Be'er Mayim Chaim Wellsprings of Chassidus & Jewish Meditation

Fw: R' Yisroel Dov Ber ben R' Yosef of Vilednik (1850)

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

R' Yisroel Dov Ber ben R' Yosef of Vilednik (1850)

Powerful - Reb Shlomo Carlebach - The Vilednik Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVKQrqZgwJg

Tonight(Sunday Night Monday Day) is the Yahrtzeit of

The Veledniker Rebbe.

21 Teves - R' Yisroel Dov Ber ben R' Yosef of Vilednik (1850), author of Shearis Yisroel. He was known as a great Tzaddik and miracle worker. He was the primary talmid of R' Mottel of Chernobyl.

His Kever is in Vilednik, Ukraine and gets many visitors.

When One Lights A Candle In The Merit Of A Tzaddik Below.

The Tzaddik Lights A Candle For You Above!

Zechuso Yagen Aleinu Amein!!!

The Power of Translation
based on She'eris Yisroel Villednik

The Holy Yisroel Villedniker
A Talmid of the great Rav Mottel'e Czernoble

The Villedniker taught Sha'ar haZmanin Drushim on Shavous 3rd Ma'amar...
"The Torah was given over in seventy languages clearly explained" (see Shabbos 88b) etc. The holy Torah itself is [written using] holy letters. Their are initially enclothed in the holy tongue [Hebrew]. Afterwards they are enclothed in sackcloth in thousands of different vestments and it contains the entirety of those seventy languages.
In our place [in Europe] since we translate the entire Torah using the Ashkenazi language [of Yiddish] which is common among us, we have greatly prepared that language for receiving the sanctity contained in the holy tongue. It has an advantage [over the traditional Aramaic] in that we use it to explain and elucidate all matters of holiness that pertain to us more so than we use the Targum [of Aramaic] which does not aid us in clarification and understanding. . .
I heard from my master the Holy rebbe of Czernoble that it was revealed to him from heaven in a dream that for three hundred years they are preparing and organizing the limbs of the Moshiach. He was told that it is hinted to in a Rashi that this preparation and organization is using La'az, foreign languages, meaning to say that Moshiach's limbs are are prepared specifically through foreign languages, this is a very deep thing indeed.
This is because Moshiach's concept is to cause all the nations to call out clearly in their language in Hashem's name (Tzefania 7:15) because Moshiach is revealed once the seventy languages have been gathered together from among the seventy angelic princes which are sackcloth garments for Torah, and become nullified to the Torah as we all call out in Hashem's name. Not so when the Torah was given when there were seventy distinct languages, and they were including at that time in the holy Torah. However in the future all the power of the seventy languages will be nullified completely as it says in Tzefania above.
Truthfully the final task of refinement called Birurim is achieved trough languages, since every word and idea contains a spark of holiness and that spark is refined and uplifted through true unifications and combinations using foreign languages to elucidate and explain the holy Torah this is the purpose of the unifications and upliftment of the holy sparks.
Therefore when you study and learn you should translate all you learn specifically into La'az - a foreign language. This rectifies sinful thoughts and evil thoughts which cause the holy sparks to fall into the realm of the broken vessels. This is because La'az - foreign language is the aspect of evil thoughts as in the words of Chaza'l our sages in Gittin 5b one who slanders and speaks ill of, is called Motzi La'az. However if you learn clearly [without translation] you do not purify them."

Zos Channukah - The forgotten children

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:25:00 +0000

I atteneded the Bostoner of Bet Shemesh's hadlakas Neiros last night and he said:

Perhaps the concept of the time for lighting Channulah candles designated as "ad shetichleh regel min hashuk," which is difficult to understand (why Chazal chose to designate that time in such a way) means that the regilus or the habit that some Jews have of wandering in the shuk or marketplace (which is the dwelling of the external negative forces and) together with the gentile nations, and then he sighed saying "A Yid iz azoy und azoy und azoy," which I took to mean that a Jew must remember how truly different and unique he is, even though the gentiles may understand that a Jew is like this or like that i.e. that is just like they are. Therefore we must light a small candle and kindle a flame in such a way that it shall declare and proclaim the miracle of Channukah and survival of us as Jews against all odds! that they shall not be able to feel habituated to us nor us to them, ad shetichleh regel min hashuk," until that habit of us in the marketplace is ended, to the point that they fathom not what a Jewish child is at all!

Afterwards I was zoche to learn from the sefer Birkas Moshe of Lelov as I sat at the Zos Channukah tisch last night in Lelov Bet Shemesh:

Parshas Naso reading for Zos Channukah begins with Bamidbar Chapter 7 verse 54. "On the eighth day, the nasi or chieftain was of the sons of Menashe, Gamliel the son of Pedatzhur.

נד. בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי נָשִׂיא לִבְנֵי מְנַשֶּׁה גַּמְלִיאֵל בֶּן פְּדָה צוּר

The Birkas Moshe, Rav Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zatzal understood this verse which refers to the final eighth day of Channukah on which the light of the Menorah shines brightest with eight lights (the heilige Imrei Pinchas Koretzer and Meor Aynaim of Czernoble taught that light of Moshiach shines through the Menorah),

On the eighth day of Zos Channukah even the forgotten sons are uplifted, anyone who simply declares I too have a G-d! Whoever lets the Rock and Redeemer of Israel into his life! is uplifted on this day! Each and every Jew, no matter how lowly, no matter how forlorn and lost he may feel, like one of the forgotten sons, yet on Zos Channukah Hashem uplifts him and shines for him the light of Moshiach and redemption. All a Jew has to say is I too, have a G-d! I am not lost for Hashem is with me. Then if he lets G-d in, he is uplifted.

How does the Lelover read this into our verse?

On the eighth day (Zos Channukah) Nasi (they shall be uplifted, since Nasi literally means uplifted one), Bnei Menashe (the forgotten children - from the meaning of the name Menashe which Yosef named him because Hashem had caused Yosef to forget his pain and hardships see Bereishis 41:51) Gamliel (read as Gam Li E"l - I too have a G-d) ben Pedatzhur (Peda Tzur He who has redeemed the Rock - or he who lets G-d in).

Chapter 7 verse 56. One spoon [weighing] ten [shekels] of gold filled with incense.

נו. כַּף אַחַת עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מְלֵאָה קְטֹרֶת

The Birkas Moshe also cites a teaching from the tzadik Rav Meir of Premishlan on the above verse. He interprets this verse to mean that with just one small bow, just a small demonstration of self subjugation and submission to Hashem's will one is transformed into a goldene yid, a golden Jew. How does the Premishlaner see this in the above verse? Kaf Achas - Kaf is spelled Chaf Fay, which is the root of the verb LaChuf, which means to bow and to submit onself, Achas means One. Thus One Spoon is read as One bow of submission.
Asarah Zahav - Ten Gold - Ten is equal to Yud in Gematria a well known Yiddishism for a Jew a Yid. thus Ten shekels of Gold is read as a Goldene Yid. Mit Ayn Beg - with just one small bow of submission to Hashem's will, vert min a goldene Yid - we are transformed into golden Jews!

May the light of Zos Channukah shine the golden Jewish soul within each of us!

Berditchever Stories for Zos Channukah

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:06:00 +0000

Sorry I meant to send this out on time for Shabbos:

Please enjoy the following Stories and Insights for Zos Channukah

Cooling Off in the Snow

The Chossid Reb Shaul Leib Gantz used to relate the following story every year on Channukah, and this was his tale:

Once on Channukah the holy Ropshitzer was seen entering his home while his feet were sore and bleeding. When his family questioned him as to why he appeared so bruised and injured he answered that he had been rolling in the snow (in those days this was a common form of self affliction for penitents to repent their sins). When his family exclaimed their surprise that an elderly tzadik such as himself still felt the need for such heavy measures of torture and self affliction, he explained himself by telling them the following story:

"When I was a young man I was filled with a great burning desire to see the holy Berditchever Rav light Channukah candles! Nothing could deter me, not the long distance, nor the lack of funds for travel. And so, in the dead of winter, in the bitter cold, I began my trip and set out on foot towards Berditchev. Since I had no money, not only was transportation was out of the question, but I spent my nights sleeping on the hard benches of the beis midrash, warming myself by the oven in the cold winter nights with neither a blanket nor a cover. Many a day I froze as the bitter winds bit at me, and the frost hung on my beard and whiskers. I relied on the hospitality of strangers for food and eventually a carriage driver spotted me and had mercy on me and took me part of the way gratis.

Eventually I reached Berditchev, cold, hungry but with a fire burning inside me goading me on. When I reached the Berditchever Rav's home my heart leapt, however when I entered it dropped into my stomach.

Now the Berditchever's Rav's home was not like the homes of today, large and well furnished, it was but a small cramped flat with only two rooms. In the larger room were congregated a great many Jews who, like myself, had come to observe the holy tzadik's avodah in lighting the Channukah candles. How, I thought to myself, will I ever see the Berditchever with such a crowd here preceding me. I grew dismayed at the thought that all my efforts could have been in vain. But I was determined at all costs to see the Berditchever and then I had an idea. I began to creep on the ground on all fours in between the legs of the assembled crowd.

Now this was in the Ukraine in the winter, all the assembled were wearking heavy boots caked with mud and clay. Nonetheless I continued on all fours pushing my way through the crowd of booted feet as I was stepped on and jostled. Obviously when I emerged I was covered in bruises and mud but I had succeeded in reaching the far side of the room. Thus on my hands on knees I peered through the cracks and crevices of the ill fitted wooden double doors and this is what my eyes beheld:

There stood the holy Berditchever Rav, author Kedushas Levi, his face aflame, his excitement and ecstacy palatable as he stood pouring oil into his menorah! Off course there was more oil on the floor than there was in the menorah but I had seen enough!

Now understand my children," concluded the Ropshitzer, "that today I once again remembered that Channuka and the look in the Berdicthever Rav's eyes, his excitement set me aflame once more, and the only way I could contain myself and cool off was to roll in the snow, which is what I just did."

What Does the Poritz Know About Pleasure and Comfort?

Once the holy Kedushas Levi entered his beis midrash on Channukah and observed a group of chassidim assembled together speaking in undertones. When they noticed the Berditchever approaching their hushed whispers ended and they stood silent. "What were you discussing?" asked the Berditchever. Abashed and silent the chassidim's cheeks burned red with shame as they stood silent unanswering. However the Berditchever was not so easily disuaded, and he pursued the matter once again, "Nu, what were you discussing, eh?" Finally, one of the chassidim confessed, "Rebbe, we were discussing the Graf Potatzski, the local squire and how much wealth and material comforts he has." The Berditchever looked back at them and countered, "does the Graf light Channukah candles?" "Off course not Rebbe!" answered the astonished chassid, "The Graf is a gentile!" "Well then," answered the Berditchever declaring with finality, "then surely he has no true simcha nor joy in his life at all!"

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
join the mailing list here: http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim
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Today 12 Kislev yahrzeit of the Bas Ayin

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:25:00 +0000

From the upcoming MeOros Kedushas Levi on Devarim:

Rav Avraham Dov of Avritch, the author of Bas Ayin, once heard a misnaged speaking out against the rav's Rebbe, the Berditchever. The Avritcher defended the Berditchever's honor and protested loudly and strongly against that opponent of Chassidus. The misnaged (who was also a rav) threatened that if the Avritcher would not apologize, he would never have children!

The Avritcher answered, "Even so, I will not apologize, since my Rebbe's honor is at stake." He did not apologize (and he never had any children). Ma'amar Mordechai 6.

An Eretz Yisraeldike Yid

Rav Avraham Dov of Avritch, author of Bas Ayin and a student of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, was visiting Zhitomir. He went to see the Toldos Aharon, Rav Aharon Zhitomir, also a talmid of Rav Levi Yitzchak. The Avritcher found Rav Aharon lying sick in bed. Rav Aharon was very glad to see Rav Avraham Dov. "I will only be cured when I drink water that came from Eretz Yisrael," he explained. "I know that you are planning to travel there. In fact, your thoughts are already there, and as we both know, wherever a person's thoughts are, that is where the person is. Please, Rav Avraham, take a mouthful of water and place it in a vessel. It will be just like water that came from Eretz Yisrael. I will drink it and be healed."

And so it was.

The Avritcher wondered, though, how Rav Aharon could possibly know of his deep longing to move to the Holy Land. He had not told his plans to a soul. It was just an idea in his mind, and yet Rav Aharon knew all about it!

