Rav Isamar Rosenbaum Zt”L Nadvorna Rebbe of Czernowitz
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Issue # 37 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 Shabbos Shelach Kedushas Ha'Levi'im DIVEST AND CONQUER Send for yourself men to spy out the land... (Bamidbar 13:2) he holy Berditchever tells us in Kedushas Levi that the episode of the spies can be explained based on Rashi’s commentary to the verse “And she hid him” (Yehoshua T 2:4). Rashi explains: “She hid only Kalev.” Generally, in a place where the sparks that are found there can be elevated, that place is easy to conquer. And a place where it is not possible to elevate the sparks, it cannot be conquered unless one divests himself completely of all physicality. The truth is that it was not possible to elevate the sparks of Canaan, which is why it is written regarding the Canaanites, “Let not a soul live” (Devarim 20:16). Therefore it would be necessary for the spies to divest themselves of all physicality in order to do so. But for Kalev, who succeeded in elevating the spark of Rachav, this was not necessary, and so it says that “she hid him.” [By hiding him, she was performing an act of kindness for him, and therefore her sparks could be elevated — because she found the kindness within herself and utilized it.] Therefore, when Moshe sent the twelve spies to the land in which no spark could be elevated, he told them first, “Divest yourselves of all physicality.” This is the meaning of shelach, “send,” which also connotes “divest,” since they were to divest themselves of all physicality. This then is the meaning of our verse: “Divest yourselves, men...” Defeat of the Cossacks av Yisroel of Ruzhin related that when he was a child, he was in the Berditchever’s beis midrash when all of a sudden, in the midst of prayers, an unruly group of R Cossack soldiers entered (this was during wartime). All of the congregants ran for their lives — all except for the Rav. Rav Levi Yitzchak remained there, engrossed in his prayers, completely oblivious to what was happening around him — totally divested of his physicality. Page 1 of 24 The young Yisroel hid beneath one of the benches, and from his hiding place, this is what he saw: The Cossacks approached the Berditchever, who was oblivious of them, immersed as he was in his devotions, and they attempted to engage him in conversation. When the Berditchever did not respond, they dealt him several harsh blows. When Rav Levi Yitzchak still did not respond, they realized they were dealing with no ordinary man. “This man is not human!” they said. They left him there and fled in awe. When Rav Levi Yitzchak finished praying, he went home and said that he felt weak and sick. When they later tried to remove his clothing, they found that his body was covered in bruises and his clothes had stuck to him with dried blood. He exclaimed in wonder, not knowing how this had happened. It was only when the young Rav Yisroel Ruzhiner, the boy who had remained hidden in the shul, revealed everything that they realized that the Cossacks had beaten Rav Levi Yitzchak. The Rav had failed to notice any of it. Refuah Sheleima Mordechai Tzvi Ben Mindel Esther Leah זיסל בת אידל סומא | Zisel Bas Aidel Sima Rivka Bas Malka Gittel Bas Devora Besoch She'ar Cholei Yisroel ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ In Loving Memory of Our Dear Father and Teacher ל״ז ,HaRav HaChassid Avraham Chaim ben Sholom and Frumit Goldenberg of Micula, Satmar ל״צז ,A beloved talmid of HaRav Yechezkel Shraga Schonfeld ע״יז ,”and of the Holy Satmar Rav, Ba’al “Divrei Yoel לעילוי נשמת הרה''ח ר' אברהם חיים ב''ר שלום ז''ל ▪ נפטר מוצש''ק כ''א שבט תשס''ו ▪ ת. נ. צ. ב. ה. To subscribe and/or add to the Refuah Sheleima list Please email: [email protected] Page 2 of 24 16 Sivan ~ Starts Friday evening – Shabbos Kodesh ~ June 14th Rav Yeshuah Heschel ben Rav Moshe Dov Landau Zt”l HY”D, the Vitka Rav. 17 Sivan ~ Starts Saturday evening – Motza’ei Shabbos ~ June 15th Rav Tzvi Hirsh Broide, Rosh Yeshiva Kelm. His wife was Rebbetzen Nechamah Leba Broide, the daughter of the Alter of Kelm. He became very close to his talmid Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, the future mashgiach of Mir and Ponevezh. Rav Aharon of Karlin, the Beis Aharon (1802-1872). The son of Rav Asher of Stolin. He was named for his illustrious grandfather - Rav Aharon of Karlin, the first Karliner Rebbe, and thus he is also known as Rav Aharon the Second Perlov of Karlin. He was also known as the Mlynover Rebbe and the Freilicher Rebbe (the latter a term describing his disposition). Later in his life, he was forced to move to Stolin, several miles away from Karlin, and the dynasty has been known as Karlin-Stolin since then. His insights were anthologized in the sefer Beis Aharon. Rav Moshe Vorhand of Makava (or Makó) (Hungary), the Ohel Moshe (1862-1944). His descendants include Rav Zeev Vorhand, the “Prague Rav” from Manhattan, and the Lemberger boys, Simon, Mendel, Ephraim, Avram, Shlomo and Asher, all rabbonim like their father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather. 