by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
The color of the fog,
The odor of the sea
Are filled with unnamed things
And swift felicity.
The windows of the sky
Admit the wrinkled moon
To spill light on the Alps
And on an unnamed dune
That rolls up in the evening
And sifts away at dawn.
An airplane in the jet stream
Dissolves, a breath withdrawn.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Stories of the Rebbe of Neschiz
Matters of Faith
6. One time, the holy rabbi of Sasnivitz came to the Neschizer rebbe, as I—the writer— was standing at the bottom of the house.
Someone from the town was seriously ill. His wife came, stood behind the window, and cried out to the rebbe to pray for him.
The rebbe then told the Sasnivitzer that one time two great tzaddikim were staying together. (Writer: because of woman’s outcries, I could not hear who these tzaddikim were.)
They received a request for help from a woman who was experiencing a difficult childbirth, and they urged each other to help her. Finally, the greater of the two took his kerchief, spread it out like a curtain, looked into it, and said, “Congratulations—she has given birth.” And so it was.
The other tzaddik asked him, “What did you see in the kerchief?”
He answered him, “I did this so that the onlookers would have simple faith, for if I would have spoken in some other way, everyone would have thought, ‘How does the tzaddik know?’ But now there is nothing here that can be understood. And that is the essence of faith: that the believer should know that he has no grasp of the matter and cannot study and investigate it.”
With that, the Neschizer rebbe sent me to visit the sick man—who, after a few days, returned to his health.
Writer: the rebbe demonstrated how the tzaddik had spread out the kerchief and looked at it.
Matters of Clinging to the Divine
1. Tuesday night, rosh chodesh Av 5624 (1864), the parshah of Devarim.
As the holy tzaddik, R. Yehoshua of Sasnivitz (of blessed memory), was sitting before the Neschizer rebbe, the rebbe told the following story about his great father, Moharam (of blessed memory). (And he told the same story on Sunday on the week of the parshah of Balak 5627 [1867].)
One time, Father was lying in bed in the morning before prayers, because he was weak.
Many visitors came to him with various requests to pray on their behalf, and he answered each person in accordance with his concerns and business.
A regular visitor to the house, R. Chaim Leib, who was an intelligent man, stood quiet but obviously wondering. After all of the visitors had left, Father asked him “Why are you standing there wondering?” But he remained silent. So he asked him a few times, “What are you thinking?”
He answered, “I am surprised that even though the rebbe is involved in the upper worlds, he can reply to each individual about his affairs.”
Father answered him, “Know that despite this I did not stop clinging to God. When you recite prayers such as ‘Hear our voice’ and “He Who hears prayer’ you say the words but your thoughts wander; so why should you be surprised if a person can think about the upper worlds and speak words of this world?”
Afterwards, in 5624 (1863-64) the rebbe showed the Sasnivitzer rebbe a passage in the book, Sefer Chareidim, which quotes the Ramban on the topic of constantly clinging to God (in positive commandment 81, section 10; this is cited in Toldot Yitzchak, Nasso.)
And in 5627 (1866-67), when the rebbe finished [writing] this [work] [?], he taught the teaching printed there in the Likutim section on Tanach (Isaiah 55:8) on the verse “My thoughts are not your thoughts,” etc.
2. Tuesday night, parshah of Pekudei, 5627.
The holy tzaddik, R. Y.L. of Parisov, came to sit before the Neschizer rebbe, of blessed memory.
Before the holy tzaddik went home, the [Neschizer] rebbe told him the teaching printed in [his] Likutei Shas (Eiruvin 64) regarding the statement of the sages that “a person should not take leave of his comrade….”
He also told him that when the holy Lubliner rebbe was a student of the holy tzaddik, the rebbe R. Shmelke, R. Shmelke requested that when he is engaged in deep study of halachah and Tosafot, and that leads him to allow his mind to drift away from clinging to God, the Lubliner should remind him by gently shaking R. Shmelke’s sleeves.
The Lubliner said that he never had to do this, for he saw that the holy R. Shmelke was never distracted from clinging to God, heaven forbid, including the time that he was learning.