When Rav Mordechai of Slonim related this tale, he added that the Avritcher discusses this concept in his sefer Bas Ayin. He quotes Rashi's comment in Vayishlach that the messengers that Yaakov sent to Esav were in fact angels, and Rav Aharon writes: "We must seek to understand how angels from the Holy Land [what does it mean they came from the Holy Land? Don't angels dwell in a spiritual realm above?] could come to Yaakov when he had not yet entered Eretz Yisrael. He hadn't even reached Sukkos yet! The Ramban asks this very question in his commentary and answers that since he was traveling to Eretz Yisrael, it was as if he had already arrived there."

Based on Ma'amar Mordechai 9 and Kisvei Rav Yoshe 4, p. 181. It's important to note that in our printed version of the Ramban's commentary, he does not pose this question in Vayishlach, but rather in Vayeitzei.

The answer that the Bas Ayin gives doesn't appear in the Ramban's commentary at all. HaRav Yisrael Meir Mendelowits, however, in his notes to Bas Ayin (Brooklyn, New York: 2006) adds that perhaps the answer can be found in the Ramban's commentary to Eiruvin 17, where he discusses the concept that everywhere a man's thoughts are, that is where he is. See also Meor Einayim (Yismach Lev, Kesubos), which discusses this at length. See also Shabbos 102a and Eiruvin 99a.

Yearning for the Mitzvos of the Land

Kedushas Levi: The entire commandment that I am commanding you today you shall safeguard to fulfill, in order that you may live and multiply, and come and inherit the land... (Devarim 8:1)

Even if you cannot fulfill all the mitzvos for example, those commandments that are dependent on living in Eretz Yisrael if you yearn to fulfill them all, it will be as if you fulfilled them. This is hinted at in our verse: "The entire commandment that I am commanding you today, you shall safeguard to fulfill" you should yearn to fulfill those commandments that are dependent on living in Eretz Yisrael and thereby you will merit to fulfill them. The word used for "safeguard," tishmerun, also connotes anticipation, as in "V'aviv shamar es hadavar And his father anticipated the matter" (Bereishis 37:11).18 By yearning and waiting for the time when you will be able to fulfill these mitzvos, then you shall "come and inherit the land" you will merit to come to Eretz Yisrael and fulfill these mitzvos.

http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=avritsch

Rabbi Avraham Dov Auerbach of Avritsh was a Rebbe in Europe for forty years
and in Zefat for ten. Before that he had been a disciple of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev and the first two Rebbes of the Chernobyl dynasty.

One of his disciples was Rabbi Shmuel Heller, the chief rabbi of Zefat. His famous book, Bas Ayin, was written in Europe, but he refused to allow it to be printed until he could 'expose' it to the air of the Holy Land and refine it there. His meeting with the philanthropist Sir Moses Montifiore in 1840 led to the beginning of modern Jewish agricultural settlement in Israel.

It was in 1830, at the age of 65, that Rabbi Avraham Dov of Avrush settled in the holy city of Zefat (Safed). But although he had waited many years for the opportunity to bask in the spiritual light of the Land of Israel, once there he found life in the Holy Land too difficult to bear. The hardships were all too apparent, while the holiness of the land was hard to discern.

When he felt he could bear no more, Rabbi Avraham Dov began to think of returning to his home in Avrush, where he had been the Rebbe since 1785. "After all," he reasoned, "I left my relatives and my students behind in order to live in the land, but it is to no avail, for I am suffering so bitterly. Let me return to Avrush; they will be happy to see me, and I will be glad as well."

When Rabbi Avraham Dov reached the decision to return to Europe, the rainy season in Israel was approaching. One day, as he was walking to the synagogue for the afternoon prayer, he heard noises coming from the surrounding rooftops. He couldn't identify the strange sounds, so he asked the townspeople he passed for an explanation. They were amused that he didn't know.

"Here in Zefat," they explained, "we have the custom of performing household chores on our flat roofs. We also use the roofs for storing food and other household supplies. The noise you hear is caused by the women scurrying about, removing everything from the roofs."

"But why are they doing that?" the Rabbi asked.

"Why, so that nothing gets ruined by the rain, of course," was the incredulous reply.

But Rabbi Avraham Dov was still confused. He looked up at a sky as blue as the sea when there are no waves in sight. "It certainly doesn't look like rain," he said, hoping for some further clarification.

"Surely you remember that tonight will be the 7th of the month of MarCheshvan, when we start to say the prayer for rain. We beseech G-d to be merciful and send benign rains to water our crops and provide water for us. Since we are sure that our Father in Heaven will hear our prayers and will heed our request, we take precautions so that our possessions won't be ruined when the rains come."

The unquestioning faith of the people affected the rabbi deeply. Suddenly his eyes were opened and he saw the sublime heights of faith achieved by the simple Jews of the Holy Land. His pain and disappointment were replaced by a sense of awe at the holiness of the land and its people. At that moment, he abandoned all thoughts of returning to Avrush and began a new leg of his own spiritual journey in the Holy Land.

Shortly thereafter, he became established as the leader of Zefat's burgeoning chassidic community.

In a letter dated 13 Tammuz 5598/1838, Dr. A. Loewy, Sir Moses Montefiore's secretary, wrote the following about Rabbi Avraham Dov. "This man is one of the most learned and esteemed people I have ever seen. It is a simple matter for him to serve the community without receiving any recompense from the communal funds. He distributes everything that he has to the poor of his people. There are always between 10 and 15 people eating regularly at his table" (Devir, Vilna 5622/1862).

In 1838 he was kidnapped by the vicious Druise who were then perpetrating a pogrom in Zefat, as they had done also in 1834. They ordered him to write a ransom note to his community, but he refused. The Druze then put him in a sack and began to beat him. When they thought they heard in the distance the hoofbeats of approaching Egyptian cavalry they fled, leaving the rabbi tied in the sack. He was later found and returned to Safed.

But what he is most famous for (besides his monumental book of chassidic thought, Bas Ayin) is his part in the earthquake miracle of 1837.

In the deadly earthquake of 24 Tevet 5597 (January 1, 1837), 5,000 people lost their lives, of whom 4000 were Jews, more than 80% of the community. It was between the afternoon and evening prayers, when most of the men were in shul, that the tremors and rumblings suddenly began. Of all of Zefat's shuls only two remained standing (Ari-Sephardi and Abuhav), and many hundreds of Jews at prayer perished under the collapsed debris. In the shul of the Avrusher Rebbe, as elsewhere, panic set in, and the congregants began to bolt for the outdoors.

"Come to the ark if you wish to be saved!" shouted the Rebbe in a powerful voice. Immediately everyone crowded around him. The Rebbe threw himself on the ground, praying and weeping. Local tradition records that although most of the building collapsed, the part where the men were clustered remained upright and everyone was saved. A plaque outside the shul today testifies to this miracle. The line between the original structure (over the Ark) and the reconstructed portion is clearly visible. One source (Eden Zion) states that while nearly all the walls collapsed, the domed ceiling miraculously remained aloft, almost as if it were suspended in the air!

Just before Rabbi Avraham Dov passed away in the epidemic of 1840, on the 12th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, he announced that his would be the last life claimed by the terrible plague. And so it was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Assembled and adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles from Anaf Etz Avot, L'chaim #527, Safed the Mystical City, Zefat: A Guide for an Inner-Dimensional Journey, and Ascent Quarterly.]

Noam haShabbos VaYeitze

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:44:00 +0000

http://www.613.org/noam/NoamHaShaboosVaYeitze.pdf

Enjoy

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022 / eFax: 1-832-213-3135
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Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48
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some people stumble upon the truth, sadly most people pick themselves up and just keep on going
live the life you want, dont live the life that happens
ASK me about the monkey!

Enjoy NoamElimelechToldos

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:55:00 +0000

www.613.org/noam/NoamHaShabbosToldos.pdf

Reb Yaakov Leiser (6 Tevet 1907 - 27 Cheshvan 1998) became the second
Pshevorsker Rebbe in 1976. Like his father-in-law and founder of the
dynasty, Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Gevirzman, great-grandson of the Rebbe
Elimelech, "Reb Yankele" did not seek to open a network of
institutions. Even so, specially chartered planes would bring hundreds
of chasidim to Antwerp for every Yom Tov and occasion. Among the
visitors were often those who had come seeking salvation of one type
or another. Hundreds of stories abound about his Divine inspiration
and the miracles that he performed. His only son, Rabbi Leibish
Leizer, is the current Pshevorsker Rebbe.

Noam HaShabbos Parshas VaYera

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:38:00 +0000

http://www.613.org/noam/Noam%20HaShabbosVaYera.pdf

Hayyim ben Solomon of Czernowitz author Beer Mayim Chaim

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Rabbi Chaim Tyrer of Czernowitz is buried in Safed Israel, there are
descendants of his alive in Israel today with the last name Tyrer. Here are
some resources about him, his works Beer Mayim Chaim on the Torah, Sidduro
Shel Shabbat on Sabbath and Shaar HaTefillah a treatise on prayer as well as
a commentary Eretz haChaim on Talmud tractate Berachoth are in print and
studied by chassidim and others worldwise till this very day.

Free pdf editions of his entire works can be downloaded here:

http://hebrewbooks.org/36242 - Warsaw edition of Beer Mayim Chaim

http://hebrewbooks.org/31498 - Mogilev edition Vol 1 Beer Mayim Chaim
http://hebrewbooks.org/31499 - Mogilev edition Vol 2 Beer Mayim Chaim
http://hebrewbooks.org/31500 - Mogilev edition Vol 3 Beer Mayim Chaim
http://hebrewbooks.org/31501 - Mogilev edition Vol 4 Beer Mayim Chaim
http://hebrewbooks.org/31502 - Mogilev edition Vol 5 Beer Mayim Chaim

http://hebrewbooks.org/19111 - Chumash with Beer Mayim Chaim

http://hebrewbooks.org/43953 Mogilev edition of Shaar HaTefilah
http://hebrewbooks.org/44037 Warsaw edition of Shaar HaTefilah
http://hebrewbooks.org/3813 Lemberg edition of Shaar HaTefillah

http://hebrewbooks.org/38147 Lemberg edition of Sidduro Shel Shabbos
http://hebrewbooks.org/24944 Mogilev edition of Sidduro Shel Shabbat Vol 1
http://hebrewbooks.org/24945 Mogilev edition of Sidduro Shel Sabbath Vol 2

http://hebrewbooks.org/21137 - Czernowitz edition of Eretz haChaim

Here is an article about him from
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=chernovitz
with photos of his burial cave in Safed

"Without Shabbat, what is life, other than an unrelenting, pressured,
struggle? The Shabbos is so important, that the sages say if all the Jews
would observe just two Shabboses, the Redemption would come." -- Rabbi Chaim
Tirar of Tchernovitz (1760 -- 1817).

Rabbi Chaim's love of the Sabbath was so extraordinary that on the
red-arrowed-marker pointing to his gravesite in Tsfat's famous ancient
cemetery, he is referred not only by his most famous work -- the Be'er Mayim
Chayim, a deep commentary on the Chumash, but by another illustrious work,
Siduro Shel Shabbat, which provides much inspiration and understanding of
the holy Seventh Day.

It wasn't easy to turn Rabbi Chaim down when he explained both the beauty
and importance of keeping Shabbos. In fact, it wasn't easy for a Jew in the
northern Moldovian city of Tchernovitz during the late 19th century, to turn
down any request made by Rabbi Chaim.

Brilliance in Torah, warmth of Chasidus and a big dose of personal charisma
helped Rabbi Chaim Tirar -- "the Tchernovitzer" -- influence both peasant
and nobility during the 18 years he served as the Jewish community's first
head rabbi.. During that time he waged a fierce battle against the
registration of Jewish children in German public schools, as was demanded by
the ruling Austrian emperor.

Rabbi Chaim was a leading disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch and of Rabbi
Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. Over the years, he developed many disciples of
his own, and some of them also traveled with him to Tsfat and are buried
alongside him. Only some are mentioned by name (see story #246).

When he left his post in 1807, a suitable replacement wasn't found until
1833.

In 1813 Rabbi Chaim emigrated to the land of Israel and lived his last years
in the holy city of Tsfat. He passed away in 1817 on the third day of
Chanukah.

Others may have stayed in Tchernovitz, but probably never forgot their
encounter with Rabbi Chaim -- even if they didn't always give a full
commitment right away.

Once, in a heart to heart talk with a simple peasant, Rabbi Chaim had given
it his best shot...

"All week you work with your animals, planting, plowing doing backbreaking
labor. But on the holy Shabbat you receive a second soul, a pure soul which
enables you to experience a complete rest from the mundane...On the holy
Shabbat, every Jew becomes a king, the son of the King of Kings."

Hearing Rabbi Chaim's straightforward but bejeweled words, the peasant
started crying and promised to start to keep the Sabbath, but begged to
receive exception to work during the plowing and harvesting season as times
were very difficult.