18 Sivan ~ Starts Sunday evening ~ June 16th Rav Avraham Hakohen Rappaort Shrentzel, Rosh Yeshiva Chevron (1584-1651). As a youth, he learned under Rav Meshulam Feivush, the Rav of Cracow. He married the daughter of Rav Mordechai Shrentzel of Lemberg and continued his studies under Rav Yehoshua Falk in that city. He founded a yeshiva and taught there for 42 years. He authored Shailos U’teshuvas Eissan HaEzrachi. Rav Yissacher Dov Ber, the “Saba Kadisha” of Radushitcz (Radoszyce; Radoshitz), (1765-1843). A disciple of Rav Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh of Lublin, and Rav Yaakov Yitzchak of P’shischa. Rav Yerucham Levovitz, mashgiach Yeshiva Mir (1936). Jews first began to settle in the town of Mir early in the 17th century, but the town itself is mentioned in records for 1345. There were over 800 Jews in Mir by 1806. By the end of the 19th century, there were more than 3,000 Jews in Mir (62% of the town population). The Mir Yeshiva was founded in 1815. During WWI the Mir Yeshiva headed by Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, moved to Poltava, in the Ukraine and did not return until 1921. Rav Yerucham was born around the year 1874 in Luban, Belarus. In his teens, he went to learn in Slabodka, becoming one of the top students of the Alter, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel. In his early 20s, he attended Kelm, under Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv. After Rav Yerucham's marriage, he learned in seclusion for eight years, covering the entire Shas. Then he became the mashgiach of the Chofetz Chaim's yeshiva in Radin. He became mashgiach at Mir in 1910, a position he kept for 26 years. Among his talmidim were Rav Shimon Schwab and Rav Dovid Povarsky, who later became Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh. His shmuessen were published posthumously by his students, in Daas Chochma U'mussar, Daas Torah and other sefarim. Rav Yaakov Elimelech and Rav Chaim Menachem Mendel Paneth of Dezsh (1944). Page 3 of 24 Rav Moshe Mordechai Shteger, author of Meged Shamayim, a peyrush on Pri Megadim on Yoreh Deah (1944). Rav Avraham Yosef Pesachovitz, author of Be’er Mayim (1953). Rav Aharon Cohen (1905-1961). Born in a small village near Kovno, Lithuania - his father, Rav Avraham Mordechai HaCohen, was a rebbe of small children, and his grandfather, Rav Yosef HaCohen, was known as the Masmid of Eishishok. When Germany conquered Lithuania, his family moved to the Ukarine and Rav Aaron learned at Lomza. After the war, he returned to Kovna and learned at Slabodka. In 1925, he joined the first group of talmidim sent by the Alter of Slabodka to Chevron. The Rosh Yeshiva at Chevron, Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, took him as a son-in-law. He served as Rosh Mesivta for 30 years. Childless themselves, his rebbetzen and he raised several orphans. His monumental work was called Beis Aaron. Rav Moshe Leib Shapiro, author of Taba’os Hachoshen (1972). 19 Sivan ~ Starts Monday evening ~ June 17th Rav Shmuel Hominer of Yerushalayim, author of Eved HaMelech on the Chumash, and Ikarai Dinim, a summary of the laws of loshon hora with analysis. Rav Yehuda ibn Atar (1656-1733). He was a student of Rav Vidal HaTzorfati and Rav Menachem Serero. He was the Rav, the Av Beis Din and the Rosh Yeshiva in Fez for 40 years. His book Minchas Yehuda is his commentary on the Torah. Rav Menachem Nachum of Skver-Boro Park (1946). 20 Sivan ~ Starts Tuesday evening ~ June 18th Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Nadvorna, the Tzemach Hasehm Letzvi (1801). Rav Chaim Mordechai Labaton (1780-1869). The son of Luna and Helfon Labaton, he became Chief Rav and Av Beis Din of Aleppo. Rav Chaim Mordechai married Morhava and had three sons, Helphon, Eliezer and Joseph Labaton, all of whom became rabbonim. At age 70, Rav Chaim Mordecai was disturbed that he did not have a daughter. After much discussion, he decided to marry a younger woman, who could bear him daughters. Sure enough, his wife bore him a daughter, Luna, who was wed to Rav Ezra Suede. Rav Elazar Flecklesh, author of Teshuva M'Ahava. Rav Feivish Shneelbalg of London (2000). Rav Yisroel Dan Taub, the Modziter Rebbe (1928-2006). He was born in Warsaw, and made aliyah with his family at the age of seven.