Rebbe Reb Elimelech Weissblum of Lizhensk zt"l
הרב אלימלך בן אליעזר ליפמן וויסבלום זצ"ל
Adar 21 , 5547
Rebbe Reb Elimelech Weissblum of Lizhensk zt"l
Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk [21 Adar 5547], was a major disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor to the Baal Shem Tov, and the leading Rebbe of the subsequent generation in Poland-Galitzia. Most of the great Chassidic dynasties stem from his disciples. It is told that before he died, Rebbe Elimelech bequeathed the sight of his eyes to the Chozeh of Lublin, the spirit of his heart to the Kozhnitzer Maggid, the soul of his mind to Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, and the power of speech to Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apt. Other major disciples included Rabbi Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz, Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov, and Rabbi Klonymos Kalman Epstein, known as the Maor VaShemesh. His book, Noam Elimelech, is one of the most popular of all Chassidic works.
http://www.ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=rebbeBios
Stories of Rebbe Reb Elimelech Weissblum of Lizhensk zt"l
The holy Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev once traveled with his talmid, Rav Aharon of Zhitomir, mechaber of Toldos Aharon, to the city of Lizhensk. There they stayed together with Rebbe Reb Elimelech in his home. Rebbe Reb Elimelech questioned the Berditchever, saying to him, “Why are you stealing away all of my own talmidim?” (This was because many great Torah scholars left Rebbe Reb Elimelech to study under the Berditchever.)
The Berditchever answered Rebbe Reb Elimelech with humility, “Vaymens bin ich den? Ich bin zich ayer talmid oich! - And just whose talmid do you think I am? I am also your talmid! Thus, all my talmidim are therefore your very own talmid’s talmidim!” With this humble answer, he was able to placate and satisfy Rebbe Reb Elimelech. Afterward, the Berditchever continued on his way to attend to some matters while his talmid, Rav Aharon of Zhitomir, remained behind and continued studying in Rebbe Reb Elimelech’s Bais Medrash.
Rebbe Reb Elimelech did not realize this, and when one night he walked in and found Rav Aharon sitting there learning, he was surprised and asked Rav Aharon, “Why did you not continue traveling with your Rebbe?” Rav Aharon answered Rebbe Reb Elimelech, “Mein Rebbe ken ich. Bin ich gebliben ba aych zu kenen! – My Rebbe I already know. I remained behind to get to know you as well!” Hearing this, Rebbe Reb Elimelech got all worked up. He seized Rav Aharon and began to shake him by the lapels of his clothing and declared, “Dein Rebbe kenstu? Afilu zein zhupstze kenstu nisht, bifrat im alein! – You think you really know your Rebbe? Why, you don’t even know his lapels, let alone really know him and how great he is!”
(Avodas Levi, page 98)
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow said, “On Erev Shabbos Kodesh, after immersing in the mikveh is when I can understand a shtickel of Noam Elimelech.” (Ohel Elimelech 192)
Rav Moshe Lelover and his nephew Rav Noson Dovid Shidlovitzer were fast friends. Each year they exchanged gifts for Pesach: Rav Moshe of Lelov sent Rav Nosson Dovid wine and brandy for Pesach and Rav Nosson Dovid sent back shemura matzos.
One year the shaliach arrived from Rav Moshe of Lelov with the customary gift and as the gabbai counted out the payment, the shaliach requested a higher sum. “Pay him as he asks,” answered Rav Nosson Dovid to the reluctant gabbai. After he was paid, the shaliach delivered the wine and brandy.
“The rebbe Reb Melech of Lizensk was sitting together with his circle followers, the chevrya kadisha, when two Jews appeared at the door of the beis medrash. Normally, guests were very welcome in Lizensk, but to the astonishment of the chevrya, their rebbe, the Noam Elimelech peered at the two guests and declared”:
‘Why look at that! Did you ever see such a peculiar sight? Two Jews with no garments whatsoever?!’
The talmidim were perplexed. What was the rebbe talking about? They scrutinized the visitors and try as they may, could not comprehend what their rebbe meant. As far as they could tell, the two strangers were dressed in typical garb just like anyone else.
But the rebbe calling out to the newcomers, ‘You two come here. Tell me how can it be that you have no garments?’
‘But rebbe,” protested one of the talmidim of the Rebbe Elimelech, ‘they are dressed just like all of us are.’
‘I see that you do not see what I see, answered the rebbe, ‘I do not refer to material clothes. No, my dear talmidim, these two Jews are lacking their spiritual garments. They are naked of all mitzvos!’
‘It’s true!’ cried the two guests in distress, “if the rebbe’s holy eyes can see it, then it is unfortunately true!’
‘Come now, explain what you could have done to divest yourselves from any spiritual garment whatsoever. What contemptible act could be the cause of your spiritual nakedness?’ the rebbe pressed.
‘Oh rebbe, it is due to our great sin,” they declared, “for we have wronged the holy Rebbe Rav Michel Zlotshuver!”
“Aha! So, I am correct,” continued the Rebbe Reb Melech. “Now explain yourselves; tell us what you have done to Rav Michel’eh Zlotshuver that could bring this kind of punishment?” This is what they told him:
‘We two were once business partners in Zlotshuv. We had vast wealth, a large two-family mansion by the fortified wall in the wealthier section of the city; we were well off in all respects. We had a bookkeeper who he kept all our accounts. He preserved all our records and handled all the contracts and paperwork behind our business deals. He was also our neighbor. He owned a fine home that bordered our own.
‘One day we set our sights on his house. We decided that we just had to buy it. That way, we could extend our living quarters and build a garden for our leisure and relaxation. We made him an offer and he flat out refused.
“Gentleman,” he responded emphatically, “the answer is no. My home is worth at least six hundred gold rubles and your offer, though generous, does not interest me in the least. I am well off and content and I like my estate. I have no desire to sell and you too should be ashamed of your greed!”
‘We were incensed. Who was he to tell us to be ashamed? Who was he to call us greedy? How dare he refuse our offer? We warned him that should he not agree we would terminate his employment and cease our business dealings with him.’
“That is blackmail! I will not cave in to extortion. Terminate my employment and I will open my own business; I have no fear of your threats!” This, we did; and so, he did. We fired him and he opened a shop selling goods from his home. But the wheel of fortune turned backwards on our former bookkeeper and his business failed. Soon he descended into great debt.
‘In order to pay off his debts and satisfy the creditors who kept calling to collect, he turned to friends and relatives for help. But soon his situation deteriorated even more and he was left utterly bankrupt .
‘He asked his relatives to intercede with us on his behalf, asking if we would perhaps kindly re-employ him as before when he was our faithful accountant. We greedily saw our chance. We agreed on two conditions. First, that he come back to work at one third his former salary, and second, that he sells us his home at a third of the fair market value. Having no alternative, he agreed. He wrote up the contract of sale and we got ourselves a bargain! Or so we thought.
‘He was clever; when he wrote out the contract, in place of the standard clause where it says:
“All this has been contracted willfully without duress,” he wrote instead:
“All this has been contracted against my will under coercion and duress.”
We didn’t bother reading the fine print. All we saw was that the price was as agreed. We signed the contract of sale which transferred ownership to our names.
‘Before a month had passed, the accountant died. He had been so heartbroken and depressed that he had lost all will to live. In our wickedness, we rejoiced that now we could simply proceed with our former plans of demolition, expansion, and renovation. But a hitch in our scheme arose. The accountant’s relatives began to arrive from far and wide to seek a claim of his vast fortune.