No, Rabbi Chaim told him firmly but caringly. And he explained. "The Shabbat
laws were given at Mara, (a place of bitter waters), to teach that even when
things seem so difficult and keeping Shabbos an impossibility, a Jew must
overcome the obstacles and keep it anyway.

"And when he does," assured Rabbi Chaim, "the Master of the Universe will
see to it that the bitter waters become sweet to him."

Crouching for the Cave Experience

To get to the burial cave of the "Be'er Mayim Chayim" the quickest route may
be from the bottom of the "new" cemetery and wind one's way up the hill
toward the ancient cemetery. Then again, if one starts at the top of the
hill, the path to Rabbi Chaim passes directly by perhaps the most famous
dweller of the lot, the holy Ari -- Rabbi Issac Luria.

To get to the starting point from the top of the mountain leading to the old
cemetery, take HaAri Street from Ascent to as far as the road goes (which is
right by the Ari Sephardic synagogue and leads to the Ari's mikveh). A
platform built in recent years to accompany the large volume of visitors,
leads directly to the Ari's kever. From the Ari, the same platform winds to
the left and a towering tree, which hovers above the grave of Rabbi Yosef
Karo, whose famous Code of Jewish Law, the Shulchan Aruch, is still studied
today.

From the Beit Yosef, take six more steps down the platform and make a sharp
left, where a sign in Hebrew points to "the Be'er Mayim Chayim and Sidoro
Shel Shabbat -- Rabbi Chaim bar Shlomo." (Continuing just a few steps down
is the burial cave of illustrious Torah commentator, Rav Moshe Alshich).

If you're not too keen on reading the signs in Hebrew, don't worry. There is
almost always a knowledgeable visitor who passes through the ancient
cemetery all hours of the day and night.

The entrance to the cave is only small enough for a little child to enter,
making it necessary for one to bend down until passing several feet into the
cave. It's strikingly quiet in there, the only exception being an occasional
buzz of a fly or some birds singing outside. It's also pretty dark, except
for a foot-high glass jar filled with enough oil and a burning wick to
provide light for probably several months if not a year. But in the heat of
the day, the cool shade provided by the cave is most comforting.

Other than some books of Psalms and other holy works. . . there's not much
else that stands between the visitor and the souls of Rabbi Chaim and his
disciples.

[Chana Katz, a former South FLorida journalist, lives in Tsfat. Her articles
on life in Israel have reached publications throughout the world.]

MP3 Lectures on his life and works can be purchased here
http://www.ravmosheweinberger.com/ProductList/Topics/Rav_-_Author/The_Be%27er_Mayim_Chaim.html

His Commentary on Torah can be ordered here
http://www.seforimcenter.com/product.asp?cookiecheck=yes&numPageStartPosition=3&P_ID=383&strPageHistory=&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=82
A Commentary on the Torah by a famous Chassidic rabbi, Rabbi Chaim of
Chernovitz (1760-1816). Many of his expositions are based on the kabbalistic
teachings of the Ari.

His commentary on Shabbat can be ordered online
http://www.seforimcenter.com/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=3&P_ID=381&strPageHistory=&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=171
A vast compendium about the external and internal meaning of matters
pertaining to shabbat. By the famous Chassidic leader, Rabbi Chaim of
Chernovitz (1760-1816). Many of his expositions are based on the kabbalistic
teachings of the Ari and other books of kabbalah.

Rabbi Chaim is sometimes referred to as the ''Ish Shabbat'' / ''Man of the
Sabbath.'' Chassidic legend records that he was a head taller on Shabbat
than during the rest of the week. Of his three classic works of chassidut,
the only one he published in his lifetime is this work about Shabbat. A
great book to read on shabbat !!!

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022 / eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list here: http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim
ebook
http://www.jewish-e-books.com/jewish-e-books-2/spirituality-jewish-e-books/mipeninei-noam-elimelech.html
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48
LinkedIn: http://il.linkedin.com/in/rabbitalmoshe
some people stumble upon the truth, sadly most people pick themselves up and
just keep on going
live the life you want, dont live the life that happens
ASK me about the monkey!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Edgar Hauster" <bconcept@hotmail.com>
To: "Czernowitz Discussion Group" <czernowitz-l@cornell.edu>
Cc: "Marla Raucher Osborn" <osborn@nuthatch.org>; "Yefim Kogan"
<yefimk@verizon.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 10:42 PM
Subject: [Cz-L] Hayyim ben Solomon of Czernowitz?

Czernowitzers...

Let's try to demonstrate our collective memory! Yefim Kogan, the webmaster
of the new JewishGen Bessarabia Special Interest Group, online at

http://www.jewishgen.org/Bessarabia/

wrote to me: "Hayyim ben Solomon, of Czernowitz was also known as Hayyim ben
Solomon of Mogilev, Hayyim ben Solomon Tyrer and Hayyim Chernovitzer
(1760-1813). Rabbi and a cabalist, a Tzadik, and a pupil of reb Israel Ba'al
Shem. After he had been a rabbi in five different towns among which was
Mogilev, Chernovitz and Kishinev, he settled in Jerusalem where he died in
1813. [...] If there is a person in Mogilev-Pod. Cemetery with Chernovitzer
surname it should be a different person, because the Rabbi seems to me was
buried in Israel. What is also interesting about this Rabbi of 18-19 century
that I found references to his work not long time ago in a regular Chabad
siddur, published recently! I do not have any pictures... I have some of the
quotes from that siddur, I think I published it on Bessarabia SIG at some
article..."

So far Yefim Kogan's note. Do you have any additional information on Hayyim
ben Solomon of Czernowitz?

Warmest wishes to all of you from sunny Berlin!

P.S.: I'm going to attend - and to report on - Hedwig Brenner's reading
tonight!

Edgar Hauster
Lent - The Netherlands

http://hauster.blogspot.com/

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Chassidus on Parshas Noach

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Parshas Noach

Divine Judgment and Mercy for Those Who have Mercy on EachOther

Bereishis 6:13 "For the land was filled with theft and robbery."

The story is told of how in Radomsk where the heilge Tiferes Shlomo lived there was a brutal tax collector. This Jew worked for the gentile authorities and his tactis were heartless and ruthless. He would literally steal and rob the Jewish population's money filling the coffers of his emploers and lining his own rich pockets. One day the attribute of Divine judgment took its toll against the man and his young son met an untimely end.

Heartbroken over the death of his beloved boy, a young child who had never sinned a day in his life the rich robber visited the Rebbe, the Tiferes Shlomo and poured out his anger and grief challenging G-d's harsh judgment against him. Shaking his fist to the heavens, he croaked between sobs, "Rebbe, how can this be? My poor son! Is this Divne justice?!"

The Tiferes Shlomo, knowing the error of this man's ways looked him in the eye and answered: "Our sages, Chazal teach that due to the sin of theft young children die."

Unflinching the tax collector further blasphemed against the Almighty questioning G-d's ways," But our sages also said that G-d is merciful and that in His mercy He does not attack people first, but rather their moeny and posessions. G-d has not touched my money at all! I am as rich as I ever was?! What kind of justice is this?!"

"It seems," answered the Tiferes Shlomo, "that none of your wealth is yours at all, it must all belong to others, therefore our Merciful G-d had no choice but to avenge Divine punishment straight on your child. Even regarding the generation of Noach's flood the verse says in Bereishis that the land was filled with theft and robbery, none of their wealth was theirs for it was all stolen, G-d therefore had no choice but to decide to say, "I am destroying them and the land."

The Tiferes Shlomo cites a Midrash in his commentary to the Torah that Avraham questioned Shem the son Of Noach as to why they were saved from the flood. Shem answered him that since he and his family had mercy on all the animals that they saved in the Ark this merit awakened Divine mercy over them and saved them.

We see, explains the Radomsker, that if the people in Noach's generation had mercy on each other it might have saved their lives, unfortuantely they had no so attribute, instead they robbed and stole from eachother, "for the land was filled with theft and robbery," and so the Divine attribute of harsh judgments acted against their collective sin and G-d destroyed them and the land in the flood.

Mosdos Cleveland invite you to hachnasas Sefer Torah

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:25:00 +0000

Mosdos Cleveland invite you to hachnasas Sefer Torah
Donated by R' Yosef Raphaelov in memory of his mother Chava bas Malka, Adina Adi bas Elazar ben Tzion
When: Tues 10/25
with partcipation of Rav Yitzchak Peretz and the Clevelander Rebbe Shlit"a
When:

Mincha 16:30 (4:30pm)

Where: At the Raphaelov home Rechov Bar Ilan 64, Ra'anana
Writing of Letters at 17:00 (5pm)
At 19:00 (7pm) a procession & parade accompanied by music will head out from Bar Ilan towards Keren Yesod and Har Sinai 11 Raanana to our beis midrash
Give honor and glory to the Torah

Today 25th of Tishrei is the Yahrzeit of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev the Kedushas Levi

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Kedushas Levi by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditshov

How the Serpent Tricked Chavah

And he said to the woman, "Even though G-d said, 'Do not eat from any of the trees in the garden.' The woman answered... "G-d has said, 'Do not eat from it...lest you might die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You shall surely not die..."

(Bereishis 3:14)

The usage of the word af, "even though," does not make any sense [even though Hashem said not to eat of the tree then what?] Also, we must analyze why Chavah changed the facts when she said that Hashem said to her, "Lest you might die." She made it sound as if there was some doubt, but Hashem Himself declared, "On the day you eat from it you shall surely die" (Bereishis 2:17). Death was certain. In truth, however, as our Sages point out, man did not die on that day he lived a thousand years.

We must understand what trickery the serpent employed to fool the woman into transgressing Hashem's commandment. The serpent built his argument by saying, "Heaven and earth were formed by the word of G-d" (Tehillim 33:6), and it is known that all the worlds and all the creatures came into existence by G-d's spoken word, as we see from the ten utterances, "Let there be light..." and so on. Their primary life force and existence comes from that utterance of Hashem. Now, since He is the source and life of all life, and His words are living and everlasting, how can it be that the tree of knowledge, which was also created by the word of Hashem, could be something so harmful and deadly, when it was created by the source and root of all life itself?

Therefore the serpent said, "Even though [af] G-d said, 'Do not eat from any of the trees in the garden,' how can this be? It [the tree] was created by G-d's spoken word, which gives it life and existence since it was drawn from the Source of all life, and so surely it is something that gives life and not something that causes death! Therefore, although Hashem said not to eat it, who says you have to listen to that command? Rather, you should listen to the utterance that G-d spoke to give life when creating the world."

However, this was just a trick of the serpent. In truth, we know the root and source of the tree of knowledge are the 288 sparks before they fell and were shattered, which have such a high supernal source.

[The Noam Elimelech explains that "this alludes to the 288 sparks of holiness that fell to a lower spiritual state and were scattered during the shattering of the vessels. It is our divine duty in this world to rectify and elevate these sparks..." During Creation, the sefiros (divine attributes), which are compared to vessels, were unable to contain the great awesome light of the Infinite and therefore shattered. The sparks of holiness from that light were exiled and dispersed among all mundane physical matter. This created a state of imperfection that can only be rectified by tikun effectively refining this material world and elevating the sparks back to their original source. This is accomplished by performing the will of the Almighty in this physical world through His holy Torah and its commandments, the mitzvos. The sparks of holiness that are scattered among the world from the breaking of the vessels were swallowed up by the klippos, literally, "shells" or "husks." Thus the good, holy spark is like a fruit or nut, which is surrounded by an outer shell or peel. In order to eat and benefit from the goodness of the fruits, one must first break the shell or remove the peel. So, too, everything in this world has an outer exterior, a false shell, that can be peeled away to reveal its true inner beauty.]

Adam's sin caused these 288 sparks to fall and shatter, and they descended very low until they were clothed in a mixture of good and evil in the husks and shells known as "klippas nogah" and in physical matter. Now this is man's primary objective when serving Hashem in this world: to transform darkness into light and to elevate those sparks back up to their root source. Therefore Hashem commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge because he did not have the ability to draw the light of those sparks down here below in the same form that they existed up above, since their source and root were very lofty. Thus, when Adam sinned, the sparks fell and descended down and down [and became clothed in the husks and shells of impurity].

Through the service of the Tzaddikim, as they engage in Torah study and mitzvos, the darkness in which the sparks are clothed is transformed into light, and they ascend higher and higher back to their root source. And when they ascend, their light increases so that the light dominates the darkness, as our Rabbis said, "In the place where ba'alei teshuvah, penitents, stand even completely righteous Tzaddikim cannot stand" (Berachos 34b). We can compare this to a son who grew distant from his father and strayed to the crooked path. When he later repented and returned to his father, his father derived great joy and delight from his return [more than if he had stayed on the straight path all along].