One time the Lubliner saw that R. Shmelke was deeply immersed in his learning, and he was afraid that he had been distracted from his clinging to God. He wanted to shake his sleeves as the R. Shmelke had told him, but meanwhile R. Shmelke turned to him and told him, “My son, my son, I myself remembered.”
(The writer states in regard to the teaching, “one should take leave only in the midst of words of halachah,” that the rebbe said--in brief--that the letters of the word halachah can be rearranged to form the letters hakalah—the bride. And he mentioned the 24 adornments of the bride. But for my sins I did not merit to hear and recall this.)
On The Topics Of Eating, Sleep, Dreams And Healing
1. Monday night, the parshah of Devarim 5627.
The rebbe told about the holy tzaddik R. Chaim Krasner (a teaching of whose is printed in his name in this book, in the parshah of V’etchanan (3.27) on the verse, “Go up to the head of the peak”).
He was a student of the Baal Shem Tov and afterwards of the maggid of Mezritch. (After the Baal Shem Tov passed away, all of his students became students of the Maggid of Mezritch, because when the Maggid of Mezritch came to the Baal Shem Tov, he said, “A container filled with candles has come before me, and it is only necessary to light them.”)
R. Chaim Krasner lived in the days of the holy tzaddik, R. Nachum of Chernobyl.
The tzaddik, R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, at first did not eat any meat, not even chicken, and not even on the Sabbath. R. Chaim Krasner argued with him about this. He said, “For whom were these foods created? Is it only so that gentiles will eat them?” After that, the tzaddik of Berditchev would eat chicken even on weekdays.
2. At the Sabbath morning meal, on the parshah of Bechukotai 5627, the leaders of the generation were together with the rebbe. The rebbe told them in the name of the Karliner that in a person’s heart there can come into being the feeling that a bone is growing. And he is healed by eating onions at the holy Sabbath meal.
3. The Neschizer rebbe also said at that time that since the early authorities speak of the obligation to eat hot food on the Sabbath, and if one does not, then “one must fear lest…,” heaven forbid, the implication is that this obligation to eat hot food causes healing.
4. The Neschizer rebbe also spoke at that time regarding fish that are commonly eaten here (i.e., in his town of Neschiz) on the holy Sabbath.
He stated that the Baal Shem Tov had said that he had been given a choice from heaven as to whether to live in Nemirov, Mezibozh, or a third town. He chose Mezhibozh, since fish are common there and he could acquire them easily for the holy Sabbath.
5. On Wednesday night of the parshah of Teitzei 5627, the Neschizer gave a reason for sleep in the name of the Baal Shem Tov.
In the kabbalistic writings in the name of the Ari, we learn supernal reasons for sleep: that sleep is on the level of small consciousness, with the purpose of rising to expanded consciousness.
The Baal Shem Tov said that this may be compared to a king who had an only son who was very precious to him, whom he sent to war. He asked his son to send home all of the spoils that God awarded him little by little.
His son asked him, “Would it not show greater respect to bring everything at once?”
But his father answered him, “I am afraid that the enemy might overcome you and take it all from you, heaven forbid. Therefore, save it little by little.”
And the meaning is clear.
When a person’s soul engages every day in Torah and performs God’s commandments and good deeds, he must be concerned that his evil inclination will gain in strength and ruin everything, heaven forbid. (The rebbe repeated these words a number of times and praised them, saying that in truth a person must be concerned about this). Therefore, sleep was given, so that the soul rises up and hides these in a well-guarded storehouse.
The rebbe concluded that on the night before the giving of the Torah the Jews slept until God Himself came and woke them, as we learn in the Midrash. The reason that they went to sleep was that they were greatly inspired and prepared for the giving of the Torah, and they were afraid that this [inspiration] might be taken away from them, heaven forbid. And so they hid it in a heavenly storehouse by means of going to sleep.
from Sefer Zichron Tov
6. One time, the holy rabbi of Sasnivitz came to the Neschizer rebbe, as I—the writer— was standing at the bottom of the house.
Someone from the town was seriously ill. His wife came, stood behind the window, and cried out to the rebbe to pray for him.
The rebbe then told the Sasnivitzer that one time two great tzaddikim were staying together. (Writer: because of woman’s outcries, I could not hear who these tzaddikim were.)
