Issue (# 13)
A Tzaddik, or righteous person makes everyone else appear righteous before Hashem by advocating for them and finding their merits. (Kedushas Levi, Parshas Noach; Sefer Bereishis 7:1)
Parshas Va’Era
Kedushas Ha'Levi'im
THE ELOQUENCE OF A TZADDIK
Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding the Jewish people and regarding Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. (Shemos 6:13)
The holy Berditchever teaches us in Kedushas Levi that there are two types of tzaddikim who rebuke and guide the nation on the path of Hashem.
First, there is one type of tzaddik whose words make an impression on wicked evildoers, subjugating their hearts to turn to Hashem. There is no need for him to give them any reason to do so, and his speed need not be eloquent, since it is not necessary for him to explain anything. As he speaks about the proper path, his words make an impression that penetrates the hearts of his listeners.
Then there is another type of tzaddik whose words do not make such an impression. He needs to bring proofs and reasons to convince them that this is the correct path to follow. This tzaddik must be a masterful orator who can speak eloquently and explain the matter to his audience in order that it should penetrate their hearts.
This is why it says that “He commanded them regarding Pharaoh.” [Moshe did not have eloquence of speech since he stuttered] as it says, “Moshe said…, ‘I have sealed lips’ ” (Shemos 6:30). So Hashem told him that he need not be an eloquent orator and explain Hashem’s command to Pharaoh. Rather, simply command him, and your words will make such an impression that he will be compelled to listen to you.
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The Eloquence of Rav Levi Yitzchak and How He Drew People to Repent
The Tzanz-Klausenberger Rebbe once recounted the story of a certain town of sinners. The people had committed terrible sin and strayed far from the straight path. Many great tzaddikim and leaders of the generation visited the place and attempted to turn the people from their wicked ways without success — until the Kedushas Levi came and gave them his words of wisdom. He stood before them daily and delivered eloquent speeches, bringing in various schools of disciplines and proofs from philosophy and the sciences.
The people were delighted with his approach. It showed that a Jewish rabbi can also have a fine grasp of secular wisdom. The Kedushas Levi used this to his advantage and succeeded in capturing their hearts. When he began to rebuke them and give them mussar, they were ready to listen, and he succeeded where no one else could: the townspeople repented and abandoned their wicked ways.
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25 Teves
Rav Yechiel Michel Tukatchinsky [Tikochinsky], mashgiach of Slabodka in Bnai Brak, and founder of Yeshivas Mekor Chaim in Yerushalayim. In 1925, he published a sefer called Tekufas Hachamoh Uvirchosoh, in preparation for the bracha made when the sun returns to the point at which it began upon Creation. He wrote a sefer called Bein Hashmoshos, published in 1929, which dealt with the International Date Line. In 1941, he changed his mind altogether, as documented in his sefer, Hayomam Bekadur Haaretz.
26 Teves
Rabbeinu Avraham bar Dovid miPosquires (Ra’avad), author of Hasagos on the Rambam and the Rif.
Rav Avraham Chaim of Zlotchov, author of Orach LeChaim and P’ri Chaim on Pirkei Avos (1816).
27 Teves
Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (1808-1888). His father, Rav Raphael Aryeh
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(1777-1857), who changed the family name to Hirsch, was the son of Rav Menachem Mendel Frankfurter of Altuna (1742-1823). Rav Menachem Mendel was a talmid of Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz and was the Rav of three communities of Altuna, Hamburg, and Wandsbeck (“AHU”). At the age of 18, Rav Shamshon Raphael went to Mannheim to learn at the yeshiva of Rav Yaakov Ettlinger, author of Aruch La’ner. Rav Hirsch received smicha from Rav Ettlinger after learning there for a year. Thereafter, he attended the University of Bonn. That education would serve him well later in life as he combated the forces of Reform with eloquence. When he was 21, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. There, he married Chana Judel. He also authored Iggros Hatzafon (The 19th Letters), under the pen name Ben Uziel. One year later, he published Chorev. In 1847, he became Chief Rabbi of Moravia, a region of 50,000 Jews in 52 communities, and which is now the Czech Republic. In 1851, he became the Rav of Frankfurt am Main, which he transformed into a Torah bastion. His best known works are the classic six-volume Commentary on Chumash.