Therefore Hashem said, "On the day you eat from it you shall surely die," meaning that on that very day, when you eat from it, you will be drawn into an aspect of death, since you are causing the sparks to descend and clothe themselves in the physical world and in the husks and shells of the klippas nogah, which is an aspect of death. However, afterward, due to the service of the Tzaddikim through Torah study and mitzvos, they will be transformed from darkness into light and ascend higher and higher to their root source, and this will bring even greater joy and delight [than before].

Before Adam and Chavah sinned, they did not fully grasp this idea of elevating and refining the sparks, and therefore they did not understand Hashem's warning about temporary death. They thought "death" meant death forever, and they therefore had difficulty understanding how this [tree], which, as we explained above, had been created by the Source of all life [could cause death]. They misunderstood Hashem's intentions and thought that He meant that since the tree of knowledge had such a great light that they themselves could not draw down, they could not handle such a light, as our Rabbis said, "Four entered the orchard..." (Chagigah 14b). Therefore they said, "Lest you might die" meaning that perhaps we shall not merit this great light, and it will be impossible for us to grasp it and endure it, and perhaps it may even cause death. This doubt was planted by the serpent's arguments.

This is why the snake told them, "You shall surely not die..." There is no reason to doubt you will certainly not die, since you are on such a lofty level you can surely endure and bear this [great light]. Especially once you eat from it and "you shall be like G-d, knowing good and evil" you will advance to such a high level that you will surely be worthy of such a great light. This is how the serpent tricked them. Understand this.

The Stolen Spoon: The Tale of a True Penitent

The Rebbe Reb Baruch of Mezibuzh was well known as an outspoken critic of Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. One Friday night, during the Rebbe's tisch,when his chassidim were

gathered around his table, Rav Baruch declared, "If anyone here will speak evil of the Berditchever Rav, I promise that he will be rewarded with a portion in the World to Come."

Immediately a young man stepped forward, prepared to offer Rav Baruch an evil report about the Berditchever. Here was the perfect opportunity to acquire his portion in just one moment! Eager to secure his claim, the chassid did not even stop to think for a second that perhaps Rav Baruch might have ulterior motives behind his request. The elder chassidim standing near him were horrified and dissuaded him from coming forward. "Heaven forbid that you should do such a thing!" they said.

The next day, during the Shabbos day meal, Rav Baruch repeated his offer. "My proposal stands. Whoever can bring me an evil word about the Berditchever is guaranteed a portion in the next world!" he announced. Just like the previous night, silence prevailed. None dared open their mouths to utter a word against Rav Levi Yitzchak none that is except for the same young man, who without any compunctions seemed intent on speaking ill of the Berditchever and claim his reward. The opportunity had presented itself how could he hold back what he knew about Rav Levi Yitzchak? Why, it was a veritable sin to hold out on his Rebbe, was it not?

Again his fellow chassidim appealed to his common sense and convinced him to stay silent. He agreed, certain that he would be given one more opportunity to finally do what he wanted, later during shalosh seudos, the third meal of Shabbos.

The time indeed came. Rav Baruch repeat his request, and this time the young chassid paid no attention to his friends imploring him to refrain from speaking out. He ran forward, eager to unburden himself. Seeing the young man pushing his way through the crowd, Rav Baruch beckoned to him. "Come close, son, and tell me all that you know about the Berditchever!"

The young man told his tale. "I once traveled to Berditchev on business during the trade fair, and I decided that this would be a good opportunity to visit the beis midrash where the Berditchever davens and observe him in prayer. I had been told that it is a spectacle to behold his devotions, which are so wonderful that they can only be described as supernatural. I felt that it would be of great benefit to me to observe such pure and holy worship. So I set aside some time during my working hours to visit the beis midrash.

"As I neared the entrance to the study hall, and I the sound of the Berditchever's ecstatic prayers. I did not dare venture inside. I could not enter. I just stood rooted to the spot in wonder and awe. Then the Berditchever reached the passage "Yotzer mesharsim va'asher mesharsav kulam omdim b'rum olam He fashions the ministering angels, His servants who stand at the heights of the universe" (found in the morning blessings preceding the Shema). Suddenly he jumped up and ran toward me, and he yelled in a fit of hot anger, 'Vus vet der malach Michoel zogen?! Vus vet der malach Gavriel zogen?! What will the angel Michael say? What will the angel Gavriel say?' He raised his hand and slapped me soundly on the cheek! Then he ran back to his place and resumed his prayers.

"Now I ask you," said the indignant young man, "how was the Berditchever allowed to speak in the middle of the blessings? And to strike a fellow Jew in anger? What did those strange words about the angels mean? And why did he do all this in the midst of his prayers. The whole thing sounds crazy!"

Rav Baruch patiently listened to the young man's story till the very end. When the chassid finished, Rav Baruch addressed everyone present.

"You should know that Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev is an advocate on behalf of all of Klal Yisrael before the heavenly court. He speaks out in defense of all Jews and searches for merits to defend them and quell the forces of judgment against them. He even searches for merits to defend them when they have sinned, Heaven forbid! At the time when this young chassid came to the Berditchever's beis midrash, they were davening the Yotzer blessing that precedes Shema. At that time in the morning, when Jews all over the world reach the verse that speaks of the ministering angels, who as servants stand at the heights of the universe, that is the very moment when the archangels such as Michael and Gavriel and all their hosts gather together to defend Klal Yisrael and seek their merits, as it says, 'If there will be even one defending angel out of a thousand to declare a man's uprightness on his behalf' (Iyov 33:23). They try their best to seek out a defense for each Jewish soul to protect it from the rod of judgment hovering over him and to send down an abundance of blessings upon him to cleanse him of the stains of guilt and iniquity.

"When the Berditchever Rav reaches that point in his prayers, he enters the fray and joins the supernal ministering angels, seeking to find merits for Jewish souls. While you were standing there and observed that he reached this point in the davening, proclaiming that the ministering angels stand at the height of the universe, his soul ascended on High. He was spiritually elevated to the highest heights to seek out merits and advocate on behalf of Klal Yisrael. Then he saw you standing there before him, besmirched with the sin that you had committed that very day at the inn when you stole that silver spoon during the meal he was enraged, because he could find no merit on your behalf to bolster his argument in your defense before the heavenly court.

"You see, sometimes a thief steals in desperation, out of poverty and hunger. Then Rav Levi Yitzchak can argue that the thief did not steal in order to purposefully transgress the commandment prohibiting theft, nor did he steal because he yearns for luxuries or because he desires that which is not his own. He only stole to satiate the pangs of hunger that assail his wretched existence and to quiet the rumblings of his empty stomach. He steals knowing that he might get caught, but what can he do? What other choice does he have?"

Rav Baruch's temper rose, and his anger reached its boiling point as he turned to the trembling young man who stood dumbstruck, like a thief caught in the act. Rav Baruch pointed an accusing finger and thundered, "But you are a prosperous and wealthy merchant who lacks nothing! Why did you yield to the temptation of the evil inclination? Why did you steal that silver spoon? The Tzaddik of Berditchev could find no defense on your behalf, and that is why he shouted at you, 'What will the angel Michael say? What will the angel Gavriel say?' What will they say to defend you against the crime you committed?"

The young man began to cry and begged forgiveness for his repugnant conduct. But Rav Baruch could not comply. "Only by approaching the Tzaddik of Berditchev can you repent and receive atonement for your crime. Ask him to prescribe to you a path for repentance and that he should forgive you!"

The young man did so and became a true ba'al teshuvah.

The Story of his Passing

There is a tradition from the Maggid of Petriva and Rav Yisroel of Vizhnitz that Rav Levi Yitzhak passed away right after Succos. He related that the Berditshever grew weak after Yom Kippur and his condition was life threatening. However he prayed that his days might be lengthened so that he might still merit fulfilling the mitzvah of shaking the four species of the lulav and esrog which he yearned and waited for all year long. His prayers were answered and he lived till Isru Chag and passed away on the night of the 25th of Tishrei. (Toldos Kedushas Levi Munkacz 8:103) (See also Sichos HaRan 196)

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said "Even the average individual should feel the loss of a Tzadik like Rav Levi Yitzhak. Everyone now feels that there is something lacking in the world. There is a depressed mood everywhere. One might feel it in his business, which no longer runs as smoothly as before. Another might feel it in his bones, which somehow seem displaced. If your eyes are truly open you will see that world has become dark, for a great light has been extinguished in the world. A great candle's light has been truly snuffed out and that the world has filled with a great darkness." Many had reported that flames had been seen rising from the bier of Rav Levi Yitzhak. (Toldos Kedushas Levi Munkacz 8:105) (See also Sichos HaRan 196)

Gemar Chasima Tova! Chassidus for Yom Kippur

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Our sages said that on Erev Shabbos one must ask those in his home the following 3 questions:

Isartem, Eravtem, Hadliku es HaNer -

Did you remove the one tenth tithe of Maaser from fruits? Did you make an Eruv mixing the domains? Please light the candles!

I heard that they can also be applied to our teshuva Process! These are the three opportunities for returning to Hashem:

Isartem - from the wording of ten refers to the Aseres Yamey Teshuva - Ten Days of Repentence between RoshHaShanna and Yom Kippur

If you delayed Teshuva then Eravtem - meaning Erev Yom Kippur, you can still repent on Yom Kippur

Hadliku Es HaNer- if you have still tarried in your Teshuva you can still do Teshuvah till Channukah (see Bnei Yissaschar)

May we all be zoche to do Teshuva and merit a Gemar Chasima Tova

A healthy happy sweet new years, signed and signed with our family and friends for life, health and happines Amen!

Avigdor's Helping Hand

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:04:00 +0000

Many of you have seen a copy of my sefer the Noam Elimelech generously sponsored in memory of Avigdor Glaser Z"l by his family

Although his yahrzeit, 25 Elul fell on Shabbos this year and I could not be at the beis chaim

I still wanted to do something to perpetuate his memory and so I appeal for you to help Avigdor's Helping Hand (AHH), a charitable organization that was formed a few years ago by the family and friends of Avigdor Glaser, z"l, after his untimely petira. Avigdor's Helping Hand provides financial assistance to widows and orphans.

www.avigdorshelpinghand.org

Kesiva veChasima Tova

A Chassidishe Rosh HaShanna Message based on the Shela

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:12:00 +0000

In Keren LeDovid, the Puppa Rov, Rav Greenwald has an amazing short but succint message for us Rosh HaShanna:

He begins with a question:

In mussaf on Rosh haShanna we recite a blessing saying "Because You hear the sound of the kol shofar and listen to the teruah blast of the shofar and there is none like You,"

Why does the verse seemingly repeat the fact that Hashem hears us blowing shofar twice, once saying that He hears the kol shofar and once saying He listens to the teruah of the shofar, isn't that saying the same thing twice?

And what does the end statement mean, and there is none like You,? we know that no one and nothing can compare to or with Hashem, what connection does this idea have to the fact that Hashem hears our shofar?

In essence the answer is based on the well known statement of our sages, Chazal tell us that where the baal teshuva, the masters of repentance stand, not even the righteous can stand.

Citing the holy Shel"ah, the Keren LeDovid teaches that there are two distince forms of blowing shofar and what they represent. The holy Shel"ah says that the kol shofar the simple basic trumpet like blast is the sound of a righteous tzadik. Whereas the wailing cries of the teruah represent the penitent baal teshuva, he crying repents over his sins and mistakes.

Thus we now understand the symbolism and language, the Puppa Rav writes, that hearing and listening are also different. In Hebrew one can hear (Shomea) from afar, but (Haazana) listening connotes intimacy and closeness.

Thus G-d is saying that he hears the kol shofar, He is saying that He hears and accepts the prayers of the whole and simple righteous tzadik. Yet when it comes to the penitent baal teshuva, the master of return, Hashem listens up close. There is a closeness and intimacy there that the tzadik does not share.

This is why the blessing ends declaring there is none like You Hashem, because normally we would expect that a blameless righteous tzadik should be the closest to G-d, yet Hashem shows us that just the opposite is true, He values the close intimacy of the baal teshuva, thus none is like You,

The story is told about a student studying in a yeshiva for newly devoted returnees to Judaism who himself came from a religious background. He once approached a famous rabbi and introduced himself. "And in which Yeshiva do you learn?" asked the rabbi. "I study in such and such yeshiva," he answered and quickly he added, "but I am not a baal teshuva!" The rabbi smiled looked at him with a piercing glance and asked him "Nu why are you not?"