They received a request for help from a woman who was experiencing a difficult childbirth, and they urged each other to help her. Finally, the greater of the two took his kerchief, spread it out like a curtain, looked into it, and said, “Congratulations—she has given birth.” And so it was.
The other tzaddik asked him, “What did you see in the kerchief?”
He answered him, “I did this so that the onlookers would have simple faith, for if I would have spoken in some other way, everyone would have thought, ‘How does the tzaddik know?’ But now there is nothing here that can be understood. And that is the essence of faith: that the believer should know that he has no grasp of the matter and cannot study and investigate it.”
With that, the Neschizer rebbe sent me to visit the sick man—who, after a few days, returned to his health.
Writer: the rebbe demonstrated how the tzaddik had spread out the kerchief and looked at it.
Matters of Clinging to the Divine
1. Tuesday night, rosh chodesh Av 5624 (1864), the parshah of Devarim.
As the holy tzaddik, R. Yehoshua of Sasnivitz (of blessed memory), was sitting before the Neschizer rebbe, the rebbe told the following story about his great father, Moharam (of blessed memory). (And he told the same story on Sunday on the week of the parshah of Balak 5627 [1867].)
One time, Father was lying in bed in the morning before prayers, because he was weak.
Many visitors came to him with various requests to pray on their behalf, and he answered each person in accordance with his concerns and business.
A regular visitor to the house, R. Chaim Leib, who was an intelligent man, stood quiet but obviously wondering. After all of the visitors had left, Father asked him “Why are you standing there wondering?” But he remained silent. So he asked him a few times, “What are you thinking?”
He answered, “I am surprised that even though the rebbe is involved in the upper worlds, he can reply to each individual about his affairs.”
Father answered him, “Know that despite this I did not stop clinging to God. When you recite prayers such as ‘Hear our voice’ and “He Who hears prayer’ you say the words but your thoughts wander; so why should you be surprised if a person can think about the upper worlds and speak words of this world?”
Afterwards, in 5624 (1863-64) the rebbe showed the Sasnivitzer rebbe a passage in the book, Sefer Chareidim, which quotes the Ramban on the topic of constantly clinging to God (in positive commandment 81, section 10; this is cited in Toldot Yitzchak, Nasso.)
And in 5627 (1866-67), when the rebbe finished [writing] this [work] [?], he taught the teaching printed there in the Likutim section on Tanach (Isaiah 55:8) on the verse “My thoughts are not your thoughts,” etc.
2. Tuesday night, parshah of Pekudei, 5627.
The holy tzaddik, R. Y.L. of Parisov, came to sit before the Neschizer rebbe, of blessed memory.
Before the holy tzaddik went home, the [Neschizer] rebbe told him the teaching printed in [his] Likutei Shas (Eiruvin 64) regarding the statement of the sages that “a person should not take leave of his comrade….”
He also told him that when the holy Lubliner rebbe was a student of the holy tzaddik, the rebbe R. Shmelke, R. Shmelke requested that when he is engaged in deep study of halachah and Tosafot, and that leads him to allow his mind to drift away from clinging to God, the Lubliner should remind him by gently shaking R. Shmelke’s sleeves.
The Lubliner said that he never had to do this, for he saw that the holy R. Shmelke was never distracted from clinging to God, heaven forbid, including the time that he was learning.
One time the Lubliner saw that R. Shmelke was deeply immersed in his learning, and he was afraid that he had been distracted from his clinging to God. He wanted to shake his sleeves as the R. Shmelke had told him, but meanwhile R. Shmelke turned to him and told him, “My son, my son, I myself remembered.”
(The writer states in regard to the teaching, “one should take leave only in the midst of words of halachah,” that the rebbe said--in brief--that the letters of the word halachah can be rearranged to form the letters hakalah—the bride. And he mentioned the 24 adornments of the bride. But for my sins I did not merit to hear and recall this.)
On The Topics Of Eating, Sleep, Dreams And Healing
1. Monday night, the parshah of Devarim 5627.
The rebbe told about the holy tzaddik R. Chaim Krasner (a teaching of whose is printed in his name in this book, in the parshah of V’etchanan (3.27) on the verse, “Go up to the head of the peak”).
