim and his Rav Aharon did not keep. capture became a priority for them. Belz Rav Meir Arik said that even more was invaded on Hoshana Rabba in 1939, amazing than his Gaonus in Torah was his which set off four years of miserable and awesome Kedusha . From his youth, Rav miraculous wandering and escape, until a Aharon ate once a day and slept only two worldwide effort brought Rav Aharon and hours a night. “What should I do? My body his brother safely to the shores of Eretz doesn’t need more,” he would say. “But for Yisrael. those who need more it is Rav Aharon was weakened both forbidden for them to physically and emo tionally after his kehilla afflict themselves.” and his entire family were killed. Rav Rav Aharon was Aharon spent years hiding and avoiding born in 1880, the bechor capture in ghettos including in Sokal, (firstborn) of the Belzer Premishlan, Vizhnitz, Bochnia and Rebbe , Rav Yissochor Dov. Budapest, Hungary, before his final escape. Rav Aharon was a Gaon in In Budapest he was mechazek the Jews all facets of Torah , and who had not yet felt the vicious claws of the 29
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Nazis but were about to, although they did especially the great challenge of Shmitta . He not believe it would happen. would often visit the Belzer Rav , Rav Aharon, In Eretz Yisrael, Rav Aharon settled in for a berocha for the settlement’s hatzlocha . Tel Aviv where he worked to replant Belz One time a baby boy was born in from the ashes of destruction. Eretz Yisrael Komemius and the father wanted Rav was zoche to have Rav Aharon for thirteen Mendelson to be the sandek . Rav Mendelson years, first in Tel Aviv and later in declined the honor because he had already Yerushalayim. Rav Aharon was not zoche to been sandek at the bris of the man’s older have any children from his marriage after the son and the Rema says that one person war and was succeeded by the current Belzer should not be sandek twice, since it is a Rebbe , Rav Yissochor Dov, the son of his segula for wealth and we want to spread it younger brother, Rav Mordechai, the Admor around. The father was insistent that the Rav of Bilgoray who never left his side through all take the Kibud and since some people are his trials and tribulations. noheg to give it to the Rav more than once, Rav Yissochor Dov was born to Rav Rav Mendelson was in a quandary. Mordechai in 1948 in Eretz Yisrael but was He decided to travel to Bnei Brak to orphaned when he was only one year old ask the Chazon Ish his opinion on the matter. when Rav Mordechai was suddenly niftar in Taking advantage of the opportunity, Rav 1949. He was then raised by his uncle, Rav Mendelson decided to go into the Belzer Rav Aharon, who was niftar on the 21 st of Av with a personal Kvittel and Kvittlach from all 5717/1957 at the age of seventy-seven. Rav the people of Komemius hoping to get a Aharon is buried on Har HaMenuchos in the berocha . Chelkas HaTzaddikim next to Rav Moshe When he came in to the Belzer Rav , Feinstein and the Tchebiner Rav. he passed him all the kvittlech . Rav Aharon Yehi Zichro Boruch . then told Rav Mendelson that he would only www.revach.net/stories/gedolim-biographies/The-Holy-Aharon-Of-Belz- read Rav Mendelson’s kvittel and not the rest Reb-Aharon-Rokeach-The-Belzer-Rov/4687 of them, since when the Rav gets a bracha it  flows to all his constituents as well, so it was unnecessary to read each individual request. The Belzer Rav ’s Taxi Lesson Then the Belzer Rav went on to When bending over to get into a taxi, explain himself. He said the Rema says that Rav Aharon of Belz quipped that you can we do not allow one person to be a sandek learn from here that in order to get anywhere twice, since we want to spread the wealth. in life, a person must first lower himself However, said Rav Aharon, we know that completely. there is a minhag to give it to the Rav more than once. We see from this minhag that -Rav Moshe Aharon Stern, Mashgiach of when the Rav gets a berocha it goes to Kaminetz everyone, and therefore he can be sandek www.revach.net/daily-headline/headline/The-Belzer-Rovs-Taxi- many times without hoarding the wealth. Lesson/4686 When Rav Mendelson heard these  prophetic words, he accepted the berocha of the Belzer Rav and headed straight back to Rav Binyomin Mendelson Cancels his Komemius without any more questions. And Trip to the Chazon Ish After Showing his Kvittel to the Belzer Rav of course he gladly accepted sandeka’us at the bris . Rav Binyomin Mendelson was the www.revach.net/stories/story-corner/Rav-Binyomin-Mendelson-Cancels- legendary Rav of the famous religious His-Trip-To-The-Chazon-Ish-After-Showing-His-Kvitel-To-The-Belzer- farming settlement of Komemius. He would Rov/4688 be mechazek the farmers to keep all the mitzvos of agriculture in Eretz Yisrael,