May we all merit to make this new year our best year, repent and correct our mistakes and learn from the holy words of the advocate for Klal Yisroel the holy Berditchever who declare all month long during Elul, "Today I shall repent and return Hashem!" "Who are you kidding?" he would berate himself, "thats what you said yesterday." "ya, but yesterday I didnt really mean it, today, I mean it." And thus he would try again and again. let's give ourselves a second chance and we will all be masters of return.

Shana Tova - A Sweet New Year to you, your family and loved ones

ebook www.jewish-e-books.com/mipeninei-noam-elimelech.html
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9 Free PDF Seforim for Free Download about Chodesh Elul

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:05:00 +0000

http://chassidicbooks.blogspot.com/2011/09/9-free-pdf-seforim-for-free-download.html

PARSHAS EKEV CHASSIDUS BIRKAS HAMAZON

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:16:00 +0000

"And you ate and were satiated and you blessed Hashem your G-d."

Rav Shlomo of Karlin once remarked that the verse juxtaposes statiation of hunger with blessings because, the real truth is that one is ultimately truly satiated from the blessings recited after the meal than from the meal itself!

Rav Baruch of Mezibuz once declared: the verse says "Eat and be satisfied and then bless Hashem!" That is what the Torah commands. Some fools however, he explained, think that they can rise in holiness by only bettering their soul with elevated thoughts, and afflicting their bodies with constant fasts. Well I compare them to the drunken peasent who sits drinking himself into a stupor at the bar, while his horse is tied up starving in the cold outside!"

Once there was a chassid, a follower of Rebbe Elimelech, who worked
very hard to rise in chassidus (piety), Torah learning, and prayer. But the
Rebbe could tell that the man's appetite for food was still unconquered.
The Rebbe invited this chassid to come and eat breakfast with him. Of
course, the chassid was overjoyed at the privilege of eating together with
his Rebbe.

The chassid arrived to find that the table was set with only three items:
a loaf of rye bread, salt, and a knife.

They washed their hands and broke bread with the blessing hamotzi.
Before the Rebbe took another bite out of his slice, he began to mutter to
himself: "Melech, Melech, see how you eat! With what a detestable appetite
you eat! You chew the bread so that you could swallow the whole piece in
one shot. Your desire is greater than that of a beast"

Then he retorted: "No, that's not really so. I am not eating out of greed,
but rather to satiate my hunger alone. If I don't eat, how will I learn Torah
or pray and serve my Creator? I am eating simply to restore my soul and
give it life." He then cut another slice and ate it.

Before he finished chewing and swallowing, the Rebbe muttered again:
"Melech, Melech, who do you think you're fooling! You say you are eating
only to be satiated and serve G-d. All your words are lies and falsehood!
How do you expect to save your soul with such false remarks? See for yourself
how your whole body and all its limbs are filled with animal desire. You
want to swallow the whole loaf at once! How dare you make up such lies
and say that you eat for the sake of Heaven," and other such remarks. Then
he retorted again, "No, no, I don't eat with desire. What can I do if I was
created as a physical being? I must give my body what it needs to survive;
otherwise it will not serve me. I cannot live without eating. I am not doing
it out of animal desire, but simply to give myself life." And he ate another
bite.

The guest was astonished and then brokenhearted when he heard the
Rebbe's inner debate. His heart melted at the Rebbe's rebuke of himself as
the chassid thought of his own inner desire for food. He could not move
from the remorse he felt and became still as a stone. The Rebbe saw the
chassid's anguish and saw that his medicine had been effective.

The Rebbe stopped eating and bentched, and the chassid finally fainted from his distress.
And from then on the chassid's level of piety increased until he ate
purely for the sake of Heaven for the rest of his days.

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022 / eFax: 1-832-213-3135
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some people stumble upon the truth, sadly most people pick themselves up and just keep on going
live the life you want, dont live the life that happens
ASK me about the monkey!

The Giving of the Torah During the Time of Moshiach קדושת לוי - שבת נחמו

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:46:00 +0000

בשבת נחמו קורין עשרת הדברות, ובשבועות קורין גם כן עשרת הדברות, כי בשבועות נתן הקדוש ברוך הוא תורה לישראל, וכן כשיבא משיח צדקינו כתיב (ישעיה נא,ד) תורה חדשה מאתי תצא לכן קורין עשרת הדברות בשבת נחמו: קדושת לוי - שבת נחמו

The Giving of the Torah During the Time of Moshiach

On Shabbos Nachamu we read the ten commandments. And on Shavous we also read the ten commandments. This is because on Shavous the Holy One gave the Torah to Bnei Yisroel. And similarly regarding when our righteous Moshiach arrives it is written that (Yeshaya 51:4; VaYikra Rabbah 13:3) "A new Torah will come forth from Me." Therefore we read the ten commandments on Shabbos Nachamu as well.

Tu BeAv

Remembering Our Father
"There were no other days as good for Bnei Yisroel as the the 15^th of Av and Yom Kippur." (Taanis 26b)

This can be explained based on the verse (Shemos 17:8) "Amalek came and battled Israel in Refidim." Before this it is written (ibid 17:7) "Is Hashem among us or not?"

This can be understood by the following parable:

A son was on his father's shoulders, he sicked the dog on him etc. (See Rashi ibid; Pesikta Rabbasi 13) "The parasha of Amalek follows the previous verse asking whether Hashem is among us or not? To teach us that Hashem says I am always among you and I am found ready to fulfill all of your needs and how can you ask if Hashem is among you or not? By your life! A dog shall come and bite you and you shall cry out to me and then you will know where I am! This can be compared to a parable a father went out on a journey with his son on his shoulders. If the son saw an object he desired he said father give me this thing and he would give it to him. This repeated itself a second and third time. They happened upon a man and the son asked him, have you seen my father? The father said to his son, don't you know where I am? He threw him off his shoulders, and a dog came and bit him."

We see that the father frighten his son in order to remind him that he has a father who can save him from that frightening thing. And as soon as he knows that he has a father then his father draws him close in many ways to demonstrate that closeness.

This is why this month is called Av – which means father, and why our temple was destroyed during this month, in order to remind us of our Father.l Once we recognize this fact and this knowledge will penetrate into us then the Holy One will rebuild the beis hamikdash.

The Gemara explains (ibid) regarding Tu BeAv that it is a time [of happiness since it is] when the tribes were allowed to intermarry. . . Study it at length.

. . . Each and every tribe has its own special way and path, (Pri Etz Chaim Shaar Tefillah). Down here below this is represented by a hue for each tribe as the colors of the precious stones found in the Choshen, the Kohen Gadol's breastplate. Each color of each stone represented the unique character of each tribe as is known. (Rabbeinu Bachaya Shemos 28:15)1 When all the ribes reach the level of self nullification and effacement known as Ayin then all the colors mix and intermingle together with eachother. Now when the Jewish people grasp the understanding that (though we are different and unique individuals) we all have one father, this is the meaning of [Tu BeAv being] a day when the tribes were allowed to intermarry. It alludes to what we explained.

Notes:

1. The Rabbeinu Bachaya in his commentary to Shemos 28:15 explains that it is a Kabbalistic wonder how each one of the tribes was given a colored stone for the Choshen which matches their attribute up above. He then matches the stones and their colors to the attributes and characteristics of each tribe according to Kabbalah.

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022 / eFax: 1-832-213-3135
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Chassidus for 9 of Av (Tisha BeAv) & Eicha

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:29:00 +0000

From the upcoming English translation MeOros Kedushas Levi on Moadim

For Megillas Eicha and Tisha Be'Av

"She cries bitterly at night and her tear is on her cheek." (Eicha 1:2)
When a person cries his tears make an impression, and heaven forbid etc. And
truly regarding the destruction [of the bais ha'mikdash] when a person cries
then his crying makes an impression. This is the meaning of "her tear is on
her cheek," the tears leave an impression up above.

"Her enemies became the heads etc. Because Hashem spoke and afflicted her to
her due to her numerous transgressions. Her children gone into captivity
before the enemy." (Eicha 1:5)

This question which seems wondrous is why do foreign thoughts come to a
person while he is praying? The idea is that whatever has fallen
spiritually, through a person's sins and transgressions, now desires to be
uplifted especially during the service of prayer. This is the meaning of
"Her enemies became the head masters." The foreign thoughts which attack a
person's head and mind, "because Hashem spoke," this language connotes
speech, meaning that this refers to Hashem's words "because of her numerous
transgressions," this is above all sins, "her children walked, captured
before the enemy," these are now uplifted above the enemy. "Her children,"
refers to the sparks of holiness, "which walk captured before the enemy,"
they are above the enemy due to the word of Hashem.

"An lurking bear, a lion in hiding." (Eicha 3:10)

The general idea is that Hashem destroyed His beautiful house and we Bnei
Yisrael are now in exile. Surely this all a benefit to Bnei Yisrael, since
surely Hashem shall have greater and greater mercy on us and then He will
rebuild the bais mikdash with even greater strength. We find therefore that
although our current exile seems to be negative, however all things hidden
are revealed before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, that in reality all this is to
benefit Bnei Yisroel. "A lion in hiding," the lion symbolizes the attribute
of chessed or kindness (Zohar Chadash Yisro 39a) since he comes from the
right-hand side of the heavenly chariot in Yechezkel's vision (1:10) which
connotes chessed. This "in hiding," refers to the true intentions behind our
troubles and our distress. The exil and the destruction of the bais
hamikdash is truly just loving kindness and chesed for Bnei Yisrael, as we
explained.

"He shot into my kidneys the arrows of his quiver and I became a
laughing-stock for my nation." (Eicha 3:13-14)

Generally speaking the anguish and pain over the destruction of our bais
ha'mikdash will in the future, be revealed to be only chessed - kindness,
when HaKadosh Baruch Hu in His great mercy and kindness rebuilds with even
greater fierceness and strength.

We find therefore that this suffering and anguish gives birth to great joy
and happiness. The pain and suffering becomes a symbolic father who gives
birth to joy, and the joy and happiness itself becomes a symbolic child
which is born from the pain and suffering.

This is the meaning of "he shot into my kidneys" meaning Hashem placed into
my thoughts the memory to anticipate for salvation and happiness which will
come from this pain. This is is also the meaning of "bnei ashpaso," the
children which shall be born from this anguish and pain are the joy and
"bnei," literally means children. "Therefore I was a laughing stock before
the nations," once I uplift my thoughts towards laughter, joy and happiness
which shall be born from this pain and sufferings then I can "laugh at the
nations."

"And I said my eternal strength and expectations from Hashem are lost.
Remember my afflictions and sorrow. Wormwood and bitterness. . .This shall I
take to heart therefore I hope. Hashem's kindness surely has not ended, nor
are His mercies exhausted." (Eicha 3:18-22)

We should pay attention to the order of the verses, since it would have made
more sense to write I shall take to heart that Hashem's kindness surely has
not ended etc. and therefore I hope. Why does the mention of "therefore I
hope," which is the result and effect precede the cause which is the
"kindness of Hashem that has not ended?"

The reason which we call the Shabbos preceding Tisha Be'Av by the name
Shabbos Chazon, is due to something about Bnei Yisroel which is not
praiseworthy. Chazon refers to a vision, which shows the great reward of
goodness which is hidden and waiting for those who wage the great war and
conquest which with G-d's help, is fought by the Jewish souls that have been
sent into this world.

Since these souls are lovers of Hashem and their entire purpose is to serve
Him, before they are sent down into this world to wage that war they are
shown a vision of the hidden reward of goodness which awaits them.
However due to our numerous sin our enemies seek our destruction. However
when we remember our afflictions and sorrow and our soul remembers and grows
despondent, this proves that our victory and eternal strength and
expectations are not lost heaven forbid. For it is decreed that the dead
shall be forgotten by the heart (Pesachim 54b). And if there is no victory
up above without any expectation of its return that is the case. However
the living, are never forgotten.

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
info@chassidusonline.com
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Chassidus Parshas Masay

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Parshas Masay - Journeys through the exile of the Three Weeks

There was once a great powerful king who lived in a well guarded palace. Though the king was kind and just, it was nearly impossible to be granted an audience with the king due to his stature and regal court. Each room of the palace had guards stationed at the doors and only the high level courtiers, ministers and statesmen had access. Even they needed to be granted an audience, and an audience was only granted at specific times. Under such conditions it was simply a well known fact that one could not approach the king.

There was a simple countryman who longed to see his majesty. Not knowing the laws and procedures for gaining an audience he travelled to the imperial capital and approached the gates of the palace. When the guards stationed on duty questioned him and heard his purpose they burst out laughing, "You have come for an audience with his majesty the king?" they jeered! "Yes," replied the smiling simpleton, "I wish to invite him to my home for a festive meal in his honor!" he said proudly. "Surely, you jest!" They mocked him. When they explained how difficult it was the poor disappointed countryman left forlorn and sad. He travelled back home to his village longing to see the regal figure of the king and enjoy his company.