Rav Shmuel Hillel Shenker (1956). His father, Rav Avraham Shenker, was one of Rav Yisrael's Salanter’s greatest disciples. Reb Shmuel spent his early years in Slobodka, but he was orphaned of his father at an early age. He thus traveled to the Talmud Torah in Kelm to absorb the Torah and mussar of the Alter, Reb Simcha Zissel of Kelm. After a number of years, he traveled to Eretz Yisrael with his relative, Reb Tzvi Pesach Frank, who later became chief rabbi of Yerushalaim. In 1895, Reb Shmuel Hillel married Laya Genendle, the oldest daughter of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. On 9 Iyar 1944, his beloved son Reb Mendel Shenker passed away when he was only forty-six. Another year passed and another son was taken from him. Reb Yisrael, his you gest and most beloved son, passed away in the prime of his life on 27 Teves 1945.
Rav Kalman Avraham Goldberg (1895-1968). A devoted disciple of the Alter of Novardok, he became Rav in Vasilkov. He moved to America in 1926. In 1928, he was hired to head the beis din for Adas Yisrael, under Rav Velvel Margulies. After Rav Velvel’s petira, he became Rav.
Rav Menashe Yitzchak Meir Eichenstein of Ziditchov -Petach Tikvah (1971).
Rav Avraham Simcha HaKohen Kaplan (1990). Chief Rabbi of Tzefas.
Rav Pinchas Hirschprung, Chief Rabbi of Montreal (1915-1998). At the age 15, he published a Torah journal, Ohel Torah, along with his friend, Rav Yeshaya Yosef Margolin, in Galicia. He then joined Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, learning under Rav Meir Shapiro. At the outbreak of War World II, Rav Pinchas fled to Vilna, which was still neutral territory. In 1942, he acquired a visa to travel to Canada with a group of students from Mir and Lubavitch. When he arrived in Montreal, he was offered the position of Rav Kehillas Adas Yisrael. When Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah was established, Rav Pinchas was made its Rosh Yeshiva. Eventually, he was Rav Ha’Ir of Montreal.
28 Teves
Rav Shmuel Berenbaum, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir in Brooklyn (1921-2008). Born in the small Polish- Lithuanian town of Kinishen, Reb Shmuel began his formal learning at Yeshiva Ohel Torah of Baranovitch in 1935 under the leadership of Rav Elchonon Wasserman. During his years in the Mirrer Yeshiva, he became very close with the famed Mashgiach of the Mir, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein. Rav Shmuel escaped from Europe together with the Mirrer Yeshiva and spent six years with the yeshiva in exile in Shanghai. He arrived in the United States with the yeshiva led by the mashgiach, Rav Chatzkel, in 1947, and continued to learn in the yeshiva. In the early 1950s, Rav Avrohom Kalmanowitz zt”l, who had sustained and saved the yeshiva in Shanghai and rebuilt it in America , took Rav Shmuel as a son-in-law. After his marriage, Rav Shmuel joined the kollel of the Mirrer Yeshiva. In 1964, with the passing of Rav Kalmanowitz, Rav Shraga Moshe Kalmanowitz, oldest son of Rav Avrohom, together with Rav Shmuel, became roshei yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva.
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29 Teves
Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin (1818-1898), the Rav of Brisk, Yerushalayim leader, son of Rav Binyamin Diskin, rav of Volkovisk. He was born in Horodno. Reb Yehoshua Leib was engaged before his bar mitzva and at the age of fourteen he married the daughter of HaRav Brode and lived with his father-in-law in Wolkowitz. He became rov in various cities such as Lomza, Mezritch, Kovno, Shklov, and finally in Brisk. Moved to Eretz Yisrael after Yom Kippur in 1876.
Rav Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchak of Alexander, the Yismach Yisrael (1853-1910). At an early age, his father, Rav Yechiel of Alexander, took him to Rav Menachem Mendel of Vorka, then Rav Beirush of Biala. After the latter’s passing, he became of a chasid of his father. After his father’s passing in 1894, he became the Alexander Rebbe.
Rav Marcus (Nosson) Adler, author of Nesina L'ger (1803-1890). He was Rav of Oldenburg, 1829-1830, and Hanover, 1830-1844, and Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, 1844-1890.
Rav Meir Chodosh, mashgiach of Yeshivas Chevron, Ateres Yisrael, and Ohr Elchanan (1898-1989). Born in Patrich, Lithuania, he was a talmid muvhak of the Alter of Slabodka, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel. He lived through the Arab massacre of Chevron's Jews on Shabbos morning, 16 Av, 1929.