‘It seems that his children and relatives all lived far away. They had not heard the recent turn of events. How he had been laid off and reduced to poverty? How he had sold his estate? They still believed that he had left them an inheritance worth coming to claim.
‘The townsfolk introduced us to them as his former employers and the accountant’s relatives began to search for his will along with the deed to his home.
“Why do you all search in vain?” we asked derisively. “Your dearly departed father left you nothing more than a few rubles; all his wealth was spent in paying off his debts and creditors.” We then explained how he had been recently laid off and had failed in his new business venture.
“Where is the deed to his home?” they asked nervously.
“Sorry,” we returned shaking our heads in mock sadness, “there is no deed. Here is the bill of sale. Your father sold us the estate for two hundred rubles of which virtually nothing remains after covering his vast debts.”
‘In disbelief they began to yell and accuse and we soon found ourselves seated across from them as defendants. They were suing us and we stood trial in the beis din of the Rav of Zlotshuv, Rav Yechiel Michel Zlotshuver. Rav Michel presided over our hearing. He was a saintly man-- a tzaddik and a miracle worker.
‘The trial began routinely enough. The deceased accountant’s children stated their claim to their father’s inheritance and said that we wrongfully laid hands on his estate at a third of its market value using some form of chicanery .
“Well what do you say against the claim?” asked the Rav.
“Let us end this swiftly,” we stated confidently and produced the bill of sale. “Here you have the contract, signed and dated. We are the owners of this property; the deceased sold it to us fairly.”
‘We handed over the contract and the rav scrutinized the wording. When he read the fine print, he pointed to the words: “All this has been contracted against my will under coercion and duress.”
‘Seeing this, the rav was indignant over the injustice.
“Is this what you call fair and straightforward !?” he thundered, pointing to the words of the contract. “This document is a sham; I have never seen such falsehood! This is ‘sheker ayn lo raglaim (falsehood has no feet to stand on’).
‘The Zlotshuver set his holy gaze on the offending clause as we sat stunned at what occurred next. The holy Hebrew letters-- having been falsely written in support of deceit—were unloosed from the page by the holy gaze of the tzaddik. The letters ascended heavenward until the contract was one blank white page. The tzaddik smiled.
‘Then in righteous anger he turned towards us and yelled: “So, you think you can fool me and make a mockery of this beis din and do the deeds of Lavan, the trickster and fraud?”
He emphasized the name “Lavan”, which also means “white” in Hebrew, as he shook the now blank white page before our eyes, and before all those in the courtroom.
“Do you take us all for fools? What contract is blank? What bill of sale is a plain empty page?” With that, he tore the contract up before our eyes.
‘The accountant’s children cheered and went to claim the estate. After we had recovered from our shock, it was we who were incensed. Instead of accepting the miracle we had witnessed as proof of the rav’s holiness and righteousness, we hardened our hearts and plotted revenge. Rav Michel of Zlotshuv would pay for what he had done-- embarrassing us in public and robbing us from our ill-gotten property. And so, filled with vengeful thoughts, we approached the duke with our plan.
‘We introduced ourselves as wealthy merchants from Zlotshuv.
“Your honor the duke.”
“Jews! Filthy Jews!” he frothed in anger, “That’s what you all are: thieves and liars. You are always stealing from me-- always claiming you cannot pay your rent; yet year by year you renew your leases. Annually, you request that I lower the rent fees because you cannot pay!”
‘This was exactly the opportunity for which we had been waiting, for in it, we saw our chance to slander Rav Michel.
“Yes, your Excellency; that is why we are here. We know the cause and source of all your troubles and we have come to help his Excellency regain his wealth.”
“I am listening,” replied the duke.
“There is a Rabbi in Zlotshuv named Rav Yechiel Michel. It is he who runs the affairs of the Jewish community and it is he who rules that no Jew may compete with his fellow Jews in business. The rav is ruining free enterprise by suppressing all competition. In this way, he forces your hand since no Jew dares to bid against another Jew. That is why no one bids on renting your estates when another Jew already has the contract. In this way, they keep the same contract and pay less each year. With no threats to have them turn a profit or live up to your demands, they are secure.”
‘When the duke heard this he was enraged, “My tavern, inn, flour mill, and all my farms and holdings are all being run into the ground by this Rabbi?!”
“Yes,” we said, “and his injunction is the same in the entire district.” This incensed the duke even more.
‘The duke called together all the Polish noblemen, squires, and poritzim of the district to a lavish celebration to be held two months hence. The invitation included the spectacle of an execution—that of the local rabbi who was the root of all their financial losses.
‘We were overjoyed; soon we would be rid of the nuisance of a rabbi. Meanwhile, two Jewish merchants arrived at the duke’s estate to peddle their wares and the cook took a liking to a pair of earrings from the selection. The peddler, thinking that the scullery maids had surely heard some news that could be to his business advantage, decided to exchange the item for news. It was quite possible to learn of something useful about the duke’s business dealings that could turn him a profit.
‘He was stunned at what he heard as the cook began sharing the news about how their rabbi’s life was in danger.
“How can this be?” The peddler thought aloud. “Since when does the duke involve himself in the rabbis’ affairs?”
“Yes sir,” the cook nodded her head importantly, “all I’m sayings is this-- the duke’s men have been busy preparing the household for a grand party. I’ve been cooking night an’ day to feed a hundred hungry nobles. And what’s more--the entertainment for the night is your rabbi’s execution!”
‘The horrified peddler was in a real dilemma. On the one hand, he was worried that this piece of gossip was nothing more than a fantastic story concocted by one of the more imaginative minds of the duke’s household. On the other hand, what if it was somehow true? He must rush off to warn the rav right away!
‘When he arrived though, he found that his way to the rav’s study was barred by the faithful gabbai. “Oh no you don’t; you can’t disturb the rav’s rest. He has just lain down for a well-deserved rest and here you come to bother him with some silly story. How can you believe that the duke would bother about the rav? Who ever heard such utter nonsense!?”
‘The peddler was convinced by the gabbai’s skepticism and having told his story, was relieved that the gabbai didn’t believe a word of it. He wished he had his earrings back. The gabbai, having deflected the peddler, was satisfied. The rav, however, had heard the commotion from inside his study. He had also overheard the entire story. At least now, he could be prepared.
‘Within two months, all the local noblemen, squires, poritzim and their wives, along with their entourages, arrived at the duke’s palace. We also came to witness the rav’s downfall firsthand.
‘The lavish party was a drunken spree of wild music, gluttony, and debauchery. The wild carousers jeered and called for the death of the rav as they stuffed their faces and poured mug after mug of beer and ale down their greedy throats.
‘Meanwhile the Jewish community sat in mourning, stunned at the turn of events, for the duke had sent an armed guard to escort their beloved rav to the palace for trial which was like a death warrant. Not only was the rav’s life in danger, they knew all too well that such events were followed by pogroms carried out by the local rabble of peasants. The Jewish community recoiled in fear from what awaited them should the duke carry out this malevolent act. The rav, for his part, walked calmly along, offering words of strength and comfort to his flock. “Keep the faith; hold strong. Have emunah and bitachon. Trust in Hashem’s salvation!”