Then one day the king had his royal carriage harnessed with six white steeds, and he and his entire royal entourage left the imperial capital on a journey. Unfortunately his royal coachman was unfamiliar with the route and he and the king got lost and separated from the group. Tired, hungry and very lost the king took heart as they spotted a small hut not far off on the horizon. The small hut was but a mud brick house with a thatched roof and a chimney which at the moment was puffing smoke. Normally under no circumstances would the king ever dream of spending the night in such a hovel. yet, now far from home, where else could he go? There were no fancy hotels, nor inns anywhere in sight and night had fallen. The coachman knocked on the door, and to the astonishment of the simple countryman whose home they had reached, there stood the king himself! The simple countryman stood there in wonder, mouth agape, here was the king himself! "Please, your majesty," beamed the smiling peasant, as he escorted the king inside. The king looked about at the modest and simple home. There were barely any furnishings, a few rickety chairs, a table and a wood burning stove. But the house was clean, neat and orderly. The host prepared his majesty a modest meal, spread some straw and offered them a bed. The king was hungry and thirsty and gratefully accepted his host's simple meal. Then tired and weary he gratefully accepted the modest bedding. As long as the house was clean and neat he thought as rested his weary body. The next morning the king awoke, thanked the country peasant and promised to reward him should he even need it. The simple countryman remarked that his reward was having had the honor of hosting the king, and being in his close proximity, which was his heart's greatest desire!

The holy Maggid of Mezritch told this parable, and it is recorded in both the Kozhnitzer Maggid's sefer Avodas Yisroel here in this week's parsha and also in Noam Elimelech on parshas VaYeshev.

The Avodas Yisroel says that this Parsha Masay is always read during the 3 Weeks, because they are a total of 21 days and 21 nights which together equals 42, corresponding to the 42 journeys mentioned in Parshas Masay. We too, says the Kozhnitzer Maggid must travel through 42 journeys during this period, to rectify and work on our Avodas Hashem.

The parable teaches us that when the holy temple, the bais hamikdash stood, it was difficult to approach Hashem, the King of Kings! For when the King is in His palace surrounded by guards and courtiers He is inapproachable for audiences. However in our present state of exile, when the King has wandered in exile together with us, then He is approachable. For when the King leaves His palace and He is in exile, He can even be brought by us into our homes and into our heart.

The Avodas Yisroel tells us that while in exile The King, is on a journey together with us and that we have the unique opportunity to approach Him as during no other time! This is how he says his master the Maggid of Mezritch explained the verse in Eicha 1:3 "Kol Rodfayha Hisiguha Bein HaMeitzarim," although the simple meaning of the verse is that "The pursuers caught up to Jerusalem who is portrayed and personified like a woman running from her enemies, and they caught her between the boundaries." We called the boundaries and narrow alleyways of the Three Weeks between 17 of Tammuz and 9th of Av as the period of Bein HaMeitzarim. Thus the Maggid taught us that "Kol Rodfay"ha - All those who pursue Yud"Hay - All those who chase after and pursue Hashem, Whose Name is symbolized by the Yud"Hay can catch up to Him specifically during the Bein HaMetzarim, during the period of the three weeks. Because when the exile is at its peak and felt the strongest, that is when we can pursue Hashem and come close to Him, that is when the King is in exile and will even visit us and our home and our heart.

Good Shabbos

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
Contact Rabbi Zwecker at: chassidusonline@gmail.com
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48
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Fw: Tefila of the Ohr Lashomayim - Wednesday!!!!!

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:37:00 +0000

Every year Rebbe Naftali Horowitz the Krula Rebbe shlit"a tells Baruch Amsel (kevarim.com) to send this email.

The 25th of Tammuz marks the yarzheit of the Ohr LaShamayim. He was a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, and was Rav in Apta after the Ohev Yisroel.

The Ohr LaShamayim asked that on the day of his yarzheit, one light a candle and give tzedakah on his behalf. In doing so, one should say his name, Reb Meyer ben Reb Shmuel Halevi zy'a.

In addition, the Krula Rebbe adds in the name of the Tiferes Shlomo, Rebbe Shlomo of Radomsk zy'a, that it is praiseworthy to recite the special tefillah for parnassah composed by the Ohr LaShamayim. A copy of that Tefillah is attached.

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone you'd like.

How can I help Beer Mayim Chaim produce more seforim?

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:35:00 +0000

Many have asked me:

How can I help Beer Mayim Chaim produce more seforim?

The answer: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/talmoshezwecker/rabbitalmoshezweckersfundraisingpage

Please Pass this link on to others Thanks for your support~!

How Far is Lizhensk from Oceanside? Mishpacha Magazine article

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:13:00 +0000

Mishpacha Magazine

The Baal Shem Tov wrote that the Mashiach

would come when his teachings spread

out to the four corners of the earth.

Once far from Yiddishkeit himself,

Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker is now

helping to fulfill the Baal Shem Tov's vision by

opening the world of Chassidus to the Englishspeaking

public. With his translation

of the sefer Noam Elimelech,

he has brought the tzaddik

Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk

 whose yahrtzeit is on

21 Adar into the

lives of his readers

and himself

A TRIP THROUGH A TIME MACHINE

Throughout the generations, tzaddikim have spoken about the great segulos

associated with the kever of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, and thousands travel there

on his yahrtzeit, 21 Adar. Rebbe Mendel of Riminov said that visiting the kever of

Reb Elimelech ensures that a person will be inspired to do teshuvah before he passes

away. Similarly Rebbe Meir of Premishlan said that davening at the kever is a segulah

for yiras Shamayim. Other tzaddikim have said that the grave of the Noam Elimelech

is the only kever in Europe to still possess a direct link to the tzaddik.

"It's like a trip through a time machine," Rabbi Zwecker says. "Life hasn't changed

so much since then. Many people still draw water from the well and ride in horsedrawn

buggies. You feel like you're in the middle of a chassidic story. This is where

they came from; they davened and walked in these same forests and hills."

On his first visit to Lizhensk, Rabbi Zwecker brought along his newly printed sefer,

MiPeninei Noam Elimelech. He said that although he felt intimately connected to the

Rebbe from translating the sefer, it was his first time meeting him "face-to-face."

"It was an extremely emotional moment for me. I, too, cried and davened for a

long time in the tziyun and never saw such an awakening of teshuvah as I did among

the people there. It was such an outpouring people were screaming and crying as

if the world was ending. When I came out, my clothes were soaked I was literally

dripping with sweat and tears."

Reb Elimelech is quoted as having said that he nullified and sweetened the

suffering associated with the birth pangs of Mashiach. When Rabbi Zwecker

brought his book to the Kaliver Rebbe of Yerushalayim, the Rebbe asked

a poignant question: "If what Reb Elimelech said is true, how then can it

be that the world has been through so much suffering since then?" The

Kaliver Rebbe himself knew firsthand the horrors of the Holocaust, making

the question even stronger. "It could have been so much worse,"

the Rebbe answered, "so much worse." Only someone

who saw what he saw, could say such a thing.

How Far is Lizhensk from Oceanside?

by Gavriel Horan

Photos: Ouria Tadmor, Meir Haltovsky, Reuters

In this "I" generation with Internet,

iPods, and BlackBerrys we are

more plugged in than ever, but more

"plugged out" from genuine relationships

and connection. This carries over into all

aspects of life, including our relationships

with each other, ourselves, and Hashem.

While youth are crying out for love,

meaning, and connection, they don't know

where to turn. Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker,

author of the acclaimed English translation

of the chassidic classic Noam Elimelech

MiPeninei Noam Elimelech (Targum),

believes that Chassidus may be a balm to

society's ills.

"As our generation deals with the

challenges facing kids at risk, the baal

teshuvah movement, and the challenges

of an outside world that becomes more

and more morally degenerative every day,

chassidic teachings may be the secret to

our renewal," Rabbi Zwecker said. "I think

people are looking to connect to something

that's bigger than themselves nowadays.

The teachings of Chassidus about

love, compassion, and simchah

fill a tremendous void

in so many people

who are suffering

so much today."

Seeing Rabbi Zwecker today with his

long, flaming red peyos and beaver hat,

one would never guess that he, too, was

born to a religiously disconnected family.

Yet he made the difficult leap from secular

society to some of the most elite inner

circles of the chassidic world. Becoming

a true chassid is itself a challenging feat,

but Zwecker wasn't content to end there.

He wanted to ensure that others, who grew

up outside the chassidic community as he

did, could have access to the rich teachings

of Chassidus. His encyclopedic memory

and masterful grasp of Hebrew, Yiddish,

and English led him to begin the daunting

task of translating many of the chassidic

classics into English for the first time

ever in an easy-to-read and down-to-earth

style. Today, his books are helping to bring

thousands of English speakers into the

world of Chassidus. And precisely because

he made that journey himself, he is able to

pave the way for others.

Peyos in America Rabbi Zwecker

was raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and

Oceanside, Long Island, by secular Israeli

parents who left Israel in search of greater

economic opportunity. Although in Israel

they had little to do with Yiddishkeit, in

America they found themselves searching

for a Jewish identity. "My parents had the

syndrome that most expatriate Israelis do:

they became more religious when they left

Israel. One of the worst results of Zionism

is that Israelis feel Jewish just by living in

Israel they wear their Judaism on the

flag. When they get to chutz l'Aretz and

are surrounded by a sea of non-Jews, their

Jewish identity has nothing to hold on to."

Therefore, it is not uncommon for secular

Israelis living abroad to take on all sorts of

religious practices that they would never

have dreamed of doing when they were in

Israel, such as Kiddush, candlelighting, or

kashrus in the home.

In America, the Zweckers went to a

nearby Conservative synagogue a few

times a year and made Kiddush and

hamotzi each Shabbos. The year before his

bar mitzvah, Tal Moshe used to regularly

go to services on Shabbos morning,

always arriving just in time for the Torah

reading. He thought he was arriving for

the beginning of prayers and erroneously

believed that the davening consisted of the

Torah reading followed by the Shemoneh

Esrei of Musaf never knowing there

was such a thing as Shacharis. While

visiting relatives in Raanana the week of

his bar mitzvah, which the family was to

celebrate in Israel, he accompanied his

cousin to shul on Shabbos morning. "Don't

worry," he assured his cousin, "I go to shul

all the time in America. I know exactly

what's going on." When they arrived at

shul on time, he was surprised to find them

davening Shemoneh Esrei before Kriyas

HaTorah. "They do everything backwards

here in Israel," he said. "First they daven,

then they read from the Torah!"

Rabbi Zwecker's first memory

of chassidim was encountering the

"old fashioned" Satmar chassidim in

Williamsburg. His family enjoyed the

sight, as a relic from the past. As they

drove through the neighborhood, they

would stop to ask directions just to get a

closer look at their archaic clothes and to

see the peyos they thought were left behind

in Jerusalem's back alleys. Rabbi Zwecker

grew up speaking Hebrew at home and

"peyot" is the modern Hebrew word for

wigs. For years afterward he tried to figure

out how the chassidim got their "wigs" to

stay on just above their ears. Years later,

when Rabbi Zwecker was becoming frum,

he had contact with a number of Satmar

chassidim who he says were among the

kindest, most generous people he had ever

met, quite contrary to what he had been

told as a child. His father did, however take

a liking to the Chabad chassidim he met,

since they were always nice to Israelis. "It

never even occurred to him that they were

trying to be mekarev us," Rabbi Zwecker

says.

The teachers in Conservative Hebrew

School happened to all be Orthodox,

although the students used to make fun

of them incessantly and never paid any

attention. The only time young Tal Moshe

ever paid attention was when his teacher

used to read traditional chassidic tales

and stories about the Arizal to the class.

It captivated his imagination and passion.

Seeing this, the teacher took him aside and

said, "You have a good head. Why not

apply yourself to your Hebrew studies?

It may come in handy some day." Rabbi

Zwecker listened and ended up graduating

Hebrew school with honors. He learned

to read and write Hebrew in the process,

in addition to speaking it at home, which

would eventually aid him along his

journey.

A Budding Kabbalist In public high

school, ethnic pride was the watchword,

yet how could he be proud of his own

ethnicity if he knew so little about it? So he

began his search.

"I wasn't biased," he said. "I was

looking for answers about what life was

all about." In order to do that he turned to

unlikely sources the New Testament,

the Koran, and a wide assortment of

Eastern religions. One by one he found

holes in everything. The only place he

found any answers to his questions about

life was when he finally turned to books

about Kabbalah in English. There the

purpose of Creation and the world made

sense. "Kabbalah teaches that everything

we do is either rectifying or destroying

the world. I realized that by not keeping

Judaism, I was destroying the world." But

he soon came to the conclusion that he

didn't know enough about Judaism yet to

become a mekubal.