Rav Daniel Levy (1935-2004). Born the youngest of nine children in Petersfield, England, he learned at Gateshead Yeshiva and Kollel before and for 12 years after his marriage. Following a trip to America, where he learned from Rav Moshe Feinstein and Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, he was chosen as Rav of the Khal Adas Yeshurun of Zurich.
Rav Chaim Shamshon Swiatycki (1914-2004), nephew of the Chazon Ish and scion of the Karelitz dynasty, whose patriarch and matriarch – Rav Shemaryahu Yosef and Rasha Leah, had 15 children. Her third child, Henya Chaya, married Rav Abba Swiatycki, who became Rav of Kosova, after the petira of Rav Shemaryahu Yosef during WW I. Their only child was Rav Chaim. Rav Chaim’s mentor was his uncle, Rav Yitzchak Zundel Karelitz, brother of the Chazon Ish. At the age of 14, he left for Mir, then learned with Rav Baruch Ber Lebovitz in Kaminetz, where he stayed for six years. In 1934, he followed his uncle to Eretz Yisrael to escape conscription. He learned at Yeshiva Chevron in Yerushalayim and Yeshivas Volozhin in Tel Aviv. He then moved to America in 1938 where he joined the faculty at Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim.
Rav Yitzchak Kaduri (1901-2006). Born to to Rab Zeev Diva in Baghdad. Upon his second visit to Eretz Yisrael in 1923, he changed his last name from Diva to Kadouri and fixed his place of study at Yeshivat Porat Yosef in the Old City. He studied Kabbalah under the tutelage of Rabbi Ephraim Cohen and Rabbi Salman Eliyahu (father of former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu). After marrying his first wife, Sarah, HaRav Kadouri lived in Shechunat Habucharim, one of Jerusalem's first neighborhoods built outside the Old City walls. He would stay at the yeshiva all week, coming home shortly before Shabbos. Following the petira of Rav Ephraim Hakohen, head of Jerusalem's mekubalim, toward the end of 1949, Rav Kadouri was selected to head the group. He found a new institution called Yeshivat Nachalat Yitzchak. Graced with a phenomenal memory, he was said to have known the entire Babylonian Talmud by heart. His closer students say that the blessing of the Ben Ish Chai and that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe - both of whom blessed him that he might live to see the Final Redeemer - came true. The students say that Rabbi Kaduri told them he met the Messiah on Cheshvan 9, 5764 (Nov. 4, 2003). He reportedly said that the Messiah is not promoting himself, and that a study of his [Rabbi Kaduri's] words in recent months would provide hints of his identity.
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1 Shevat
Rav Nota of Chelm, the Neta Shaahuim (1812).
Rav Moshe Schick, the Maharam Shick (1807-1879). His “last name” was created by his family in response to a demand by government agencies; it is an acrostic for “Shem Yehudi Kodesh.” Born in Brezheva, a small town in Hungary, he was sent at the age of 11 to learn with his uncle, Rav Yitzchak Frankel, av beis din in Regendorf. When he was 14, he was sent to learn under the Chasam Sofer in Pressburg, where he stayed for six years. When he was 20, he married his cousin, Gittel Frankel. He was appointed Rav in Yargen in 1838, the year of the Chasam Sofer’s petira, then became Rav in Chust.
Rav Moshe Yechiel Halevi Epstein from Ozerov (1890-1971), great-grandson of Rav Leibish, the first Ozerover Rebbe. In 1912, he became Rav of Ozerov and in 1918, he replaced his father as Rebbe. During World War I, Ozerov burned down, with only 22 houses left standing (only 11 of Jewish inhabitants). In 1920, he traveled to America to publicize the importance of Agudas Israel, and in 1927, he moved his family to the Bronx. He moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1949 and settled in Tel Aviv. Rav Moshe Yechiel wrote two monumental works, Aish Daas, comprised of 11 volumes, and Be’er Moshe, 12 volumes on Chumasah and Tanach. Each volume contained at least 500 pages, over 10,000 pages in all. Two biographies have been written about him, “Balabas Aish” and “The Aish Daas of Ozerov.” Rav Moshe Yechiel was succeeded by his son-in-law, Rav Tanchum Binyamin Becker.