He was a student of the Baal Shem Tov and afterwards of the maggid of Mezritch. (After the Baal Shem Tov passed away, all of his students became students of the Maggid of Mezritch, because when the Maggid of Mezritch came to the Baal Shem Tov, he said, “A container filled with candles has come before me, and it is only necessary to light them.”)
R. Chaim Krasner lived in the days of the holy tzaddik, R. Nachum of Chernobyl.
The tzaddik, R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, at first did not eat any meat, not even chicken, and not even on the Sabbath. R. Chaim Krasner argued with him about this. He said, “For whom were these foods created? Is it only so that gentiles will eat them?” After that, the tzaddik of Berditchev would eat chicken even on weekdays.
2. At the Sabbath morning meal, on the parshah of Bechukotai 5627, the leaders of the generation were together with the rebbe. The rebbe told them in the name of the Karliner that in a person’s heart there can come into being the feeling that a bone is growing. And he is healed by eating onions at the holy Sabbath meal.
3. The Neschizer rebbe also said at that time that since the early authorities speak of the obligation to eat hot food on the Sabbath, and if one does not, then “one must fear lest…,” heaven forbid, the implication is that this obligation to eat hot food causes healing.
4. The Neschizer rebbe also spoke at that time regarding fish that are commonly eaten here (i.e., in his town of Neschiz) on the holy Sabbath.
He stated that the Baal Shem Tov had said that he had been given a choice from heaven as to whether to live in Nemirov, Mezibozh, or a third town. He chose Mezhibozh, since fish are common there and he could acquire them easily for the holy Sabbath.
5. On Wednesday night of the parshah of Teitzei 5627, the Neschizer gave a reason for sleep in the name of the Baal Shem Tov.
In the kabbalistic writings in the name of the Ari, we learn supernal reasons for sleep: that sleep is on the level of small consciousness, with the purpose of rising to expanded consciousness.
The Baal Shem Tov said that this may be compared to a king who had an only son who was very precious to him, whom he sent to war. He asked his son to send home all of the spoils that God awarded him little by little.
His son asked him, “Would it not show greater respect to bring everything at once?”
But his father answered him, “I am afraid that the enemy might overcome you and take it all from you, heaven forbid. Therefore, save it little by little.”
And the meaning is clear.
When a person’s soul engages every day in Torah and performs God’s commandments and good deeds, he must be concerned that his evil inclination will gain in strength and ruin everything, heaven forbid. (The rebbe repeated these words a number of times and praised them, saying that in truth a person must be concerned about this). Therefore, sleep was given, so that the soul rises up and hides these in a well-guarded storehouse.
The rebbe concluded that on the night before the giving of the Torah the Jews slept until God Himself came and woke them, as we learn in the Midrash. The reason that they went to sleep was that they were greatly inspired and prepared for the giving of the Torah, and they were afraid that this [inspiration] might be taken away from them, heaven forbid. And so they hid it in a heavenly storehouse by means of going to sleep.
from Sefer Zichron Tov
Idolatrous, Christian and Moslem Conceptions of the Divine
by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
Idolatrous worshippers have envisaged Divinity in degraded ways, which a person’s free spirit transcends. Therefore, they will eventually cease to exist: “and the idols will entirely pass away” (Isaiah 2:18).
The Christians have envisaged [Divinity] as being lowered to [the level of] human perfection. When mankind rises beyond anything which the image of human perfection can reach, this degraded impression of the image of Divinity will be erased.
The Moslems have found no specific passage to the essence of Divine images that can be integrated into a religious framework. Therefore they have had to invoke for everything the authority of their prophet and bring faith in him into their every religious aspect. When the world rises beyond the ideals that can be envisaged in their prophet, that religious power will be uprooted from its foundation.
There is no nation in the world upon whose essence the Divine concept rests except for the Congregation of Israel, whose desire, yearning and goal--which brings about its existence--is the most mighty desire, the most enlightened and the most elevated, forever and ever.
Therefore, the name of Hashem is connected to it “like a chain of a palace key” (Yerushalmi Taanit 2:6).