His father surprisingly agreed to enroll

him in evening classes at the local Young

Israel Chumash, Talmud, and Halachah

that were taught by yungeleit from the

nearby Shor Yoshuv Yeshiva, founded by

Rav Shlomo Friefeld, ztz"l. As he started

learning, he began to daven regularly

and to keep kosher. Keeping Shabbos,

however, was a major hurdle. "When

you keep Shabbos, you know how easy it

is," he said, "but when you first look at a

hilchos Shabbos book, it looks impossible!

There were numerous volumes of the most

intricate laws how would I ever manage

to keep them all?" He also realized that

keeping Shabbos would result in a major

confrontation with his parents.

Oceanside High School produced

dozens of baalei teshuvah due to the

dedicated efforts of the local NCSY

chapter. But Tal's parents wouldn't let

him attend the NCSY events because they

were afraid it would inspire him to become

totally religious. When he finally managed

to attend an event one Shabbos, he was so

impressed at how easy it really was to keep

Shabbos that he made a deal with Hashem

that he would become shomer Shabbos

by Rosh HaShanah. That year on Rosh

HaShanah, at age sixteen, he accepted the

yoke of mitzvos and made a commitment

to become totally frum. He said he never

remembers crying as much. "It was the

first time that I had ever come face-to-face

with the concept of a personal relationship

with G-d. I felt that I was speaking

personally to Him and taking Him up on

the great opportunity to do teshuvah that

He endowed us with."

Although he initially kept his Shabbos

observance hidden from his parents, it was

only a matter of time before they found

out what he was up to. At first they were

furious, and it actually took years to heal

the rift. "When a person becomes a baal

teshuvah," Rabbi Zwecker explains in

retrospect, "it's essential to love, respect,

and honor your parents and to keep them a

part of your life as much as possible. Today

they are proud of me in many ways, but it

wasn't easy to get to that place."

On his first observant Purim, a friend

took him to get a brachah from Rav

Avraham Pam, ztz"l. Rav Pam blessed him

that he should learn kol haTorah kulah.

That summer, Tal Moshe locked himself

in a room and learned through the entire

Maseches Brachos the first time he

had ever learned Gemara. He was already

seeing the siyata d'Shmaya in his learning

and he felt that Rav Pam's brachah was on

its way to fulfillment.

After graduating high school, the frum

community of Oceanside paid for Tal

Moshe to spend a year learning in yeshivah

in Eretz Yisrael. During this process, he

never lost his passion for mysticism or

the esoteric, but he soon realized that frum

people don't just become kabbalists. And

so he began delving into the teachings of

Chassidus whatever he could find in

English, which at the time was very little,

and he found a new passion. "Chassidus

basically takes the deep concepts of

Kabbalah and makes it practical for

everyday life so that anyone can relate to it,"

he explained. By the time he went to Israel

to learn at Yeshivas Kerem B'Yavneh, he

was already committed to a chassidic way

of life. "I realized that Chassidus is a living

philosophy. It's not just a cold system of

thoughts and ideas, it's a whole way of

life and I wanted to live that life." He now

needed to find a rebbe to teach him how to

be a chassid.

He used his time in Israel to visit as

many chassidic communities as he could

in search of a rebbe and his fluent Hebrew

allowed him to easily transverse language

barriers that most baalei teshuvah could

not. His first time visiting Toldos Aharon in

Meah Shearim during Succos, for example,

he was bombarded by tens of invitations

for Yom Tov seudos until two prospective

hosts actually fought over him until they

agreed to share him for the various seudos.

Being the guest, he was served first for

all of the courses and was given the best

sleeping spot in the succah. When the fish

was served, he politely waited for them to

bring out the silverware, until he realized

that their custom was to eat fish with their

bare hands. Not wanting to offend his

hosts, he joined in. Years later he learned

this custom dates back to early chassidic

teaching, and the belief that in the direct

and intimate handling of the food, the holy

sparks within are elevated; Rav Mordechai

of Nadvorna preferred to touch the holy

mikveh that day, rather than with a fork that

had only been toiveled once long ago.

Meeting the Rebbe When Reb

Tal Moshe's grandmother passed away,

he spent time with his cousins in Raanana.

They ended up missing the last Shacharis

minyan at the local shul and asked someone

if there was another minyan in the area.

"The only minyan at this hour is by the

Rebbe," someone told them. "There's a

rebbe in Raanana?" Rabbi Zwecker asked

in astonishment. He had spent numerous

Shabbosim in the chassidic enclaves

of Jerusalem and Bnai Brak, but never

thought that there was a chassidic rebbe

in the heart of secular Raanana that he

had visited so many times. After davening

in the beis medrash of the Clevelander

Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Isaac Rosenbaum,

shlita, the Rebbe invited Zwecker to come

back sometime to join him for Shabbos.

"When I heard the Rebbe's davening

and then saw him recite Kiddush in the

highly emotional and tearful Nadvorna

nusach, I felt that I was experiencing

firsthand the concept that one who says

Kiddush becomes a partner with Hashem

in Creation. Here was a tzaddik who had

partnered with Hashem and I wanted to be

connected and attach myself to him."

Rabbi Zwecker eventually became a

regular guest at the Rebbe's Shabbos table

and even spent several months living

in his home. During their time together,

Reb Tal Moshe took every opportunity to

learn with the Rebbe alone, both Gemara

and Chassidus, and to absorb the nuances

and customs of Chassidus in general and

Nadvorna Chassidus in particular. As their

relationship developed, the Clevelander

Rebbe saw that Reb Tal Moshe was serious

about becoming a chassid and told him

that if this was the path he wanted to take,

he would have to learn to dress and act

the part. This was a necessary ingredient

in order to eventually be able to integrate

into a normal chassidish community

especially when it comes to raising

chassidish children.

Only Yiddish Will Do After his

year in yeshivah in Israel was up, the

Rebbe sent Tal Moshe to his brother-inlaw,

the Sulitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel

Shmelke Rubin, in Far Rockaway, where

he remained for several years while

simultaneously learning in Yeshivas Shor

Yoshuv. Rabbi Zwecker spent so many

Shabbosim by the Sulitzer Rebbe that he

became a fixture in their house. After a

short time, the Rebbe told him that they

were no longer speaking "goyish" and

would converse exclusively in Yiddish

from then on. When Reb Tal Moshe

objected that he didn't know Yiddish, the

Rebbe's response was, "So learn!" Within

a short time of only conversing with the

Rebbe in broken Yiddish, he eventually

became completely fluent, making his total

immersion into chassidic life all the more

realistic. Although the change was drastic,

Rabbi Zwecker was so deeply committed

to the ideals of Chassidus that he simply

grabbed the ball and ran with it.

When he married his wife, a student of

Rav Moshe Weinberger of the Aish Kodesh

kehillah in Woodmere, the Zweckers made

aliyah to Beitar, eventually relocating to

Ramat Beit Shemesh, and began raising a

family in true chassidic fashion. He learned

in kollel for many years in the Clevelander

Rebbe's kollels in Beitar and Raanana, and

eventually received smichah Yoreh-Yoreh.

"Although I had been going through

the motions for some time, I realized that

I still didn't really know much about the

teachings of the chassidic masters," he said.

"I used to learn Chassidus on the parshah

like everyone does, but from that alone, I

was unable to glean a cohesive approach

to Yiddishkeit and life." When he asked his

Rebbe about it, the Rebbe told him that if

he really wanted to understand Chassidus,

he would have to start from the classics

Noam Elimelech, Siduro shel Shabbos,

Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Kedushas

Levi and learn them from beginning to

end. Although the first address for many

newcomers to Chassidus is Tanya and

Likutei Moharan, the Rebbe told him that

they required much more background

in order to learn them properly. Another

essential eitzah he received along the way

was from the son of the Spinka Rebbe,

currently the Krula Rebbe of Boro Park.

He suggested that Tal Moshe write his

own mafteiach an index of topics and

ideas on the inside cover of every text he

learned.

"Chassidus is a system. It requires

systematic study. Most of the seforim

weren't written by the rebbes themselves,

and some essential concepts are only

explained in depth once in the middle of

the sefer," Rabbi Zwecker explained. His

notes would eventually allow him to easily

cross-reference all of the main concepts in

Chassidus a tool that was essential when

writing his footnotes for Noam Elimelech.

Connecting to Reb Elimelech

As he seriously learned through Noam

Elimelech while taking notes, he realized

that he had the beginnings of a sefer on

his hands. "There aren't many English

translations of chassidic seforim out there.

I realized that there was a gap many

English-speaking baalei teshuvah are

drawn to the teachings of Chassidus, but

they have no way to access it. There I was,

a Hebrew and Yiddish speaker raising

a chassidish family and I didn't know

anything about the depths of chassidic

thought. So what was happening with

everyone else?"

Eventually he went to the Clevelander

Rebbe with the idea of publishing an

English translation of Noam Elimelech.

After receiving the Rebbe's brachah,

he bounced the idea off Rav Moshe

Weinberger in Woodmere. Rav Weinberger

was much more hesitant for fear that a

possible mistake in translation might elicit

harsh judgments.

"You have to speak to a mekubal who

knows these things," he said. He sent

him to Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter, rosh

yeshivah of the renowned Yeshivas Shaar

HaShamayim. But Rav Shechter was

also discouraging. "Noam Elimelech is

such a difficult sefer, why not start with

something easier?" When Rav Schechter

understood that the translation was only

going to include non-esoteric selections

from the original sefer, he gave his blessing

as well. "There's no better way to develop

a close relationship with a tzaddik than by

learning and publishing his sefer," he said.

"It brings great light into the world."

After putting up one advertisement

looking for donors, an overwhelming

influx of calls and e-mails from people

who were interested in the project began

pouring in. "I never believed the response

would be like that," he said. Today the

book is already in its third printing after

only two years. Shortly after the book

came out, he received a call from a chassid

in New York who has since hired him to

start working on an English translation of

Kedushas Levi, which will be coming out

shortly. He is also working on a second

volume of Noam Elimelech on the Yamim

Tovim as well as a collection of chassidic

teachings on Pirkei Avos.

All the seforim contain a mixture

of teachings and stories, which makes

them even more accessible. "People love

stories," he said. "There's no better way to

give over the philosophy of Chassidus than

through stories. A chassidic story has the

power to capture the heart and imagination

of people."

In All Your Ways In his famous

epistle written to his brother-in-law, the

Bal Shem Tov describes a vision he had in

which the Mashiach told him that he would arrive when the

teachings of Chassidus "will be disseminated and revealed in

the world, and your wellsprings will spread outward ..." Rabbi

Zwecker sees it as his personal mission to continue the Bal

Shem Tov's lofty goal of hastening the coming of the Mashiach:

"The Torah of the Bal Shem Tov is the Torah of Mashiach. It

emphasizes the deeper meaning of the Torah, ahavas Yisrael,

and finding goodness even in the darkest places in our lives.

The wellsprings of the Bal Shem Tov have to spread out to all

the Jews out there who are so far away, who need someone to

love them to ignite that pintele Yid."

"The Baal Shem Tov came to the world at a time when the

simple Jews were very estranged from avodas Hashem," he

explained. "He reminded them that Hashem loves their prayers

and their singing. He reminded people that eating, sleeping,

dancing, every breath, every story, every aspect of life is all

avodas Hashem." Although the chassidic courts of today

represent strongholds of mainstream Yiddishkeit, Chassidus

was once a kiruv movement that sought to help connect the

simple, brokenhearted Jews of Europe with their Creator.

"Today, people also feel estranged from Yiddishkeit

both secular Jews and the high number of kids 'off the

derech.' Chassidus teaches us that avodas Hashem is for

everyone. It doesn't expect everyone to be a tzaddik it

expects you to be an erliche Yid. You don't have to be a rosh

yeshivah or a gadol you have to be the best you that you

can be. Hashem loves you for who you are and for what only

you can contribute. If you're not doing that, then you're in

trouble."

Rabbi Zwecker emphasizes that if his own rebbeim

hadn't invested their precious time to teach and guide him

into the world of Chassidus, he wouldn't be able to share it

with others today. "I am just giving it back. I wasn't zocheh

to be a student of the Bal Shem Tov, or even to be born into

the tradition, but I've attached myself to it through those that

have a direct mesorah from the beginning."

Three Times Three

Noam and Dorit Sherman of Lod were unable to have children for many years

and finally decided to apply for adoption. Shortly before the adoption process was

complete, Noam was invited to join a group of Israelis traveling to kivrei tzaddikim

in Eastern Europe. He was the tenth man. At the kever of Reb Elimelech in Lizhensk,

Noam beseeched the Rebbe to intercede for them in Shamayim. "You will be our

advocate before Hashem! I came here to pray not for one, not for two but for

three," he said on behalf of his wife, himself, and the future child they so longed

for. Little did he know how providential those words would prove.