Meanwhile, the duke retired to his inner chamber. Fifteen halls, rooms and corridors lay between him and his rowdy guests. This was the law of the land-- that he who sentenced a person to death was not permitted to witness the execution. And so, the duke made his way to await the rabbi’s fate. The executioner sat sharpening his blade and the duke’s daughter stood waiting to view the event. Rumor of the rav’s handsome features had reached her and she wanted to deliver a slap to his face before they would lop off his head.
However, all their wicked plans failed instantly.
‘The rav arrived and ascended the platform. The executioner’s axe was raised, the duke’s daughter outstretched her hand and the crowd’s eyes were fixed eyes on the victim, when suddenly they froze as if they had all been turned to stone. They stood petrified.
‘The axe hung in its place above his head; the duke’s daughter’s hand halted mid-swing, and the jeering faces of the guests were fixed in their contorted expressions like gargoyles.
‘This was the scene outside as the rav calmly walked from room to room, hall to hall, corridor to corridor until he reached the duke’s inner chamber. He pushed open the door.
“Why is it so silent out there!? And who are you who dare to enter unannounced and unwelcome!?”
“It is I, your guest, Yechiel Michel of Zlatshuv,” replied the rav.
“No, no it cannot be!” cried the duke in disbelief. He ran from room to room, hall to hall, chamber to chamber, screaming louder as he encountered each of the frozen figures from the large gathering. When he came to his daughter, a wail escaped his constricted throat, “No! My beloved daughter, my only child! What has happened? What have you done to her; what have you done to them? Please, I beg you, honored, holy, rabbi-- reverse your spell and release them from your enchantment and I shall grant you anything: gold, silver, riches, honor and glory, anything! I shall reveal the identity of your accusers and have them hung in your place!”
“Hold your words,” declared the rabbi. I order you to release my accusers. Further, you are to utter an oath, a pledge to G-d, that from now on, you shall harm no Jew in your lands. Let them rent your property fairly and tax them fairly. Promise me that no Jew will come to harm and I will pray that your daughter and guests will return, to their previous states. For it is no spell, but the wrath of G-d Almighty Himself that has petrified these people and only He can release them.”
“Yes, I swear it” said the duke “please pray!”
‘Rav Michel davened and the people returned to normal. We were released and we ran away in shame. The holy rav had repaid our wickedness with mercy and we were reduced to the state you see before you. Our punishment on High was that we were left bereft of all good deeds and naked of any spiritual garments; all our mitzvos were taken from us.’
“Now you understand my disciples,” asked the Rebbe Elimelech, “why these two go before me with no garments of mitzvos?” Then he turned his attention to the men, “But you two have now confessed your crimes, admitted your guilt and expressed remorse. This is the formula for teshuva. I now declare that your path to repent has begun. No longer shall you wander naked with no garments of mitzvos. From now on, your tikkun shall begin and you will once again accrue mitzvos and good deeds. You will begin to dress yourselves anew, for your shame and repentance have been accepted by the Heavenly tribunal of beis din shel maalah through this confession. And I shall guide your way back to teshuva and tikkun.”
‘Having finished the story, Rav Moshe Lelover released me and let go of my hand. “You see” said Rav Nosson Dovid said, “I told you it was worth paying him extra to hear such a story as that. That is why Rav Moshe Lelover held your hand so long; he must have imbued you with all the details of the tale-- the vitality of its lesson coursing through his hand to yours so that you could faithfully retell it all to us in detail, word for word.”
Hisgalus HaTzaddikim p. 43 cited in Ohr Zarua LaTzaddik intro to Aron Eidus pp. 87-92)
Rav Noson Duvid gave his beloved uncle a parting gift, a beautiful silver kos shel beracha. A handwritten engraving on the lip of the silver goblet asks his uncle to daven for him, his wife and two children: “Noson Duvid ben Golda for refuah for his eyes; his wife, Devorah Perel bas Yuta and their children, their son, Tzemach Baruch and daughter Sarah Yuta-- may she have an easy delivery and healthy children.” A photo of this silver becher is in Toras Rebbe Noson Duvid p. 182.
The Maggid, Rav Boruch of Rika, was a melamed who hired himself out as a private tutor to teach Torah in the homes of various Yidden. He was being “interviewed” for a new position as private melamed in the home of none other than Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, mechaber of the Kedushas Levi. This is how Rav Levi Yitzchok checked out Rav Boruch: He had Rav Boruch undress and then Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev examined each limb of his entire body, one at a time, for any “flaws”! Only once he had gone over his entire body and found him flawless did he allow Rav Boruch to be a melamed in his home. After the year ended, Rav Levi Yitzchok requested that Rav Boruch tutor in his home the following year as well, with one condition: “You must eat with me from the very same bowl.” The Maggid, Rav Boruch, replied that such a condition required him to think the matter through.
At the time, the two holy brothers, Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizhensk and Rebbe Reb Zusha of Hanipoli were passing through and the Maggid, Rav Boruch, took the opportunity to ask their opinion. He explained Rav Levi Yitzchok’s condition to his employment, that they eat together from the same bowl, and Rebbe Reb Elimelech answered him thus:
It says in the pasuk: “And Aharon and all the elders of Yisrael, with the father-in-law of Moshe, came to eat bread before Elokim.” (Shemos 18:12) The Gemora asks: why does it say “before Elokim”? Didn’t they eat before Moshe? Rather, whoever partakes of a meal where Torah scholars eat together is as if he benefited from the shining rays of the Divine Presence. Now, asked the Noam Elimelech, why does the Gemora think that this is such a question? Obviously they did eat before Hashem, since the entire world is full of His glory. The answer is that when one eats in the presence of a Tzaddik, his overbearing fear and awe of the Tzaddik overshadows the fear of Hashem. They feared Moshe – the Rav and Tzaddik – and thus their fear of Hashem was lacking. The Maggid understood from Rebbe Reb Elimelech’s answer that it is better to forgo always constantly eating with such a Tzaddik from the same bowl.
The Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz related how the Zaslover Chazzan who served as the chazzan for the holy Baal Shem Tov, arrived one erev Shabbos in Lizensk to spend Shabbos with the author of the Noam Elimelech.
Reb Melech’s talmidim were unsure of what to do: Should they honor the chazzan with the amud, allowing him to daven kabbalas Shabbos, or would this upset the holy rebbe’s kavannos and disrupt his devotions? Their hesitation was soon to become irrelevant when the rebbe, Reb Melech himself, honored the chazzan to lead the tefillos and begin kabbalos Shabbos.
“Please for the sake of the Baal Shem’s honor, would you be our chazzan?” asked the Rebbe Elimelech.
Rav Mordechai agreed.
The chazzan stepped up to the amud flanked by a choir that would accompany his melodious tefillos. As soon as the tefillah commenced, however, Rebbe Elimelech could not hold back. With great reluctance, the rebbe interrupted the chazzan and choir, “Please, I am sorry—it’s just too much!” complained Rebbe Elimelech. “I cannot contain the dveykus this brings on!”
The Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz paused in telling of the tale to explain that the rebbe, Reb Melech couldn’t withstand it because “it opened up for him new vistas in the supernal realms, so much so, that the great light that came from it was too strong to absorb!”
“After kabbalos Shabbos,” continued the Yeshuos Moshe, “Rebbe Elimelech drew the Zaslover chazzan close but asked him to please not daven for the amud in Lizensk anymore.