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Va’eschanan / [email protected]

ו היו לטוטפות בי עיני ו( )'ח' ו( Zera Wear them as Tefillin between your eyes (6:8) The Mishna in Pirkei Avos teaches (2:4): 'Do His will as your will (Turn 0 Shimshon Hashem's will into you will), so that He will make your will like His will. Nullify  your will in the face of Hashem's will so that He will nullify the will of others in the face of your will.' Va'eschanan This Mishna can be understood with the following Medrash (Vayikra Rabba 21:5). The Medrash says, if a person did many sins, to counter them, he should do The Zera Shimshon, Rav Shimshon many mitzvos. The Medrash gives the example of one who sinned with his eyes, Chaim ben Rav Nachmon Michoel he should improve his observance of the mitzva of Tefillin (which the Torah Nachmani, was born in 5467 (1706/1707) into an illustrious writes is to be worn "between the eyes"). family with great Rabbinical lineage. He studied the revealed and The Mishna can be understood to be referring to someone who sinned with concealed parts of the Torah by the Torah greats of his day. a numerous sins and the Mishna is directing him how to repent for his many sins. He served as Rav of Modena, Pisa, The Mishna says, 'Do His will as your will', this means one should serve Hashem Sienna and Reggio, Italy, and was recognized as a holy and pious (Do His will), the same way he previously served His Yetzer Hara. When he individual, as well as a tremendous listened to his Yetzer Hara he did multiple sins. Now, when he wants to repent, Torah scholar in all areas of Torah. He passed away on the 6 th of Elul he should do the will of Hashem in the same manner he did his own will 5539 (1779). His Seforim were named, Toldos (listening to the Yetzer) - by doing many Mitzvos. Shimshon (The ‘Offspring’ of Shimshon) on Pirkei Avos and Zera If one does so, the Mishna continues - 'so that He will make your will like Shimshon (The ‘Seed’ of His will'. This means that if one does Teshuva in the aforementioned fashion, Shimshon) on the Parshi’os of the Torah. In his introduction, he then Hashem will turn his sins into merits. This concept the Gemara (Yoma 85b) explains that since his only son had died during his lifetime, he wrote teaches that when one repents out of love of Hashem, his sins are turned into his Seforim to perpetuate his own merits. The Mishna now reads as follows: (repent by doing many Mitzvos in memory after his passing. The following is his passionate place of the many sins that were committed) 'so that He will make your will' - request to learn his works. your original will, your sins that you committed before repenting, 'like His will', “I implore of you with ten terms of supplication to choose from my Hashem will turn those sins into Mitzvos (His will). Chiddushim (novella) the piece that finds favor in your eyes, for your This only happens if one repents out of love Hashem. Whereas, if one learning will sooth my soul etc… “This righteousness will stand by repents out of fear of punishment, then his sins are looked at as inadvertent you forever – to ‘eat’ in this world, transgressions, but they are not raised to the level of Mitzvos. Therefore, the and be satiated in the next. In this merit, Hashem will repay you with Mishna ends off with - 'Nullify your will in the face of Hashem's will so that He children, health and sustenance. will nullify the will of others in the face of your will'. This is to reiterate that the “…and now my brothers and friends etc. do a true kindness, and Teshuva must be done out of love. with your eyes you will see children and grandchildren surrounding The Mishna means as follows. One must nullify his (original) will. This your table, houses filled with all that is good, wealth and honor will refers to his original sins that are referred as his will. To nullify his will (his not cease from your children…” original sins) would only be possible through repenting out of love since if he לזכר נשמת were to repent out of fear that sins would not be totally nullified. They would רבינו שמשו חיי ב רב נחמ מיכאל ל"צז remain inadvertent sins. If he does so and repents out of love, the Mishna בעל הזרע שמשו א"יעז

