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The Yahrzeit of the Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska (1798-1874) is commemorated on the 14th of Menachem Av. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

His Writings

This is the background: I am very excited to share that I have now taken his innovations of the Torah and had them set down for posterity. In addition, I also have a bundle containing his Torah innovations which were never before available covering all the Holidays and Festivals, and also his writings regarding several issues in the Mishnah. All the writings stem from later in his life and the topics that inspired him at that same time.

We don’t have his work from earlier times because all the brilliant teachings and writings which he had set down when he was younger in a book were burned in a fire of this world when he was in the provinces of Poland. None of it remained for him except for that knowledge that was in his head, which has always been the basis of his teaching.

As he put it:

“As I teach from what’s in my head, I don’t need anything more.

“On a certain level, the fire was God’s will. I accept it.”

The day of the fire, he was able to sense that the books in his house were burning and he dashed home, and they asked him why he was leaving them in a hurry and he said:

“In my minds eye, I’m seeing that my books were burned in a fire!”

And so it was.

In these words of Torah are found all food for healing the soul and all drink for getting to the essence of reverence for Hashem and meditating on His name.

For, as the waters cover the sea, so does fear of heaven and love of God fill a person, and so we wait for the world to be filled with God’s presence.

For there are many who go out in search of acquiring wisdom and understanding, seeking to hear words said in truth from the mouth of a true preacher. And we, too, should merit to bring an overflow of books in a basket of books that will fill us within and give our souls their coins. People should seek out these treasures.

And now please take this book, a blessing from me that I have brought before you.

(From the Introduction by his grandson, Rabbi Zev Wolf, on the book “True Sustenance”)

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yisachar Ber of Zlotchov (d. 1810) is commemorated on the 7th of Menachem Av. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

His Books

It has come to pass that I too, “the plant of his joy”, take my own joy in setting my heart onto those concerns that were my father’s.

He had a vast number and range, like a great sea, and they are gathered in his teachings.

I took a pledge, etched it with fondness into my heart, to raise them up onto printing presses, to have them printed and presented as a gift in honor of Hashem, a “fire offering”.

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Halevi of Krakow (“Maor V’Shemesh“) (d 1827) is commemorated on the 1st of Tammuz. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

From the Words of the Gaon Rabbi Dov Berisz Meisels On Reb Kalonymus’ Book

There are many authors with keen insights whose works have inspired me.

But here’s a set of criteria I have come up with to exert discretion in selecting which ones to endorse:

1) When through faith an author’s thought has given rise to sweet fruits, instilling wisdom and when his words can be used to raise up those who have stumbled along the way.

2) When I can see, at least, that the words have been arisen in the mind of a man who belongs to a community of those who fear Hashem and who ponder His name, who have found refuge in our town, may his Rock preserve and sustain him: For Hashem is close to him to redeem.

And behold in the case of this author, these two criteria come together.

For, a righteous luminary is the Rav, distinguished in Torah and in awe and kindness, with saintly insights into divine ways.

He has earned an esteemed name in Israel, our teacher the Rav Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi (may his memory be for the life of the world to come). His light has shined in the gates of our town.

His distinguished, well-educated son, the lover of God, Hasid, and fearing God, his father’s pride and joy, our teacher the Rav Aaron Halevi, a luminary in Israel, published the book Maor V’Shemesh in order to provide light also to those counted as Hasidim in our town.

And about the essence of what the book says, behold I have set my eyes upon it and found in it pure, refined sayings. From his mouth, flames come forth that light up the reader’s heart with fear of Hashem and love for Him.

And although I am not of the Hasidic community and I am not usually occupied with mystery teachings, nonetheless, I will not hesitate to say what’s true. For I have thought deeply about what I have read in this book, and behold, his words have intensified in me a love of Hashem and I have been touched by his precious and pleasant ideas.

(From the beginning of the book “Maor v‘Shemesh“)

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yehoshua of Ostrova (d 1873) is commemorated on the 28th of Nissan. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

It’s a Notable Sign

“His dear people, those who would bask in his holy shadow, asked their Rebbe, the famous, holy, divine Rav, our teacher, the Rabbi, Reb Shlomo Yehudah Leib of Leczna, (his righteous memory a blessing for life in the world to come, may his merits shield us):

‘Why haven’t you been writing down your Torah of truth, your secret gems and insights, which have flowed continually from you at all times; why haven’t you been putting them into a book for posterity?’

“And he answered them with these words:

‘For all time, I have never desired, nor has it ever crossed my mind to do so, not a single time.’

“So he passed the holy task along to his son, our teacher of valor, the author, may his merits shield us, who said it like this:

‘See! — זה ספר תולדת אדם / Zeh Sefer Toldot Adam / This book, Toldot Adam — is my creation.’

“And in line with his intent to capture his father’s insights, it appears there is a notable sign embedded in the text and, this sign hints to his father’s holy spirit.

“For the numerology of:

זה ספר תולדת אדם / Zeh Sefer Toldot Adam

[NOTE: 1,237: 7+5 + 60+80+200 + 400+6+30+4+400 + 1+4+40 = 12+340+840+45]

“equals the numerology of their names as follows:

יהושע בהרב הצדיק שלמה יהודה / Joshua with the Rav, the Tzaddik, Shlomo Yehudah; plus the 23 letters found in the five aforementioned words, (i.e., 23 for the count of  letters in the Hebrew, ‘Yehoshua b’haRav haTzaddik Shlomo Yehudah’)!

[NOTE: 1,237: 10+5+6+300+70 + 2+5+200+2 + 5+90+4+10+100 + 300+30+40+5 + 10+5+6+4+5 + 23 = 391+209+209+375+30+23]

“And behold, the basic summary of what ‘This Book Toldot Adam’ is about is that it explains how, with words of Torah, the human nature shines a light into the hearts of Jews; this is the Toldot Adam / generations of humankind.”