“On Motzaei Shabbos as the Zaslover chazzan took his leave, the rebbe, Reb Melech asked him to relate some story about the holy Baal Shem Tov. The chazzan spoke of the Baal Shem’s love and awe in serving Hashem and specifically how his soul would experience an aliyas neshama – a state in which he would wander around supernal realms just we move around here below!”
“The Zaslover continued, ‘Another aspect of the Baal Shem Tov’s purity in avodas Hashem is his recitation of Hallel. We know that ordinarily, when we recite the Hallel HaGadol, each verse is recited by a specific angel. When the Holy Baal Shem Tov recited Hallel HaGadol, he waited first to hear how each malach recited each pasuk; only then would he himself repeat each pasuk after the angels had said them! ‘”
In the city of Zavanitz there were smugglers who would smuggle goods without paying the levied taxes and there was rampant desecration of the Shabbos. The Apta Rav, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel, was greatly upset by their behavior and sharply rebuked them. Rav Shmelka, the son of Rav Moshe Leib of Sassov, wished to travel and visit the Apter, but since he hailed from Zavanitz he was worried that the Apter would ask him from where he was and, upon hearing that he was from Zavanitz, he would not let him even cross his threshold!
His friends advised him to completely ignore any questions about where he was from and simply to introduce himself as Rav Moshe Leib Sassover’s son. And so it was that when the shamash asked him who he was, he told him the son of the Sassover. When the Apter heard this he ran over to Reb Shmelka and greeted him warmly shaking his hand with both hands. He lit candles in his honor, donned finer clothes in his honor and seated him in a special chair reserved for honored guests shrugging off all protests, saying, “Why, but you are my Rebbe’s son!”
While Rav Shmelka was thus seated the Apter Rav told him, “Let me tell you a story about when I was the Rav of Kolbesov. I was back then a young man, an avreich, and I lived in the house set aside for the Rav. Now this house was vey large and my small family occupied only one wing. The winters were freezing and my salary was barely enough to feed us and certainly not enough to squander on heating such a large home. So, although it was furnished, we lived in only one wing.
I sat and learned lishma, sincerely for the sake of Heaven, and I had plenty of free time since it was a small city with few affairs that needed my attention or intervention. I often studied together with my son and as we were immersed in our studies lishma, nothing disturbed us. We were not Chassidim, and since our primary avoda was Torah study, we even looked upon their ways with disdain and counted ourselves as Misnagdim (opponents to Chassidus).
One day two anonymous travelers passed by and knocked at my window, asking if I had room for guests. “Why, yes,” I answered, “the entire second wing is at your disposal.”
They unloaded their luggage and made themselves at home. I noticed that they seemed like holy individuals and whatever conversations they had among themselves always sounded lofty and that they spoke about things pertaining to Avodas Hashem, yet I was too busy with my studies to take their “idle chatter” seriously. I thought that my derech (path) was correct and shrugged them off.
They were my guests for some three days and on the third day as they prepared to continue on their way they came to take their customary leave of me. One of them began to engage me in conversation and to tell me a story. I was greatly troubled since they were detracting from my learning and from my sincere Torah study, yet it would have been rude of me just to interrupt him and so I listened as politely as I could. When he finished the first story he began to tell me another one! At this point my hair stood on end. I was so disturbed at this waste of my precious time. When he finished, the other guest began to tell me a tale as well and the pain I felt was death itself! Finally, they finished the third story and left on their way.
Some three months passed and I found that I understood the meaning of the first story and that I had needed it. Some three more months passed and I found that I understood my need for the second story and three months later for the third story. I was shocked to see how they were able to understand what I would need and what would befall me over the course of this entire year.
I understood that this must be through Ruach HaKodesh and I hoped that Hashem would grant me another opportunity to reunite with these two holy individuals. Two years later I looked up out of the window and saw them both traveling past in their carriage. I could not miss such an opportunity! I ran outside to catch them and draw their attention. I was in such a rush I did not dress myself in my coat or my spodik (the fur hat worn by important personages such as the town Rav) and I ran in my shirt after their coach, chasing it across town. When I finally caught up with them near the inn I asked them in between catching my breath as to their destination. “We are headed to Lizhensk, to the Rebbe Reb Elimelech,” they explained.
“Can I join you?” I asked.
They agreed on the condition that I go to the market while they davened and get some provisions for the journey such as some rolls, bagels and butter. I completely forgot myself, town Rav or not, and in just my shirt I went and bought the bread and butter. When I returned, they had finished their tefillos and told me to hurry and get ready. I quickly ran home, got dressed, grabbed my tallis and tefillin and jumped into their carriage.
“We are taking you to the Rebbe Elimelech,” they explained, “since we can tell that your soul’s root is bound to his.”
And so they did. The Rebbe Elimelech became my mentor and I became a talmid. Those two holy Tzaddikim were your father, Rav Moshe Leib Sassover, and Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev.
Afterward, Rav Moshe Leib would often say that he should get shidduch gelt, a broker’s fee for making the match between the Apter and the Rebbe Elimelech. To this the Berditchever responded, “And I should get double your fee since I also brought the Rebbe Reb Elimelech and the Rebbe Reb Zusha to the Maggid of Mezritch!”
(Kisvei Rav Yoshe #11 p116; Devorim Areivim II #2 p. 53–54)
The following tradition was related by Rav Avigdor, the Av Beis Din of Novo Sanz, who heard it from his grandfather, the Divrei Chaim:
When the two Tzaddikim, Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizhensk, and his brother, Rebbe Reb Zusha of Hanipoli, were wandering together in self-imposed exile, they suffered extreme deprivation, going from place to place like beggars, sleeping on benches in the Bais Medrash, often fasting for lack of food, simultaneously loving and drawing their fellow Yidden to teshuva, Ahavas Hashem and Ahavas Yisrael wherever their holy feet led them. This journey served as a kappora for all Klal Yisrael, as well as to perfect themselves, and lasted some nine years. Toward the end of their travels they ended up in Linsk for Shabbos.
The Rav of Linsk was the renowned Gaon, Rav Mendel Linsker, the father of Rav Naftoli Ropshitzer. The two holy brothers came dressed in rags and tatters, and this is how they appeared in the Bais Medrash of the Linsker Rav. No one took any notice of them all Shabbos long. No one invited them to partake of a Friday night meal and they were reduced to eating whatever crumbs of bread they carried in their packs. The same scenario repeated itself Shabbos day and at Sholosh Seudos, when they drew close to hear the Divrei Torah. They thought it was strange that no one took any notice or invited them at all and wondered at this fact even as they drew close on Motzo’ei Shabbos to hear the berocha of Havdola and recite borei me’orei ho’aish on the candle.
It was then that the young lad Naftoli laughed at them and poked fun, calling them silly names. “Ha! Ha!! Meleich – Freilich, and Zisha – Kishya!!!”
His father, Rav Mendel Linsker, turned to the two holy brothers and remarked, “You think I don’t recognize you or know who you are? If I had wandered in self-imposed exile as long as you two, my face would look better and more radiant than yours! You would do better to rectify the world by eating more than by fasting!”
He gave them three coins for charity and sent them on their way. When they examined the coins, they discovered them to be three silver francs, a princely sum indeed. They were worried that this was a mistake, but Rebbe Reb Zusha exclaimed, “Wait, the Rav told us to serve Hashem by eating. Let’s see if this money is enough to purchase all the food we need, then we can give back the change; if not, we will know it’s no mistake.” They spent an additional year this way in golus and when they again stopped in Linsk, the Rav snapped his fingers and said, “Now you have succeeded in fulfilling my intentions!”