continues - 'so that He will nullify the will of others in the face of your will'. This ויה" ר שיתקיימו בנו ברכותיו של אותו צדיק means that in the merit of the Teshuva out love, the will of others - the לזכות רחמי ב יוכבד שיזכה prosecuting angels - will be nullified. They will no longer be able to testify against לשוב בתשובה שלימה בקרוב this person. The reason is - 'in the face of your will'. Since the person has now לזכות רפואה שלימה משה changed his will from a sinful one to one that does many Mitzvos (both because שניאור זלמ ב רחל ולזכות רפואה שלימה משה ב his repentance turned his sins into Mitzvos and because he now does many .Mitzvos instead of many sins) they will not be able to prosecute him לאה זכות רבינו ימלי טוב בעד רבקה רחל בת שיינדיל בלומא לזרע של קיימא במהרה לזכות כל ע  ישראל ז כות רבינו יעמוד לר ' חיי דוד ב טויבא חוה וכל משפחתו להצלחה ברכה שפע רב וסייעתא דשמיא מרובה בכל מעשה ידיו ובכל העניני בכל מקו שה signup & dedications – [email protected]

Parshas VaEschanan & Tu B’Av

And I begged and pleaded with Hashem at that time saying, Hashem You have begun to demonstrate Your greatness to Your servant: Perhaps we can suggest that based on what the seforim teach us the foundation of the Torah is emunah and faith, as it is explained in Makkos 24a, that the navi Chabakuk came along and said that the entire Torah all stands on one principle pasuk - a tzadik shall live by his emunah and faith. The most simple straightforward way to explain what this means is that by our faith - through our belief and Emunah, we merit to fulfill the Torah that the Torah is the principle of our lives, and by our faith we merit dveykus - attachment and rapture to Hashem. All this comes from emunah in Shevisi Hashem leNegdi Tamid - I have placed Hashem before me at all times, and through our faith we merit to be protected from sin, and as to pertains to emunah in Hashem's Divine Providence and Hashgacha Pratis - a person must ponder and reflect on the fact that each and every move we make is all watched over and guided by Hashem. Similarly in all places and in all situations we are watched and guided by the hands of Heaven, and that specifically in that very spot, at such a time we merit closeness to Hashem. When a person ponders this and thinks it through while reflecting on it, then he is never angry or upset even if people cause him discomfort, pain or trouble, because he knows that everything is Divine Providence guided and watched over by Hashem. [He believes that surely] This is the Divine Will, what Hashem wants, and surely by accepting this all with love, we merit that we will give Hashem nachas and merit closeness to Hashem. The holy seforim teach us in the name of Rav Moshe Cordovero – the Ramak (author of Tomer Devorah) that if a person is shamed or humiliated and he holds back and accepts it and does not reply nor seek revenge, instead he accepts it lovingly, he then merits to be so greatly refined - more so than he would be through many self-tortures, sufferings, fasts and self-mortifications. The Noam Megadim on parshas Emor teaches us that on the pasuk VaYikra 21:2, "only to his closest blood relative", the Hebrew word for relative is she'ero which is related to shirayim - left overs, so that we can learn the following lesson from the pasuk - that if a person humbles and lowers himself like left-overs, and accepts any pain and suffering dished out by others who harm him and humiliate him - this shame accepted with love causes him to merit to be attached in dveykus and rapture to