And just as His name exists forever and forever but grows greater and more sanctified from generation to generation, so too Israel rises forever (Midrash Tehillim 88:6) and never descends. “Do not fear, My servant Jacob, and do not be frightened, Israel. I will make an end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make an end of you; [even though] I will punish you in measure, I will not destroy you” (Jeremiah 46:28).
Pinkas Rishon L’Yaffo, #115
Idolatrous worshippers have envisaged Divinity in degraded ways, which a person’s free spirit transcends. Therefore, they will eventually cease to exist: “and the idols will entirely pass away” (Isaiah 2:18).
The Christians have envisaged [Divinity] as being lowered to [the level of] human perfection. When mankind rises beyond anything which the image of human perfection can reach, this degraded impression of the image of Divinity will be erased.
The Moslems have found no specific passage to the essence of Divine images that can be integrated into a religious framework. Therefore they have had to invoke for everything the authority of their prophet and bring faith in him into their every religious aspect. When the world rises beyond the ideals that can be envisaged in their prophet, that religious power will be uprooted from its foundation.
There is no nation in the world upon whose essence the Divine concept rests except for the Congregation of Israel, whose desire, yearning and goal--which brings about its existence--is the most mighty desire, the most enlightened and the most elevated, forever and ever.
Therefore, the name of Hashem is connected to it “like a chain of a palace key” (Yerushalmi Taanit 2:6).
And just as His name exists forever and forever but grows greater and more sanctified from generation to generation, so too Israel rises forever (Midrash Tehillim 88:6) and never descends. “Do not fear, My servant Jacob, and do not be frightened, Israel. I will make an end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make an end of you; [even though] I will punish you in measure, I will not destroy you” (Jeremiah 46:28).
Pinkas Rishon L’Yaffo, #115
Friday, July 24, 2009
The Turtle-Head is Sinking in the West
by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
The turtle-head is sinking in the West.
I watch the falcon, eagle and the kite,
The faint footpaths whose courses have been blessed,
The secret soul that only speaks at night,
The bride whose feet leave crimson drops of blood,
The rows of houses, long across the hill,
The radio signals, tumbling in a Flood,
Geraniums upon the window sill.
The praying mantis crouches in the wind,
The wheat fields bow their prayerful, golden heads.
The silver moon is keening that it sinned,
And startled children tumble into beds.
And oh good morning, mystery of streets,
Of treasures underneath the sycamores.
The papers land with news of new defeats
And hidden chambers open their green doors.
The turtle-head is sinking in the West.
I watch the falcon, eagle and the kite,
The faint footpaths whose courses have been blessed,
The secret soul that only speaks at night,
The bride whose feet leave crimson drops of blood,
The rows of houses, long across the hill,
The radio signals, tumbling in a Flood,
Geraniums upon the window sill.
The praying mantis crouches in the wind,
The wheat fields bow their prayerful, golden heads.
The silver moon is keening that it sinned,
And startled children tumble into beds.
And oh good morning, mystery of streets,
Of treasures underneath the sycamores.
The papers land with news of new defeats
And hidden chambers open their green doors.
Matters of Faith—Stories About the Neschizer Rebbe and His Father, the Moharam
1. Tuesday Night, Tavo, 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that his father, the Moharam, was at first involved in business matters. On every business trip he would earn some money, until he saved enough for an etrog.
One time, he saved six rubles for this purpose. He went to buy an etrog in Brode—he was still living in the city of Leshnov—and he met a water-drawer who carried water with the help of a horse. His horse had died, and he was weeping and groaning.
The Moharam asked him, “Why are you crying?”
When the man told him what had happened, the rebbe stood and gave him the six rubles with which to buy another horse.
The Moharam said, “What’s the difference? The etrog is a mitzvah from Hashem and this too is a mitzvah from Hashem.”
The writer states: I heard that he said lightly, “Everyone makes a blessing on an etrog, and I will make a blessing on a horse.”
But in the end he was brought a very beautiful etrog.
2. The Neschizer rebbe told that his father, the Moharam, said that his offspring would be present at the time of the coming of the redeemer. May he come quickly, in our days.
3. This took place in the summer of 5627 (1866-67) on a Wednesday night, I do not remember the parshah, for I forgot at the time to make a note of it.