Shortly after the trip, the Shermans' sixth fertility treatment was successful and

the doctors announced that they were expecting triplets! Nonetheless, the doctors

warned that carrying triplets could be detrimental to the health of the babies

and strongly recommended aborting two of the fetuses through a process called

dilution. After receiving a brachah from Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, ztz"l, however, the

Shermans decided not to dilute. After nine months they were blessed with three

healthy baby boys.

Five years later, they underwent further treatment, and once more, found out

that they were expecting triplets! This time, the doctors unequivocally told them to

dilute, since the rate of survival of the fetuses was even smaller the second time.

Nonetheless, the Shermans were determined to continue and, once again, gave

birth to three more healthy children. Israel's Channel 2 covered the entire story.

Etti Algrisi, also of Lod, happened to turn on the news that night. The Algrisis had

recently undergone similar treatments and were also expecting triplets. Once again,

the doctors strongly recommended dilution. Although her traditional Sephardic

husband was adamantly against it, Etti had agreed to go ahead with the dilution

process, scheduled for Sunday. When she heard the Shermans' story she began

to have second thoughts. She looked the Shermans up and it turned out that the

two couples lived only a few minutes apart from each other in Lod. The Shermans

encouraged Etti to continue with the pregnancy. The next morning, Etti canceled

her hospital appointment and decided to put her trust in Hashem.

"I prayed to Hashem to give me the strength to deal with whatever needed to

happen," Etti said. The couples stayed in touch throughout the entire term. "Dorit

gave me the strength and faith to believe it was possible." A short time later, the

Algrisis gave birth to three healthy baby boys.

When Noam Sherman davened at the kever of Reb Elimelech, he had no idea

what his words, "I pray not for one, not for two, but for three," really meant

three times three!

REB ELIMELECH'S MOSSAD CONNECTION

Although the Mossad has not confirmed the following story, it has not denied

it either. As the story goes, in the 1960s, Israeli secret agents in Poland approached

the non-Jewish woman who possessed the key to the kever of Reb Elimelech in

Lizhensk. They offered her a large sum of money if she would give information on

any Russian or Polish soldiers who prayed at the grave. At some point, a high-ranking

Red Army officer came to daven at the kever. As soon as he left, the woman read his

kvittel and, through it, managed to get his name to the Israeli agents. The Mossad

set to work to convince this officer to provide Israel with Egyptian military secrets.

An anonymous source claims that this soldier was none other than dissident Yefim

Davidovitch, a colonel in the Russian Army who later became a famous refusnik,

instrumental in paving the way for the first wave of Russian aliyah. He managed to

get the Israelis detailed maps of Egyptian air force bases, which enabled the Israeli

Air Force to destroy over 330 Egyptian planes in the first hours of war thanks in

part to the Rebbe Reb Meilech. May his merit continue to protect us!

please share this with your followers

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:03:00 +0000

----- Original Message -----

From: Mike Fisher

I came up with this rabbi yahrzeit app for androids.

http://market.android.com/details?id=com.mb.yartzeitzmanim

In memory of Leiby Kletzky There are no words, only tears

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:55:00 +0000

When such a tragedy occurs I always say "VaYidom Aharon,"

The Torah says that when Aharon lost his two sons, he kept quiet -- "And Aharon was silent" [Vayikra 10:3].

Sometimes the tears themselves are the only words to say:

A young man came to see the Klausenberger Rebbe at the insistence of his friends. The young man had been a sincere, religious boy. He survived the nightmare of the concentration camps, but the rest of his family did not. Now he was bitter and angry. Gone were the tefillin and the tzitzis. Gone were the yarmulke and the seforim. He wanted nothing to do with anything religious.

"What happened to you?" his friends wanted to know when they met him after the war.

"I've had enough," he replied. "Hashem took the good and left only the pasoles [debris]. He took my whole family, everyone that was good, and He left only me. Well, I have had enough."

No amount of arguing or cajoling could budge him, until one fellow had a bright idea. "Go and see the Klausenberger Rebbe," he said. "At least, listen to what he has to say before you throw everything away."

The young man reluctantly agreed to see the Rebbe.

The Rebbe took one look at him and saw immediately what was going on with the young man. "What is in your heart?" he asked.

"Hashem took the good," the young man replied, "and left only the pasoles. He took my whole family and left only me."

The Rebbe looked at him, and his eyes filled with tears. "It's true," he said. "It is so true. Hashem took my wife and my 11 children. And He left only me. He took away the good, and He left the pasoles."

For the next 20 minutes, the Rebbe and the young man sat together and cried.

The young man did indeed come back to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Years later, he used to say, "If the Rebbe had given me one word of rebuke I would have walked out and never come back. But the Rebbe didn't rebuke me. The Rebbe cried with me."

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022 / eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list here: http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim
Noam Elimelech, Kedushas Levi, Pirkei Avos more!
Discuss Chassidus http://groups.google.com/group/torahchassidusdiscussion
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48
LinkedIn: http://il.linkedin.com/in/rabbitalmoshe

Shavous with the Heilige Berditchever ZYA

tal.zwecker@gmail.com (Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:48:00 +0000

Please enjoy samples from the upcoming MeOros Kedushas Levi on Shavous

Good Shabbos!

Once on the night of Shavous Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was sitting
together with his colleague and disciple the Koznitzer Maggid. The
Berditchever turned to the Kozhnitzer and said: "Whoever has refined eyes
will tomorrow be able to actually see the thunder and lightning which were
present during the episode of Matan Torah - when we were given the Torah by
Hashem on Mount Sinai!" "If so," replied the Kozhnitzer, "then we must make
sure to pray and pour out our hearts to Hashem that he heals our eyes so
that we can see this!"
(Kisvei Rav Yoshe #12 p.123)
Why is the festival of Shavous called by the name Atzeres?
I was asked in the country of Lithuania (this may have been when Rav Levi
Yitzchak served as the Rabbi of Pinsk) [the following question:]

Why is the festival of Shavous called by the name Atzeres?1 Since, we do not
find this name used in the Torah except to refer to Shemini Atzeres
(Bamidbar 29:35).2

I answered this question in three different ways:

The first way [I answered] is based on the simple meaning of the Torah known
as Peshat. We can see that on every festival there are two ways to serve the
Creator, the first is by the specific special mitzvah that is associated
with that festival: on Pesach by eating matzah etc. (On Succos by sitting in
the Succa and shaking the Lulav and four species.) The second way is
abstaining from forbidden forms of work. On Shavous this is not the case.
There is only one mitzvah, to abstain and cease all forms of work. (There is
no special biblical mitzvah associated with Shavous). Therefore this
festival is called Azteres - which means cessation or stopping (since we
cease and stop from doing work and that is its only mitzvah).

The second way [I answered this question] is that we can clearly recognize
that all the festivals are named after the occurrence which happened at that
time, and after the mitzvah which we fulfill then during all of these
holidays. (Pesach is named because Hashem passed over the Jewish houses, and
Sukkos because of the clouds of glory and huts and booths that Bnei Yisroel
sat in.) However this is not the case regarding Shavous (which means
literally weeks), it is not named after what occurred on that day, rather it
is named after the mitzvah of Sefirah (the mitzvah to count seven weeks).

We must try to understand why would this festival be named from a mitzvah
that preceded it? The answer is because it is like the [celebration of a]
siyum or end of a mitzvah. As our sages said (Shabbos 118b) Abbaye said when
I see a young Torah scholar who has completed a Talmudic tractate I make a
holiday festival for all the rabbis.

And just like at the festive siyum when a Talmudic tractate is completed
there is great happiness and rejoicing and we make great festive meals (Shir
haShirim Rabbah 1:9; Koheles Rabbah 1:1) and we see this occur by great men
and Torah scholars.

We should really ask why are they rejoicing? The mitzvah has already ended
and passed, however the truth is that this a correct custom as Rashi
explained (VaYikra 23:36) regarding Shemini Atzeres that we say to Hashem
"Your departure is difficult for me," to what can this be compared? To a
dignitary who invited the king and all his ministers for a grand festive
meal, after the meal ended when the king prepared to depart and leave to
journey home the dignitary turned to the king and said, your departure is
difficult for me," please stop and halt your journey and remain here with me
so that we need not take leave of each other. This is similar to what we are
doing here, this is why the festival is known as Shemini "Atzeres" since
each day of the festival they sacrifices several bullocks and rams and we
make the festival of Shemini Atzeres in order to hold back another day and
make an additional simcha - an additional day for rejoicing. This is the
same reason for why we rejoice at the conclusion of finishing a Talmudic
tractate. This is the same reason for Shavous we celebrate on this festival
the siyum, the completion of the counting of the mitzvah of Sefiras
[HaOmer], with which the blessed Creator blessed us and therefore it is
known as Atzeres.

The third way [I answered this question], is based on the Ramban's (Sefer
HaEmunah VeHabitachon Chapter 19) explanation and commentary on the verse
(Shir HaShirim 8:4) "To awaken the love till it is desired - Ad SheTachpotz"
and he explained that when a person receives an awakening of fear, awe and
love for the blessed Creator then he must see to it to immediately create a
vessel to hold and contain those feelings. That is he should do a mitzvah
such as giving charity or to sit and learn and do similar things. For it is
known that when an awakening comes to a person suddenly this is a great
light sent as shefa on him from above. It has an aspect of the soul which
[is naked and] must be robed and clothed in a body in order to strengthen
her and establish her which is known to those who understand these things.
This is the meaning of the verse "awakening the love till it is desired - Ad
Shetechpatz," this refers to an awakening of love from on high which a
person receives, he needs immediately to place it in some vessel, read this
as until it is placed into a vessel - Ad Shetechpatz - like Chefetz a
vessel. This is the Ramban's explanation in my own words.

At the time of the giving of the Torah surely the Jewish people experienced
a great awakening however as of yet they had no mitzvos to use as a vessel
with which to hold and capture this feeling. I am therefore forced to say
that the one mitzvah they had to use as such a vessel was the commandment of
Hagbalah - where Moshe warned them to refrain from drawing near nor touching
the mountain (Shemos 19:12). They stopped themselves and halted from
touching the mountain and using this mitzvah they created a vessel to hold
and contain that feeling of awakening. Since they held themselves back and
stopped this festival is called Atzeres [which means to stop or refrain].

Notes:
Shavous is called Atzeres by Chazal in many places such as Mishna Sheviis
1:1; Bikkurim 1:3, 1:6; and in the Talmud tractates Rosh HaShannah 16a,
Chagigah 17a. Other answers to this question that the Kedushas Levi was
asked may be found in Birkei Yosef (O.C. Siman 494) and in Pesach Eynaim (by
the same author in section Sheviis) in the name of the Midrash Pesikta
Zutrasa that the Targum of Onkelos translates "your Shavous" as "Be'atzrosaychon"
(Bamidbar 28:26). The Chizkuni there in Bamidbar and Tosfos on the verse
23:27 in VaYikra also claim that the Targum's rendition is Chazal's source
for calling Shavous by the name Atzeres. Tosfos there adds another possible
explanation that since they separated from their wives it is called Atzeres.
The Sforno VaYikra 23:36 explains that Shavous is called Atzeres because on
that day they all stopped everything else to serve Hashem and receive the
Torah.
See also Ramban's commentary to VaYikra 23:36 where he explains that based
on Kabbalah Pesach and the intermediary forty nine days of Sefirah till the
festival of Shavous correspond to Succos and it's intermediary days which
culminate in Shemini Atzeres. So that Pesach corresponds to Succos, the
intermediary days known as Chol HaMoed correspond to the forty nine days of
Sefirah which the Ramban says are like Chol HaMoed and Shemini Atzeres
corresponds to Shavous, which is why, says the Ramban our rabbis called
Shavous by the name Atzeres.

Anecdote
Matan Torah vs. Kabalas HaTorah

The Berditchever once explained that, "Z'man Matan Toarseinu - the time of
the giving of the Torah was a historical past event that occurred when G-d
gave the Jewish people the Torah at Mount Sinai."

"However Kabalas HaTorah - that is the acceptance of the Torah is a
contemporary phenomenon. It is a timeless event which can take place within
the heart of any Jew at any time."

The Berditchever also said that while during Matan Torah the entire Torah
was given all at once, each person's personal Kabbalas Ha'Torah is a
personal process tailored based on each Jew's individual intellectual
capacity and at their own pace.

(Fun Unzer Geistiger Charifis II p103; Fun Torah Otzar p149)

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
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