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Hashem. However, in order to merit this, a person needs to have emunah and faith and ask of Hashem, as it says in the holy seforim by Dovid haMelech in Tehillim 116, "I believe for I have spoken," that by speaking words of faith and prayer davening to Hashem - by so doing we merit faith and emunah - so that we read the pasuk as - I have faith because of my spoken words of faith and prayer. Especially nowadays, at the heels of Moshiach, when the Hester Panim is great and Hashem is so very hidden, we need to beseech and beg Hashem to merit a vitality and chiyus in our Emunah - without doubt such a prayer will always leave a lasting impression. Then surely such a prayer will make a strong, lasting and immediate impression. The seforim teach us that even during those times when there are chas v’shalom prosecuting angels against a person, his tefillos are not answered immediately, however, when we daven for ruchniyos and spiritual matters, we need not fear from any prosecuting angels and our teffilos and prayers are then immediately accepted. Perhaps, suggests Rav Mordechai, we can say that this is hinted at in our pasuk, “And I begged and pleaded with Hashem”, - that when we wish to ask of Hashem, especially – “at that time”, which hints at the time of the heels of Moshiach - Ikvesa deMeshicha, when we merit to see how Hashem begins showing us and demonstrating to us His greatness and His strong arm. By so doing, we know that everything is all due to Him. That each and every move we make is all from Hashem and then we will merit dveykus in Hashem. Then we need only to daven for this and surely our tefillos will be accepted and heard - so long as we watch what we say and guard our tongues, that our mouths be clean especially before davening, and then we will merit that our prayers make an impression, and we will merit dveykus in Hashem and all manner of goodness - kol tuv.   The holy seforim teach us that on the 15th of Chodesh Av - Tu B’Av - this is beginning of the period known as the Days of Awe - or Yomim Noraim. The Minchas Elazar of Munkacsz said, that Tu B’Av has the same gematria value as - kesiva veChasima tova - the well wishes of being signed and sealed for a good year, of goodness - kol tuv. Because this is when the preparations for Rosh HaShanah begin, and it is well known from the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, who said that on the 15th of Av, even the fish in the sea already begin to quiver and shake with fear and trepidation because of the upcoming Yom HaDin - Judgment Day. The Kedushas Levi teaches us that the month of Av is spelled with an Aleph and Bais whose letters stand for Arur - Baruch - Cursed and Blessed - because the first half of the month is Arur and cursed whereas the second half of the month is Baruch and blessed. Similarly, the Divine Name associated with the month of Av is formed by the acrostic of the roshei teyvos of the pasuk “Haskes U’Shema Yisroel haYom,” - Hay, Vav, Yud, Hay in that order. The Bnei Yissoscher's son, Rav Duvid of Dynow in his sefer Tzemach Duvid explains the pasuk in Nitzavim (Devarim 29:9), You are all standing here today before Hashem your G-d - from your wood choppers to your water carriers, and the Tzemach Duvid explains that these days from Tu b’Av until after Sukkos are days of mercy and good will, when each of us stand before Hashem with

Page 2 of 3 no barriers between us. From your wood choppers hints at Tu b’Av, when they ceased chopping lumber for the altar - atzei maaracha, and from your water carriers hints at Sukkos, because that is when we draw water from the wellsprings for the water libations on the altar for Simchas Bais Ha’Shoeiva. Therefore, the pasuk says "before Hashem your G-d", during these days from the wood chopping day until the water carrying days from - Tu b’Av until Sukkos. In the holy sefer Avodas Yisrael by the Kozhnitzer Maggid, he explains the pasuk in Devarim 10:12, "And now what does Hashem ask of you but to fear him," that at least Mah – Mem Hay or 45 days, that at least for 45 days from Tu B’Av until Rosh HaShanah we need to have yiras shomayim, and by so doing it will draw down on us yiras shomayim for the whole entire year. The Mishnah says in Ta’anis 4:8, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel - there were no greater Yomim Tovim for Am Yisroel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, that during these days the Bnos Yerushalayim go out etc. and what did they say? "Young man, lift up your eyes and see - pay attention to what you are selecting for yourself, do not look for beauty look instead for a good family." Rav Mordechai Steiner says that he once heard from the Rebbe (Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rav Z"ya) that this Mishnah means that Klal Yisroel are asking of Hashem, bachur - the select Bachur of the Cedar Trees, please do not gaze and look at us and see how we appear - to judge us based on our level because no one is a tzaddik and no one appears righteous enough before You, instead please look at family, look to our holy Avos, our forefathers the patriarchs. We can add, taught Rav Mordechai, based on what the holy seforim [Bnei Yissoscher in the name of the Arizal] teach us that the months of Chodesh Tammuz and Av correspond to our two eyes. It is known from the Arizal that these months are lower and we have a downfall, and perhaps this is why it says in the pasuk Eicha 1:16, Eini Eini yarda Mayim - My eyes cry tears like water, that these two months that correspond to our eyes are days of yerida - a downfall and lower state of being. Perhaps, Klal Yisroel will ask of Hashem that we merit the final redemption and geulah and then the seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av will both be transformed into holidays and Yomim Tovim and the entire two months will be transformed from days of sadness and mourning into days of happiness and joy. This is what it means that Hashem is called Bachur - which hints at Hashem, Whom is called bachur keArazim, asking Him to look at and see - to lift up His gaze and lift up His eyes - meaning raise up the fallen downcast months hinted at by the eyes, those two lowly months of mourning and sadness - Tammuz and Av. Ribbono Shel Olam, please lift up our spirits through the final redemption and then all these days and months will be great days of closeness and nearness to Hashem, with total dveykus to Him that we will merit to see Him with our very own eyes and witness His salvation. May Hashem help us merit to prepare for the Yomim Noraim and that we merit seeing the comfort of Tzion and Yerushalayim, consoled with the revelation of the honor and glory of Heaven over the whole entire world with the coming of our righteous redeemer speedily in our days, Amen.

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