The Neschizer rebbe told that the holy R. Yitzchak of Lebovna (of blessed memory) would at first travel to the holy R. Shlomo Karliner.
He was wealthy, but afterwards he lost his money.
He came to the rebbe’s father, the Moharam, and he stood there greatly troubled.
The Moharam asked him, “Why are you so troubled over the loss of money? We can interpret the verse, ‘I will demand your blood for your life from the hand of every living thing’ to mean, ‘So that you may demand of God and pray on behalf of Jewish souls, God will cause all living creatures to bring you your money.”
The writer states: It is known that afterwards many people traveled to the holy R. Yitzchak of Lebovna, and he made a respectable income.
4. The Neschizer rebbe stated told that in Apta there was a rabbi, a great tzaddik before the holy Rayah was there.
This rabbi once stated that he promised bread and borsht without any toil and effort to all who learn Torah.
One person who was a clay digger heard this and believed it. He went home and climbed onto his large oven and sat and recited Psalms, and he did not want to go to his work.
His wife could not persuade him. He did not reveal his reasons to her, and she thought that he had gone mad, heaven forbid.
In he meantime, in order to earn something for the day’s expenses, she sent another man with her husband’s wagon to dig clay, as his partner. And as this man dug, he found a treasure of money and put it on the wagon. But before he got ready to set off with the wagon, the horse ran off with the wagon to the house of its owner, and they discovered the blanket covering the wagon, and saw the treasure. They divided it in half with the digger, and he was very wealthy for the rest of his life.
5. The writer states: I heard a very wondrous thing from a person whom I find to be trustworthy. And I will write it in brief.
Once the Neschizer rebbe was in the city of Vladavke.
At night, he lay in bed, And a few people stood around him.
He told that in the city of Apta there had been a great tzaddik. And in his days there was a man who was learned, wise and handsome, and a merchant in the aristocratic courts.
One time he went to do business in a certain court, and the woman in charge, who was unmarried, she controlled the city of Apta. She gained control of the merchant, heaven have mercy, until in the end he converted, heaven have mercy, and he married the woman. He was very harsh to the people of the city, and he would always state that he wished to return to his religion, [which would incense the anti-Semites]. And in this way he caused many problems for a number of people.
One night as the rabbi was sitting and learning for a few hours, this merchant came and knocked at his door. The rabbi opened it for him, and the merchant told him, “Rabbi, I want to repent.” But the rabbi expelled him because he was afraid of being arrested and falsely charged.
And this happened a few nights.
One time the rabbi grew angry at the merchant when he came to him at night. He raised his stick and said to him, “Go out, or I will beat you with my stick.”
He thrust the stick into the ground and he declared, “Just as this stick will never blossom and give fruit, so will you never repent!” And the merchant left in despair.
The rabbi returned to his learning. But he turned and saw something amazing: for the stick had blossomed and produced fruit. He was astonished, and so with the power of his thought he drew the merchant back to him. And so the merchant came, and the rabbi told him what had happened, and he taught him how to repent.
The merchant sighed heavily and said that he has children with her, but the rabbi told him, “Act on your own behalf.”
So the merchant gathered much money from the property and fled. And as for the children, they died.
[Translator’s note: although this part of the story seems heartless, it may be more acceptable when we consider the highly-polarized, anti-Semitic nature of the environment of those days.]
The Neschizer rebbe concluded by stating a few times that in earlier generations there were tzaddikim who could bring such things about. But now have we ever heard of such a thing? Yet he concluded, “But it is possible.”
Writer’s comment: That is to say, he is not sure, and perhaps today someone could do such a thing.
He said that a few times.
And in the morning the news went about of a local person who fled such a
situation. As for the end of that story, we do not know it, for nothing more has been heard of that man to this day.
from Zichron Tov
The Neschizer rebbe told that his father, the Moharam, was at first involved in business matters. On every business trip he would earn some money, until he saved enough for an etrog.
One time, he saved six rubles for this purpose. He went to buy an etrog in Brode—he was still living in the city of Leshnov—and he met a water-drawer who carried water with the help of a horse. His horse had died, and he was weeping and groaning.
The Moharam asked him, “Why are you crying?”