Later, the Rebbe Elimelech became well known as a great Tzaddik and Rebbe. When the Linsker Rav passed away, his son Rav Naftoli wanted to travel to Rebbe Reb Elimelech and study under him and become his talmid. He was deterred, however, by the memory of how he had poked fun at the Tzaddikim as a young boy. Nonetheless, after some hesitation, Rav Naftoli decided to approach Rebbe Reb Elimelech, ask his forgiveness and to ask the Rebbe to accept him as a talmid.
The Rebbe Reb Elimelech had the ability to know from Wednesday on who would be his upcoming guests for Shabbos. As soon as Rebbe Reb Melech felt that Rav Naftoli was traveling to Lizhensk for Shabbos he warned his gabbo’im and his shamash, “When the Ropshitzer arrives, do not let him into my rooms without my express permission!”
When Rav Naftoli arrived in Lizhensk, the shamash came straight to Rebbe Reb Elimelech to report on his arrival. When Rav Naftoli approached the threshold, Rebbe Reb Elimelech stopped him from entering through the doorway, and declared, “Here comes the son of that murderer!” and he slammed the door in his face, barring his entry. At that moment the Ropshitzer fainted.
Rebbe Reb Elimelech gave him some brandy to revive him and sent him on his way. The Ropshitzer took the remaining brandy with him and went to the Bais Medrash. There he found a throng of Chassidim in heated discussion about an upcoming simcha, a wedding to take place that evening between two orphans. The problem was that the chosson lacked a tallis as his gift and there were no drinks or food to be had! The chasuna was in danger of being canceled.
When Rav Naftoli heard this news, he went into town and, since he was from a wealthy family, he had no trouble borrowing some money and purchasing other goods on credit. Quickly he bought all the missing items: a new tallis for the chosson and food and drinks for the wedding feast! Soon the chosson and kalla were brought in and the Ropshitzer set a lavish banquet before them. Then he got up and stood himself on the table in front of all assembled and he began to recite badchonus – grammen, rhymes, jokes and all manner of witty and clever songs and dances to bring cheer to the crowd and a smile to the lips of the chosson and kalla! Everyone was overjoyed and there was great simcha!
(The sefer Ayala Shelucha describes one of the gematrias that Rav Naftoli employed during his badchonus, how he blessed the couple that their union should be beautiful and good – der zivug zol oleh yafeh.)
Meanwhile, Rebbe Reb Elimelech was expecting Rav Naftoli to come back, but after waiting he told his shamash that he had no choice but to daven Maariv, even though he could see it would not be successful. He then said that he would eat supper, but delayed in favor of reciting Tikkun Chatzos, mourning the destruction of the Bais HaMikdosh. However, this tefilla too was unsuccessful and Rebbe Reb Elimelech was left dissatisfied with his unsuccessful attempts at Maariv and Tikkun Chatzos. The Rebbe was downcast and he reasoned that if both his Maariv and Chatzos had failed, perhaps he was guilty of some wrongdoing.
“There is a chasuna tonight; perhaps boys and girls are engaged in mixed dancing or some other sinful behavior and I need to protest,” he reasoned. “Please go and see if anything improper is going on and report back to me,” asked the Rebbe of his shamash.
Meanwhile, the Ropshitzer had dressed up as a hunchback and used flax to make himself a long, silly beard, and he stood disguised on the table engaged in badchonus, rhymes, jokes, dancing, and playacting. The shamash did not recognize him, but Rav Naftoli recognized the shamash all right! He jumped off the table, grabbed the shamash and began to dance with him until the shamash felt all his bones mending and straightening out. The shamash felt a great spiritual bliss and was drawn in, mesmerized by the performance, standing transfixed with no desire to go back.
Seeing that the shamash had left and not returned, Rebbe Reb Elimelech decided, “I must go myself and see what needs to be done!” When the shamash saw Rebbe Reb Elimelech approaching from afar, he quickly ran out to him and said, “Please, Rebbe, don’t go in there. It’s not honorable for your stature – there is some crazy lunatic in there who grabs random newcomers and dances with them on and on. Surely he will grab you too, Rebbe! Also, there is no improper behavior at the chasuna itself. Hearing these words, the Rebbe turned to go back home.
In the morning, the Ropshitzer barged through Rebbe Reb Elimelech’s door and asked, “So, Rebbe, how was your Chatzos last night?”
“Naftultshe, how do you know about my chatzos?” countered Rebbe Reb Elimelech.
The Ropshitzer answered, “We were together on high; they forbade Your Honor to enter, yet I was allowed access. The reason I was given a pass to enter is because I made everyone happy at the chasuna and in shomayim they did not want your mournful Chatzos to disrupt the simcha of the wedding.” (Gan Hadasim p. 7–10)
When Rav Naphtali Ropshitzer first came before the Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizensk author of Noam Elimelech, the rebbe sent him away and said he wasn’t looking for meyuchasim, those of illustrious lineage. Rav Naphtali was very brokenhearted and he cried as he left. Just then his ears caught notes of joy and music. He inquired after the songs and merriment and found himself at a Yiddishe Chassunah. As was the custom the wedding needed a badchan to tell jokes and make everyone happy. Rav Naphtali used his wit and clever ways to use joke and rhyme to compose grammen and to delight and enrapture the audience and bring joy to Chosson and Kallah with words as Rashi on Berachos 6b explains.
Meanwhile the holy Rebbe Reb Melech was trying to recite the lamentations of Tikkun Chatzos and something was preventing him. Something was holding him back. He sent his shamash to seek out the disturbance, perhaps somewhere in the vicinity there was a sinner and a criminal whose tainted deeds were holding his prayers back? The shamash searched to no avail. He back empty handed. The rebbe was undeterred and he sent him forth again to seek and search, this time he came upon the wedding and in the midst of the celebrations he spotted the same yungerman who his holy rebbe had cast out. This must be the cause of the rebbe’s disturbance. He went back and reported to the Rebbe Elimelech that surely the yungerman’s jokes and frivolous banter was what was obstructing his prayers. “No, you and I have it all wrong,” explained the Rebbe Elimelech as realization dawned on him, “this yungerman has caused all the entire heavenly hosts on high to delight and rejoice in the simcha of Chosson and Kallah. Therefore that is why my sad lamentations are unacceptable on high. This is why I cannot recite Tikkun Chatzos for making them happy is like rebuilding one of the ruins, the very same ruin mentioned in Berachos 3a, there it says that in the ruins a voice like a dove calls out and cries Woe to My children, because of their sins I destroyed My house, burned My sanctuary and dispersed them to be exiled among the nations! And now though when there is such joy, who can cry and lament at a time like this!” ended the Rebbe Elimelech. (as heard from R’ Moshe Weinbach shlit'a, Mashpia Ruchani of Clevelander Shul – Beitar Elite)
Related by the rav of Madin, a grandson of the Ropshitzer:
Rebbe Elimelech had a custom that after the afternoon minchah service he would converse with his close followers. He would then proceed to a special private room to pray the evening ma’ariv service in seclusion, purity, and sanctity. Rav Naftali Ropshitzer, a disciple of the Rebbe, yearned to also be in that room. He constantly wished to observe the deeds of his Rebbe and so wanted to see how he prayed there. Once, he stole into the room unnoticed and hid beneath the bed. The holy Rebbe entered and closed the door behind him. He took out his gartel and proceeded to fasten it about himself.