Rav Avraham Yehuda Farbstein (1917-1997), Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chevron. Rav Farbstein's father was one of the founders of Bnei Brak and was head of its first city council. As a youth, Reb Avraham Yehuda studied in the Chevron Yeshiva and the Mir Yeshiva in Europe. Rav Farbstein's wife was a daughter of Rav Yechezkel Sarna, He taught in the Chevron Yeshiva for 50 years.
Rav Binyomin Rabinowitz, chaver beis din of Eida Chareidis (2002).
Rebbetzin Menucha Ettel Nekritz (1914-2006), granddaughter of the Alter of Novardok, and the daughter of Rav Avraham Yaffen, the rosh yeshiva of Novardok in Poland. Born in 1914 in Bialystock, Poland. She was named after Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz's mother Ettel — the sister of her mother — with the name Menucha added because her aunt had died young. The Alter was nifter when she was six years old, and her father, Rav Yaffen, ran the large network of Novardok yeshivas that were spread out all over Poland. Its nerve center was in Bialystock. She married Rav Yehuda Leib Nekritz in 1935.
2 Shevat
Asher ben Yaakov Avinu.
Rav Menachem Mendel Krochmahl of Nikolsburg (~1600-1661). He learned in Krakowat the yeshiva of the Bach, his rebbi muvhak and had a close relationship with the Taz. In 1631, he fled Krakow because of the uprisings of the Cossacks and settled in Moravia, becoming Rav in Krezmir. He later became Rav in Prosnitz, then in 1648 of Nikolsburg.
Rav Meshulam Zusha (Rebbe Reb Zusha) from Anapoli (Hanipol) (1718-1800). Disciple of Magid of Mezritch; older brother of the Noam Elimelech who was Mekarev him to Chassidus.
Rav Simcha Bunim Kalish of Otvotzk and Teveria, son of Rav Menachem Mendel of Vorka. (1907)
Rav Tzvi Hersh Rabinowitz (1910)
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Rav Yisrael Chaim Kaplan, talmid at Mir, son-in-law of Rav Yerucham Levovitz, mashgiach at Beth Medrash Elyon in Monsey from mid-1940s until his petira (1970).
Rav Mansour BenShimon, author of Shemen HaMaor (1998).
Weekly Stories
Yahrzeit 2 Shevat
Rav Meshulam Zisha Ben Reb Eliezer Lipman Zt”l From Anapol (Hanipoli) [1718-1800] Older brother of the Noam Elimelech
The Rebbe Reb Zisha Declines Rebbe Elimelech's place
After Rebbe Elimelech passed away, his disciples approached his brother the Rebbe Reb Zisha and asked him to be their new leader. Reb Zisha declined. This is what he told them:
“The Torah is eternal and alludes to everything that has happened and will happen for all generations. The pasuk ‘And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it split into four paths’ (Bereishis 2:10) alludes to the paths of Chassidus and great Tzaddikim of our times. ‘Eden’ alludes to our holy master the Ba’al Shem Tov. The river is his disciple, the holy Mezritcher Maggid, and the garden refers to my brother, the Rebbe Reb Elimelech. The Torah flows as water from the Ba’al Shem Tov by way of the Mezritcher Maggid to the Rebbe Elimelech. From there it separates into four paths, and they are the holy Rebbe the Chozeh of Lublin, the holy Rebbe the Koznitzer Maggid, the holy Rebbe Reb Mendel Rimanover, and the holy Ohev Yisrael the Apta Rav. You need no Rebbe other than them.”
Rebbe Elimelech and his brother Rebbe Zisha were among the greatest students of the Mezritcher Maggid, the Ba’al Shem Tov’s successor and leader of all the chassidim at that time. It was the older Reb Zisha who first introduced his younger brother to the wellsprings of Chassidus and brought him under the tutelage of the Maggid. Together they became great chassidic leaders in their own right, traveling from town to town in self-imposed exile, inspiring all who saw them to repent and come close to Hashem.
