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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 Rabbi Dovid Biederman of Lelov (1746-1814) is commemorated on the 7th of Shvat. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

The Merchant

The holy Rav, Rabbi Dovid used to be in the business of selling salt but, in the end, he gave it up.

When they asked him about this, he said:

“Here’s the way I am:

“When I see that the purchaser is going to another merchant to buy over there instead of here, I have a feeling of great joy that at another merchant there is a sale.

“However, when the situation is reversed, if another merchant will see that some purchaser is going to me to buy and not to him, he becomes soul-distressed.

“And I have no desire that there should be soul-distress in a Jewish person because of me.

“Therefore, I gave up the business.”

(Tower of David)

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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 Moshe Leib Erblich of Sassov (1745–1807) is commemorated on the 4th of Shvat. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

From a Gentile Villager, The “How” of “Ahavat Yisrael” Is Learned

The Holy Rav, Rabbi Moshe Leib told us that he learned from a gentile villager about how he should go about loving his fellow Jew (lit. “Ahavat Yisrael” / “Love of Israel”):

Once, when he was at a gathering with some villagers, one of the villagers was feeling a bit giddy with wine, and he asked his friend, “Do you love me? Or no?”

The latter replied, “I love you very much!”

Then, the villager said:

“You say  you love me, yet you don’t know what I lack. Indeed, if you truly loved me, wouldn’t you know what I lacked?”

The second villager was dumbfounded and could not say a single word.

But from this dialogue, the Rav learned that Ahavat Yisrael is:

To feel everything a person feels missing in his life and to share in all the pain this causes the person and, in all their troubles was he troubled.

(From the “Complete Teachings of Reb Moshe Leib”)

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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 Yisroel of Polotzk (d. 1780) is commemorated on the 4th of Shvat. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

Rabbi Avraham “Hamalach” Wants His Company

It was the custom of Rabbi Israel of Polotzk to travel in the province.

He was in transit on the way to the town of Fastov. In this town lay the grave of Rabbi Avraham “the Malach”.

After arriving in town, Rabbi Israel went to prostrate himself on the holy grave.

When he came back to the inn, he lay on his bed and sent word to call the Chevra Kadisha and told them:

“Avraham the Malach wanted to meet with me, for I am to be his neighbor in the cemetery after I die.

“But, I was unable to satisfy his request for the meeting he wanted.

“Therefore, behold I inform you, that in just a few moments I will here close up my days and you will bury me adjacent to his grave.”

Immediately, when he was done speaking his words, he gathered his feet into the bed and closed his eyes and turned over his holy neshama to God of the souls.

(Sefer HaHistalkut, p. 19)

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The Yahrzeit of Reb Zusha of Hanipol (d. 1800) is commemorated on the 2nd of Shvat. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

After He Became Well-known

Before Rabbi Zussya of Hanipoli became well-known, he was involved in preparations to become a Rebbe, traveling incognito from town to town and, at some point during this period, he happened to come to Berdichev as well.

There, he found an inn which was in close proximity to one of the destitute sages.

As time went by, and his reputation was established in adulation, with thousands of Hasidim cleaving to him, he returned, once again, to Berdichev. This time he was met with great fanfare, riding in on a splendid carriage harnessed to three mighty horses. In the midst of the crowds of people who came to welcome him at the town’s border was a wealthy citizen of Berdichev.

The rich man approached Reb Zussya, inviting the tzaddik by asking him if he would be willing to stay as a guest at his home.

Rabbi Zusha said:

“Even before now, I came to Berdichev, and recently too.

“Why was it not your practice to invite me then?

“It seems to me that there is only one difference: Now, behold, there are these horses. For, in the earlier time, I would come by foot. But this time I have come in a splendid carriage.

“If so, I suggest you invite the horses to your house but, I am going to my inn near the sage.”

(Sweet things)

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (“Alter Rebbe” / “HaRav” / “Baal Tanya”) (1745-1812) is commemorated on the 24th of Tevet. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

Bountiful Torah in Wispy Body

Once, in the middle of the night, the students were already fast asleep in the great hall of their teacher’s house, and the Rav, the young one of the group, had found his spot to lie underneath the table. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk was the only one still awake. All of a sudden, he heard the tapping of the stick of the Maggid, Rabbi Ber as he was entering the hall. Rabbi Menachem Mendel stood at the side and watched his teacher’s movements.

Grasping a lit candle in his hand, he walked from student to student perusing their faces.

As he approached Rabbi Schneur Zalman, he lingered a long while, perused his face and silently muttered with his lips:

“So amazing that into such a spare and wispy body as this, the Holy Blessed One will bring in such a bounty of Torah and wisdom!”

(Beit Rabbi)

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yehudah Leib “Mochiach” of Polonnoye (d. 1770) is commemorated on the 21st of Tevet. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

The Stern Preacher’s Eulogy For An Informant

In the times of the Mochiach (stern preacher) of Polonnoye, there was an informant in the town who caused the people a lot of grief through his livelihood of turning other Jews over to the authorities.

One day he got sick and died.

The Mochiach instructed the officiating Chevra Kadisha to let him know when it was time for the funeral.

When they informed him, he went and joined the procession.

When the townspeople saw that the Mochiach is walking in the procession to the informant’s funeral, every single Jew joined the procession, both men and women.

The son of the informant rejoiced greatly that the Mochiach was paying his respects to his father and was walking by himself to accompany the deceased.

The Mochiach walked to the cemetery.

As soon as they came with the deceased and the casket was brought to rest near the Ohel / covering as was the custom, the Mochiach approached the Ohel and stood near the deceased to speak the eulogy for him.

The informant’s son was very happy.

Then the Mochiach‘s words began with a comparison and, it went like this:

“One time a lord had a certain dog and his name was Brittany.”

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