The first time the Rebbe wound the gartel about his waist, the entire room was filled with an awesome unbelievable light. The second time he tied the gartel, the light grew in intensity until the Ropshitzer could no longer endure it. He grew weak and found himself feeling faint. He could not help himself and called out in a loud voice. Rebbe Elimelech heard the cries of distress coming from his disciple and recognized their source. “Naftali, my son, are you here?” the Rebbe asked. “Fortunately you did not remain here for the third and final time I wound the gartel. If you had remained, your soul would have surely left your body from the intensity of the great light.”
(Eser Tzachtzachos 27; Ohel Elimelech 248)
The son-in-law of the Rebbe of Dzikov once related that the holy master Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz was eating shalosh seudos with his teacher, the Noam Elimelech. He sat at the table, observing the Rebbe, and realized that if Rebbe Elimelech continued in his state of rapture, his soul could, Heaven forbid, expire and leave his body. The Ropshitzer banged on the table and said jokingly, “The verse says that Hashem will turn to us from His place in mercy. One can ask: Are there brooms in Heaven with which to sweep?” (The Yiddish expression kehern, to turn, is the same word used for sweeping with a broom.) “The answer is that the verse simply means that He should turn from His place with mercy.”
This witty remark disturbed the Rebbe, for it had interrupted Rebbe Elimelech’s state of rapture. Rav Naftali Ropshitzer, not wanting to face the Rebbe’s disapproval, fled, running from the table back to his lodgings.
Rebbe Elimelech sent someone to call him back. When Reb Naftali returned, Rebbe Elimelech said to him, “How dare you interrupt my state of deveikus and ecstasy!”
Reb Naftali told his holy teacher, “We still need the Rebbe to remain here in this world.”
Rebbe Elimelech realized that his talmid’s intentions had been honorable and said, “Yasher ko’ach!” and he honored the Ropshitzer with leading the bentching.
(Devarim Areivim, p. 21; Ohel Elimelech 300)
The Dzhikover’s custom was not to draw out the third Shabbos meal too long into the night. One of the chassidim was in Krenitz and was an eyewitness to this custom:
He told how as soon as three stars appeared, they would bring candles to the Rebbe’s table (because the tisch was conducted in the dark) and the Rebbe related, “rebbe, Reb Elimelech used to conduct his sholosh seudos long, long into the night. Once, a general came to the rebbe’s tisch and tried to press rebbe, Reb Meilech to end the seuda and daven Maariv, but the rebbe paid him no heed. Because this ‘general,’ in fact, was the minister of gehinnom! But rebbe, Reb Elimelech did not fear him. I, however, do fear him, so I said, ‘Bring mayim acharonim and let’s bensch!’” (Mareh Aish #117)
The Rebbe Reb Zisha once asked his brother, “My beloved brother, in the holy writings it is written that all the souls were once included and contained in Adam, the first man. If so, we must also have been there at the moment he sinned and ate from the tree of knowledge. Why didn’t we prevent him from doing so?” The Rebbe Reb Elimelech answered him thus: “Brother, we were obliged to let him eat the fruit. If he had not, the serpent’s lie would still stand and would never have been proven false. The serpent said to him, ‘Your eyes will open and you will be as Hashem, knowing good and evil and able to create worlds.’ This is why Adam had to eat the fruit - once he did so, he saw that even though he had eaten of the fruit, he was still just a human being and no more.” (Ohel Elimelech 272)
When the two brothers the Rebbe Reb Elimelech and the Rebbe Reb Zisha were wandering disguised as beggars in self-imposed exile, they spent the night in a kretchma, an inn, in which a wedding was being celebrated. The two brothers were among the poor people who had gathered to partake of some of the food, as was the custom in those days. The wedding guests were a rough and crass bunch. Their spirits were merry from drink, and they began to poke fun at the unfortunate poor people. After each round of dancing, they summarily snatched up a poor man, threw him to the ground, and honored him with a string of abuse. Then they would start another round of dancing, throw the poor beggar once more to the ground, and treat him to another round of slaps and punches.
Since the Rebbe Reb Zisha was sitting nearest to the crowd, he was the honored recipient of the abuse. Rebbe Elimelech, sitting in the corner, was left alone while his hapless brother suffered the brunt of the abuse. In truth, Rebbe Elimelech was quite jealous of the suffering his brother had merited, for he was being given the opportunity to atone for his sins. He decided it was his turn to receive such an “opportunity.” He waited until Reb Zisha was sitting down after another bout of abuse and the crowd was busy dancing. He whispered into Reb Zisha’s ear, “My beloved brother, let us switch places. Sit here on my seat and I will sit on yours, and then you can rest a bit from the beatings you have received.”
They quickly switched places, and the rowdy group came again to snatch their victim. They were about to drag the Rebbe Reb Elimelech for a beating when one of the group shouted, “It isn’t fair to keep beating only this guest. Let us take that one who is sitting in the corner and honor him with a few blows so that he will be sure to remember this wedding!”
Sure enough, they once more grabbed the poor Reb Zisha from the corner thinking that he had not yet tasted a beating. After they had finished, the Rebbe Reb Zisha said to his brother, “See, my beloved brother, whoever is destined to be struck will be struck wherever he sits. They seek him out and deal him his due portion.” (Ohel Elimelech 177).
The holy Tzaddik, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel, the Apta Rav, once told how Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizhensk was once his guest and spent the night. The Apta Rav said, “During his stay, I gave him his own room. I once entered his room and observed and overheard how the Rebbe Elimelech sat and began to recite and review his actions. He was tallying his deeds and misdeeds and trying to calculate whether he deserved a portion in Olam HaBa, and this is what he said to himself:
“‘Nafshi, nafshi! O woe is me, my soul, my soul! You are unworthy of Olam HaBa!’ He proceeded to list all his shortcomings and then attempted to comfort himself:
“‘Even if you are truly unworthy, never fear – still Hashem, in His infinite mercy and kindness, will grant you a portion in Olam HaBa, because our sages taught (Sota 14a) that Hashem Himself fulfills the entire Torah: He comforts mourners, marries off brides and grooms and does acts of kindness and charity. Now Olam HaBa is not physical, so there is no food or drink there, so how can Hashem fulfill acts of charity there? Rather, He acts charitably by granting even such unworthy people as ourselves a portion in Olam HaBa; He gives them this portion as a gift and a charitable act.’”
Once Rebbe Reb Elimelech was on his way to the mikve accompanied by another Jew, when he heard a heavenly voice call out, “He who helps Rebbe Reb Shmelke overcome the wicked people in Nikolsburg will be assured a portion in the World to Come!” Rebbe Reb Shmelke had suffered terribly at the hands of some of the local residents. Rebbe Reb Elimelech asked the fellow who was with him if he had heard anything. The man had not. The Rebbe said to himself, “Since I heard this myself, it is a sign that I must journey to Nikolsburg.” He set off for Nikolsburg, and when he arrived he went straight to the house of Rebbe Reb Shmelke and asked him permission to give a discourse in the shul and rebuke the congregation. “And what good will it do for you to scold them?” Rebbe Reb Shmelke replied. “They will accept no tochocha.” But Rebbe Reb Elimelech insisted, and finally Rebbe Reb Shmelke gave in and granted him permission.