When the man told him what had happened, the rebbe stood and gave him the six rubles with which to buy another horse.
The Moharam said, “What’s the difference? The etrog is a mitzvah from Hashem and this too is a mitzvah from Hashem.”
The writer states: I heard that he said lightly, “Everyone makes a blessing on an etrog, and I will make a blessing on a horse.”
But in the end he was brought a very beautiful etrog.
2. The Neschizer rebbe told that his father, the Moharam, said that his offspring would be present at the time of the coming of the redeemer. May he come quickly, in our days.
3. This took place in the summer of 5627 (1866-67) on a Wednesday night, I do not remember the parshah, for I forgot at the time to make a note of it.
The Neschizer rebbe told that the holy R. Yitzchak of Lebovna (of blessed memory) would at first travel to the holy R. Shlomo Karliner.
He was wealthy, but afterwards he lost his money.
He came to the rebbe’s father, the Moharam, and he stood there greatly troubled.
The Moharam asked him, “Why are you so troubled over the loss of money? We can interpret the verse, ‘I will demand your blood for your life from the hand of every living thing’ to mean, ‘So that you may demand of God and pray on behalf of Jewish souls, God will cause all living creatures to bring you your money.”
The writer states: It is known that afterwards many people traveled to the holy R. Yitzchak of Lebovna, and he made a respectable income.
4. The Neschizer rebbe stated told that in Apta there was a rabbi, a great tzaddik before the holy Rayah was there.
This rabbi once stated that he promised bread and borsht without any toil and effort to all who learn Torah.
One person who was a clay digger heard this and believed it. He went home and climbed onto his large oven and sat and recited Psalms, and he did not want to go to his work.
His wife could not persuade him. He did not reveal his reasons to her, and she thought that he had gone mad, heaven forbid.
In he meantime, in order to earn something for the day’s expenses, she sent another man with her husband’s wagon to dig clay, as his partner. And as this man dug, he found a treasure of money and put it on the wagon. But before he got ready to set off with the wagon, the horse ran off with the wagon to the house of its owner, and they discovered the blanket covering the wagon, and saw the treasure. They divided it in half with the digger, and he was very wealthy for the rest of his life.
5. The writer states: I heard a very wondrous thing from a person whom I find to be trustworthy. And I will write it in brief.
Once the Neschizer rebbe was in the city of Vladavke.
At night, he lay in bed, And a few people stood around him.
He told that in the city of Apta there had been a great tzaddik. And in his days there was a man who was learned, wise and handsome, and a merchant in the aristocratic courts.
One time he went to do business in a certain court, and the woman in charge, who was unmarried, she controlled the city of Apta. She gained control of the merchant, heaven have mercy, until in the end he converted, heaven have mercy, and he married the woman. He was very harsh to the people of the city, and he would always state that he wished to return to his religion, [which would incense the anti-Semites]. And in this way he caused many problems for a number of people.
One night as the rabbi was sitting and learning for a few hours, this merchant came and knocked at his door. The rabbi opened it for him, and the merchant told him, “Rabbi, I want to repent.” But the rabbi expelled him because he was afraid of being arrested and falsely charged.
And this happened a few nights.
One time the rabbi grew angry at the merchant when he came to him at night. He raised his stick and said to him, “Go out, or I will beat you with my stick.”
He thrust the stick into the ground and he declared, “Just as this stick will never blossom and give fruit, so will you never repent!” And the merchant left in despair.
The rabbi returned to his learning. But he turned and saw something amazing: for the stick had blossomed and produced fruit. He was astonished, and so with the power of his thought he drew the merchant back to him. And so the merchant came, and the rabbi told him what had happened, and he taught him how to repent.
The merchant sighed heavily and said that he has children with her, but the rabbi told him, “Act on your own behalf.”
So the merchant gathered much money from the property and fled. And as for the children, they died.
[Translator’s note: although this part of the story seems heartless, it may be more acceptable when we consider the highly-polarized, anti-Semitic nature of the environment of those days.]
The Neschizer rebbe concluded by stating a few times that in earlier generations there were tzaddikim who could bring such things about. But now have we ever heard of such a thing? Yet he concluded, “But it is possible.”