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Adam’s Sin
The Rebbe Reb Zisha once asked his brother, “My beloved brother, in the holy writings it is written that all the souls were once included and contained in Adam, the first man. If so, we must also have been there at the moment he sinned and ate from the tree of knowledge. Why didn’t we prevent him from doing so?” The Rebbe Reb Elimelech answered him thus: “Brother, we were obliged to let him eat the fruit. If he had not, the serpent’s lie would still stand and would never have been proven false. The serpent said to him, ‘Your eyes will open and you will be as Hashem, knowing good and evil and able to create worlds.’ This is why Adam had to eat the fruit — once he did so, he saw that even though he had eaten of the fruit, he was still just a human being and no more.” (Ohel Elimelech 272)
The Wedding at the Inn
When the two brothers the Rebbe Reb Elimelech and the Rebbe Reb Zisha were wandering disguised as beggars in self-imposed exile, they spent the night in a kretchma, an inn, in which a wedding was being celebrated. The two brothers were among the poor people who had gathered to partake of some of the food, as was the custom in those days. The wedding guests were a rough and crass bunch. Their spirits were merry from drink, and they began to poke fun at the unfortunate poor people. After each round of dancing, they summarily snatched up a poor man, threw him to the ground, and honored him with a string of abuse. Then they would start another round of dancing, throw the poor beggar once more to the ground, and treat him to another round of slaps and punches.
Since the Rebbe Reb Zisha was sitting nearest to the crowd, he was the honored recipient of the abuse. Rebbe Elimelech, sitting in the corner, was left alone while his hapless brother suffered the brunt of the abuse. In truth, Rebbe Elimelech was quite jealous of the suffering his brother had merited, for he was being given the opportunity to atone for his sins. He decided it was his turn to receive such an “opportunity.” He waited until Reb Zisha was sitting down after another bout of abuse and the crowd was busy dancing. He whispered into Reb Zisha’s ear, “My beloved brother, let us switch places. Sit here on my seat and I will sit on yours, and then you can rest a bit from the beatings you have received.”
They quickly switched places, and the rowdy group came again to snatch their victim. They were about to drag the Rebbe Reb Elimelech for a beating when one of the group shouted, “It isn’t fair to keep beating only this guest. Let us take that one who is sitting in the corner and honor him with a few blows so that he will be sure to remember this wedding!”
Sure enough, they once more grabbed the poor Reb Zisha from the corner thinking that he had not yet tasted a beating. After they had finished, the Rebbe Reb Zisha said to his brother, “See, my beloved brother, whoever is destined to be struck will be struck wherever he sits. They seek him out and deal him his due portion.” (Ohel Elimelech 177).
Left Side: The Ohel in Anipoli of the Great Maggid of Mezritch and the Rebbe Reb Zisha
Middle: The Tzion of the Heilige Mezritcher Maggid
Right Side: The Zion of the Heilige Tzadik the Rebbe Reb Zisha next to the Maggid's
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The Maggid of Mezritch was on his deathbed. On Monday, 18 Kislev 1772, his son, Rabbi Avraham HaMalach, was by his side, along with Reb Yehudah Leib HaCohen and Rav Shneur Zalman. "My children, if you stay together, you will overcome everything. You will continually progress without backsliding, Heaven forbid, as it is written: 'He is unified, and who can turn Him back?' [Iyov 23:13]."
The Maggid then lapsed into a lengthy silence, closed his eyes, and appeared to doze. The Rebbe Reb Zisha tiptoed into the room, and the Maggid awoke and beckoned him with a weak motion of his hand. As he approached the Maggid's bed, the master grasped Reb Zisha's right hand, looked into his eyes, and whispered in a faint but clear voice: "You, Zisha, are mine in this world, and in the next world you will be next to me, as body and soul are joined."
The next day the Maggid passed on. They are buried side by side in Anipoli where I merited to daven a few years ago.
(I am currently working on compilations of stories and teachings by the Rebbe Reb Zisha as well as a Noam Elimelech sequel for publication. Please contact me for further details to sponsor or dedicate a portion.)
Me'Oros Ha'Tzaddikim is a weekly publication with the same format – A vort or two from the Kedushas Levi on the weekly parsha, an interconnected story of the Berditchever Rav, upcoming yahrzeits of Tzaddikim for the following week and a related story on one of those Tzaddikim.
We hope you enjoy and feel free to distribute it to others. Dedications (and free subscriptions) are available. Please email: [email protected]
Me’Oros Ha’Tzaddikim was written by Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker who has published a translation of the Noam Elimelech into English, a collection of essays on Teshuva titled Returnity, The Way Back to Eternity and a collection of essays on Jewish Meditation.
He hopes to publish the Kedushas Levi in English, as well as collection of essays on Pirkei Avos with a chassidic commentary and many more projects soon. A Noam Elimelech sequel is in the works as well as several collections on Simcha, Emuna & Bitachon, Torah & Tefillah are all on the way so stay tuned. He currently resides in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel with his wife and children. He can be reached at [email protected]
Gut Shabbos.
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