Rebbe Reb Elimelech went to the shul, where many people had gathered to hear his discourse, and he began to lecture. It seemed he had set out to prove to them how several sins listed in the Torah could actually be permitted. This type of speech was quite to their liking, and it whetted their palates for more. And so it was announced that Rebbe Reb Elimelech would speak again in the shul the next day, and the congregation returned in droves; almost the whole town showed up to hear the discourse.
This time Rebbe Reb Elimelech proceeded to prove to them how false were yesterday’s proofs and how all the sins in the Torah are quite grave and it is forbidden to transgress even the slightest of prohibitions of the Rabbonim’s enactments and decrees. His words stirred feelings of repentance and regret in their hearts until they began to cry. “Our own Rebbe [referring, of course, to Rebbe Reb Shmelke] told us these truths, only we refused to listen to him. We must all go to beg his forgiveness and make amends.”
They went to their Rebbe and fell on their faces, begging for forgiveness. They promised to listen and heed his words from then on – now that Rebbe Reb Elimelech had proven to them that their Rebbe’s words were true.
Having accomplished his mission, Rebbe Reb Elimelech asked to be granted leave from the Rebbe Reb Shmelke and he left town.
When he left Nikolsburg, he heard another heavenly voice proclaim, “Since you have aided the Rebbe Reb Shmelke, we grant you that anyone you bless within the next twenty-four hours shall be blessed.”
Rebbe Reb Elimelech walked and walked for almost a whole day, and yet he did not encounter a single Jew to bless. The Rebbe cried before Hashem, “Here You have given to me this gift for twenty-four hours and whom will I bless with it?” Suddenly, he saw a woman walking in the field and immediately he began blessing her. She became frightened and fled. The Rebbe called after her, “Do not be afraid! I am not an evil man, Heaven forbid. Tell me: where are you from and what is your occupation?” She stopped running and answered his questions, then allowed Rebbe Reb Elimelech to finish blessing her and they each went on their way.
When the woman arrived home, she told her husband about the stranger and his blessings. Sure enough, their fortune turned for the better, and their standard of living grew until they were quite wealthy. Seeing the result of the Tzaddik’s blessing, the couple believed that this man had been Eliyahu HaNovi in disguise, for they saw with their own eyes that all their handiwork was blessed. This couple established a fine home with servants in the city, and the wealthy man gave his servants permission to distribute donations up to a gold dinar without even consulting him.
Time passed, and Rebbe Reb Elimelech and his brother Rebbe Reb Zusha were traveling together, collecting charity to free captives, when they heard about this wealthy and charitable man. They traveled to his city and called on him, and his servants came to give them a donation. They refused the amount the servants offered, though they were being offered a golden dinar. They insisted on seeing the affluent man himself.
When they entered the rich man’s home, his wife saw them and recognized Rebbe Reb Elimelech. She was so overcome that she fainted, causing a great commotion in the household. When she came to, she told her husband that this man was Eliyahu HaNovi who had blessed her several years earlier.
Rebbe Reb Elimelech immediately declared that he was not Eliyahu HaNovi, and he had not come to take away their wealth, Heaven forbid. On the contrary, he was happy to see that his blessings bore fruit. The wealthy man asked them how much they needed to collect to redeem the captives. “Five hundred coins,” they said. The rich man left the room and soon returned with the entire sum. But they refused his generous gift, saying that they wanted to let other Jews have a hand in the merit of this great mitzva.
After much entreaty and pleading by the rich man, they accepted from him half the amount.
(Sichos Tzaddikim 17).
Rav Mendele Rimanover was one of the four main talmidim of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk.
Before Rav Mendele Rimanover was revealed as a Tzaddik and Rebbe possessing Ruach HaKodesh, divine intuition, he appeared at Rebbe Reb Elimelech’s table as just another Chassid, a regular devoted follower.
One Shabbos, the Rimanover was sitting with all the other Chassidim when the shamash brought in the Rebbe’s soup and placed it in front of the Rebbe. The Rebbe took the bowl of soup in his hands, overturned it, and spilled its contents onto the table. Suddenly gripped with fear, the Rimanover shouted, “Oy! Rebbe! Surely they will put us all in jail. You must stop immediately!”
The other guests almost burst out laughing at hearing such strange remarks coming from Rav Mendele, but they restrained themselves in the presence of their holy Rebbe. Rebbe Reb Elimelech said to Rav Mendele, “Relax, my son, we are all safe. We are all here right now.” The others were astonished at the Rebbe’s remarks until Rebbe Reb Elimelech explained what had transpired that had led him and Rav Mendele to say what they did.
A high-ranking government official had decided to pass a harsh decree against the Jews. He had tried many times before, unsuccessfully, to write out charges and have the king stamp and seal them with his ring. Today, he wrote out the charges once again, determined that this time nothing would stop him from carrying out his wicked plan. He was about to use sand to blot the ink and dry it when I overturned my soup bowl. The official became momentarily confused, picked up the inkwell instead, and proceeded to spill ink all over the accusatory letter he had just written! This young man,” the Rebbe concluded, indicating Rav Mendele, “was able to witness what I did, but only by divesting himself fully from the physical world. He forgot that we were in fact here in this room. He imagined that I had actually used my hand and physically overturned the inkwell. He became frightened, and in his terror he called out, for fear that we would be arrested for my actions.” Now everyone understood how lofty a level of Ruach HaKodesh this young man could perceive. (Ohel Elimelech 185)
Once, Rav Mendel of Rimanov told his teacher, Rebbe Reb Elimelech, that he actually saw the Maloch who removes the light before the darkness and the darkness before the light (as described in the first berocha of the Ma’ariv service). The Rebbe Reb Elimelech responded, “But I have already seen this Maloch in my youth!”
(Ohel Elimelech 156).
A Rav once asked the Rebbe Elimelech if he was engaged in writing anything or authoring a sefer [called a chibur, which also means “connection” or “attachment”]. “I have been in the process of authoring something and putting together something – a chibur – for some forty years now,” replied the Noam Eliemelech, “but it’s still not finished.”
“Please show me this chibur,” requested the Rav.
“It’s still not complete. I am working on the chibur of my heart to my Creator, you see,” explained the Tzaddik. (Kisvei Ri Shuv of Brisk #6)
Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Kaliv was once in Lizhensk during Parshas Beshalach. The Rebbe Elimelech asked the Kaliver to be absent when he recited Torah at the tisch for some secret reason that the Rebbe would not divulge, but the Kaliver did not wish to miss the opportunity to hear the Rebbe’s Chassidic discourse and so he remained.
As soon as the Noam Elimelech began to say Torah, the Kaliver jumped up away from the table and began to run to and fro in the entire house, singing Hallel at the top of his voice! Everyone present was very surprised by such aberrant behavior. Afterward, the Kaliver explained himself: “When the Rebbe said Torah about the weekly Parsha, I was infused by such excitement and it set me aflame with such hislahavus that I imagined myself to be in the midst of offering the Korban Pesach – and so I sang Hallel!” (Ohel Elimelech #274)
The Chakal Yitzchok of Spinka related, “The Rebbe Reb Melech once entered the kitchen and observed a baby being nursed by his mother. The child acted as all infants do, kicking and hitting his mother and generally striking out with his limbs with wanton abandon. The Rebbe chuckled and admonished the baby, “No, no, my child – don’t you know the Torah forbids striking and hitting a parent?!”