Writer’s comment: That is to say, he is not sure, and perhaps today someone could do such a thing.
He said that a few times.
And in the morning the news went about of a local person who fled such a
situation. As for the end of that story, we do not know it, for nothing more has been heard of that man to this day.
from Zichron Tov
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Our Thirst for Divine Light
by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
When a person comes to purify himself, he can clearly sense the iron wall separating him from his Maker. He thirsts for the Divine light and sees that he is far from it. Moreover, he suffers in his spirit for the fact that his thirst is not a genuine thirst. He wishes to feel the pain of the thirst, to feel in his spirit this true preciousness that he is yearning for to the point of his soul perishing. But to his heart’s dismay, he does not feel that within himself. He wanders like a shadow, suspecting himself of falsehood and self-deceit.
But if he is truly strong, pure in heart and straight upon the path, his steps will not totter. He will do what he must: he will improve his actions, rectify his ways, purify his traits, increase learning and study, arouse feeling by means of the service of the heart, by means of prayer and praise, by means of song and melody, by means of the companionship of good, straight people, by means of dwelling permanently in the Holy Land, by means of constantly speaking in the Holy Tongue--until the light of Hashem will shine upon him, and he will have relief.
Pinkas 81 Piskaot (Jaffa), #72
When a person comes to purify himself, he can clearly sense the iron wall separating him from his Maker. He thirsts for the Divine light and sees that he is far from it. Moreover, he suffers in his spirit for the fact that his thirst is not a genuine thirst. He wishes to feel the pain of the thirst, to feel in his spirit this true preciousness that he is yearning for to the point of his soul perishing. But to his heart’s dismay, he does not feel that within himself. He wanders like a shadow, suspecting himself of falsehood and self-deceit.
But if he is truly strong, pure in heart and straight upon the path, his steps will not totter. He will do what he must: he will improve his actions, rectify his ways, purify his traits, increase learning and study, arouse feeling by means of the service of the heart, by means of prayer and praise, by means of song and melody, by means of the companionship of good, straight people, by means of dwelling permanently in the Holy Land, by means of constantly speaking in the Holy Tongue--until the light of Hashem will shine upon him, and he will have relief.
Pinkas 81 Piskaot (Jaffa), #72
Degraded and Holy Literature
by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
There has been an increase in degraded literature, which comes not because of an intensification of the power of creativity and an increase of the light of the soul, but which comes rather because of the low level of the creator, who cannot make any spiritual acquisition but who instead is outwardly profuse, like the teeming small creatures and swarming things.
There is, on the other hand, an elevated type of person whose profuseness is due to the flow of the light of the soul—for the world of consciousness does not cease manifesting constant, limitless phenomena.
It is impossible to explain and precisely demarcate the line that separates these creations. Such matters are given over particularly to the sense of understanding of the person involved in these creations.
The sense of spiritual scent can distinguish between a new light that wells up from a wellspring of holiness--the cause of whose creation is an intensification of supernal life that illumines lowly life, descending into it in order to raise and improve it--and between the twitching of a creation that is not elevated beyond low physical movements, which comes from a weakness in awareness and ethics that lacks the strength to remain quiet.
Pinkas 81 Piskaot (Jaffa), #67
There has been an increase in degraded literature, which comes not because of an intensification of the power of creativity and an increase of the light of the soul, but which comes rather because of the low level of the creator, who cannot make any spiritual acquisition but who instead is outwardly profuse, like the teeming small creatures and swarming things.
There is, on the other hand, an elevated type of person whose profuseness is due to the flow of the light of the soul—for the world of consciousness does not cease manifesting constant, limitless phenomena.
It is impossible to explain and precisely demarcate the line that separates these creations. Such matters are given over particularly to the sense of understanding of the person involved in these creations.
The sense of spiritual scent can distinguish between a new light that wells up from a wellspring of holiness--the cause of whose creation is an intensification of supernal life that illumines lowly life, descending into it in order to raise and improve it--and between the twitching of a creation that is not elevated beyond low physical movements, which comes from a weakness in awareness and ethics that lacks the strength to remain quiet.
Pinkas 81 Piskaot (Jaffa), #67
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