(Excerpt from the book’s Introduction which was written by his son-in-law Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov of Biala for “Toldot Adam”)

[NOTE: This book is public domain and can be accessed by clicking this link.]

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The Yahrzeit of Reb Meir Yechiel Halevi Halstock of Ostrowiec (1852-1928) is commemorated on the 19th of Adar. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

Who Can Bring Us a Replacement?

In Midrash Bereishit Parshah 91:

“Four materials, (silver, gold, iron and copper), stand out in terms of their utility in the world, and if any of the four is lost, it can be replaced as follows: For silver has a mine, and there is a place for gold to be refined, iron may be gotten from dust and from ore is smelted copper.”

But a wise sage who has died, who can bring us his replacement, who can bring us his equal?

All four of these qualities were contained in the Tzaddik, our master, our teacher zichron tzaddik l’vracha.

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The Yahrzeit of Reb Yitzchak of Neshchiz (1790?–1868) is commemorated on the 21st of Shvat. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

His Dedication to Charity

Maot chitin, (or kimcha d’Pischa, i.e., money for making Matzah), was sent to several towns, even to the town of Byelsk, which is very far from here (Neshchiz).

In the early years, he, himself, wrote the record of the Tzedakah that was given, e.g. like this:

“Baruch Hashem, Parashat Vayikra, I gave thirteen silver roubles. In addition, eleven and a half silver roubles. In addition, one silver rouble, one gold, etc.

Parashat Behaalotecha, twenty silver roubles, sixty-three silver roubles, etc.

Parashat Vayigash, twenty-four silver roubles, one hundred eight silver roubles, etc.”

And in the middle of his ledger were found also a little bit entered in the handwriting of his Shammos according to his own reckonings.

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The Yahrzeit of Reb Shlomo of Lutzk (1740-1813) is commemorated on the 10th of Tevet. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

The Chozeh of Lublin on His Book

It is known to those who know me that my way is not to conduct myself in grandiosity. And something of this also transfers to giving the appropation on a book. But to honor a great man, I have reversed my wish (to not speak with grandeur).

For, behold, well-known is the Rav (of Mezritch), a preacher (Maggid) of uprightness, he is ingenious and expert in revealed and hidden teachings, a holy one of Israel. Already the fame of his nature has spread out in the world  through the introduction to the book (of his teachings), “Collected Sayings” of our teacher and our master, the great and the holy, our teacher the Rav Dov Ber z’l.

And now, they have shown me new writings from a student of the Rav, the Maggid, viz., our teacher the Rav Shlomo, a preacher (Maggid) of uprightness of the holy congregation of Skohl, whose name is Reb Shlomo Lutzker and Koretzer.

And I have seen in the writings many amazing innovations and they are sweet as honey. And greatly have I benefited from them. And I understood after reading these that there are men who are particularly astute.

Being the approbation from me, I have been compelled to reverse my wish to not speak with grandeur and to give notice that:

His uprightness in my eyes is exceeding and, it is very appropriate to advertise to many myriads that they should drink in his sweet words.

(Excerpt from the approbation for “Divrat Shlomo“)

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The Yahrzeit of Reb Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter (“Sefat Emet“) (1847-1905) is commemorated on the 5th of Shvat. The following lamentation on his passing appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

A Father To Israel

Is there anyone who does not know of it?

For a prince and a great one has fallen in Israel; the lion among his pride.

When the lion, “Aryeh“, roared, who did not fear? Whose heart did not feel anxious? And who did not shake?

The sages z’l said that when the tribes found what they sought, they trembled in great terror, but for us who have not found or gained but only lost, how much the more so!

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Abraham of Kalisk (1741-1810) is commemorated on the 4th of Shvat. The following praise for his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

The Baal Tanya in his praising of Rabbi Avraham

“… And behold, my beloved ones, my dear fellows and my friends:

“Without a doubt you know; in all certainty you comprehend how precious, how wonderful, how great is the strengthening of adherence to mitzvot, the strengthening of yeshivot of the [Holy] Land for it is considerable!

“For the same can be said with respect to reigning in one single house in which they previously rejected the stringent mitzvot of the Shabbos!

“And also, in addition, to revive many innocent souls who are serving Hashem in  holiness and in purity and becoming sanctified and purified!

“[All this is] due to the holiness and the holy purity of our master, our teacher, morenu haRav Avraham hakohen, the great one of his fellows.

“May haRav Avraham, who fills a place of holiness of Rabbeinu hakadosh, [the Maggid of Mezritch], (may his memory be a blessing for life eternal), live in wisdom and awe.”

(Likutei Amarim, Letter 26)

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Gershon Chanoch Leiner of Radzin (1839-1891) is commemorated on the 4th of Tevet. The following praise of his works appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

Gedolim Among Endorsers for “Sidrei Taharot”

Rabbi Yosef Saul Nathanson of Lvov:

“Truth will out, a thing of truth, that it was in my winter days and, just as with the author, so there arose in my heart something as the author has accomplished and the idea left its mark on me, impressions about all the lost gemara of Masechet Keilim. To truly attest, many troubles  surrounded my attempts and also I had seen in stories in praise of my ancestor the Gaon Maharal of Prague z’l that he also established a reconstruction like this; but his was lost in a fire, a setback. However in my heart the teachings were inaccessible, who would would give them back? And it was a man of valour who knew to arrange a great collection of related material like this — good will come forth from this for Beit Yisrael and, all of Israel will be blessed by it. Now it has happened and I see that the aforementioned Rav the Gaon has made  his heart ready and worked and did this great collection.”

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