The Rebbe Elimelech’s mother was also present and she was very amused. “Don’t you realize that all babies behave this way? Why do you think you were any different?” she challenged him.
Hearing this the Rebbe was greatly troubled. He quickly went over to the stove where the flames were merrily crackling beneath a pot cooking something suspended above the fire. “The hand that sinned shall be burned!” declared the Rebbe, aflame with emotion to atone for his infantile misdeeds and childish misdemeanors, and, to the horror of all present, the Rebbe Elimelech burned his hands in the fire!
Later, when a miracle occurred and his hands healed, returning to their original state, the Rebbe would display a hand to the Chassidim and say, “See this hand? I wasn’t born with it – it grew back miraculously through Hashem’s mercy and kindness!” (Introduction of Chakal Yitzchok to Imrei Yosef Spinka on Shemos. See also Divrei Chaim Sanz, Parshas Ki Savo p. 275)
he Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk once testified that if the Rebbe Eliemelech were allowed to perform just one more mitzva, he would seize the opportunity to run away from Gan Eden to do that and fulfill Hashem’s will! (Ohel Shlomo Radomsk, Vol. II #10)
Rav Levi Yitzchok Bender used to say that for some six years the Rebbe Elimelech would dip his bread in his own tears [through doing teshuva]! (Siach Sarfei Kodesh Breslov, Vol. III #634)
When the Rebbe Elimelech was niftar, two of his talmidim, Rav Uri Strelisker and Rav Gavriel MiTschuk, came together and sobbed unrelentingly, crying bitter tears and saying, “A shtickel emes iz gevein oif dem oilom, hut men es oich aveckgenumen fun inz!! – There was at least a piece of truth in this world, and now that too has been taken away from us!!” (Devorim Areivim, #40)
The Saba Kadisha of Radoshitz, in his sefer, Niflaos (volume 1, pages 21–22), recorded an amazing story about the formulation of the Noam Elimelech’s “Prayer Before Praying”. The story goes like this:
When he was a child, the Saba Kadisha was once visiting Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk. He was talking with Chassidim from the Rebbe’s inner circle in front of the Rebbe’s home when several extremely tall men came and hurried into the house. When they reached the doorway, they had to stoop down to enter since they were so unusually tall. The holy Rebbe closed the door behind them before the Chassidim could catch a glimpse of their faces. They waited outside until the visitors left to see if they could recognize them. Again, the Chassidim were astonished when the men left. They did so in such a hurry that they could not make out the men’s features and just saw their backs; they left so fast they almost vanished. The Chassidim realized that something unusual had just taken place, and they decided to investigate and find out what had occurred.
The elder Chassidim among them approached the Rebbe and asked him to explain the strange incident. This is what the Rebbe told them:
“When I realized that most people cannot concentrate properly on their tefillos anymore due to the awesome burdens of earning a livelihood, and they lack the time and the understanding to concentrate fully, I decided to rewrite the standard formula for the tefillos. I would write a new, short and concise version that would be equally understood and grasped by everyone.
“The holy Members of the Great Assembly, the Anshei Knesses HaGedola (the original authors of the standard tefillos from the time of the Talmud), realized what I intended. They came here to ask me not to change even one tefilla from their established formula. I took their counsel and discussed the matter with them. They advised me to establish a tefilla to daven before the formal tefilla service. This would help anyone who lacks the concentration and proper devotions that are necessary for all formal tefillos.” This “tefilla before tefillos” is the Yehi Rotzon tefilla printed in many siddurim in the name of Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk.
(MiPeninei Noam Elimelech, p. 315).
When the two holy brothers, the Rebbe Reb Melech and the Rebbe Reb Zisha wandered together in self-imposed exile to rectify the world and bring Yiddishe kinder to teshuva, they once entered an inn and found a group of elderly, idle Jews who sat around drinking and playing cards. Seeking to rouse their hearts and awaken them to teshuva, Rav Elimelech turned to Reb Zisha and said to him, “Zisha, zog! Say something!” Reb Zisha knocked on the table to get their attention and told them:
“Rabbosai, you should know that the yetzer hora quit his job and retired!”
“Why did he quit?” they asked.
Reb Zisha explained, “Once, the yetzer hora went to Gan Eden, and there he saw all kinds of neshomos of sinners and wicked people. In life, all these people were the yetzer’s gang, always living a krum lifestyle. When he saw them in Gan Eden, he wondered how they got there! He was told that they had done teshuva and mended their ways, and so they no longer belonged to him. Now their place was in Gan Eden.
“If so, all my hard work is for nothing,” he complained. “I spend all my time tricking people to sin, causing them to stumble and transgress, and here they just go and do teshuva and become upstanding, reputable citizens of Gan Eden! That’s it! I quit!” And he retired. In his place a different angel was given the job of testing and trying to tempt others to sin.
Later, the former yetzer hora met the new one and asked the angel how his job was going. “Oh, my job is just fine,” answered the new yetzer hora smugly.
“How come you are so satisfied?” wondered the old yetzer hora aloud. “If you expend all your efforts and hard work to get people to sin and transgress, and then they just go and teshuva and escape off to Gan Eden, what’s the point, eh?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” answered the new yetzer. “You see, I am smarter than you and I learned from your failures. Your mistake was that you went after the younger generation. Those youngsters have their whole lives ahead of them and so they have plenty of years left to do teshuva and go to Gan Eden. I go after the elderly people with no time left. Idle, sinful old geezers like these…” and so saying, Reb Zisha pointed at the throng of card players, having got his message across. “They,” concluded the new yetzer, “have no time left to do teshuva and you’ll never find them in Gan Eden. They will die wicked! (Needless to say, they internalized the message, did teshuva and escaped the yetzer’s clutches as well!) (Otzar HaSippurim, Volume III - Chapter 10)
Elazar Nissan was the only son of Rav Moshe Teitelbaum of Uhjel, author of Yismach Moshe. When Elazar Nissan was nine years old, he fell precariously ill. The Yismach Moshe and his wife watched with growing despair as their child burned with fever while the doctors gave little hope for his recovery.
The Yismach Moshe decided that his son’s life was dependent on the tefillos of someone greater than himself. He appointed two faithful Jews as his emissaries and sent them to Lizhensk to beseech Hashem in the merit of the tzaddik, the Rebbe Reb Melech. “When you arrive at the beis hachaim,” Rav Moshe explained, “say out loud that you vow a neder to give a coin to tzedakah for the sake of the neshama that will approach the holy soul of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech on High.
Tell him that we have arrived to daven to Hashem at his tziyun. What will happen,” explained Rav Moshe further, “is that your vow will stir up all the neshamos that are hovering near the tziyun. They will each wish to deliver the coin to the holy tzaddik for charity since, in the world of truth known as olam ha’emes, the merit of a mitzvah is a very precious and valuable asset. Therefore, all the neshamos will vie to be the one that succeeds in reaching the Rebbe Reb Elimelech first and having the coin’s merit be ascribed to their own neshama. After this all transpires, you can approach the tziyun of the Noam Elimelech and daven there for my son’s refuah.” The Yismach Moshe then added: “Please pay attention to your watches and note the time when you daven at the tziyun so we can compare the timing when you return.” The shluchim listened carefully to the rebbe’s request and started on their way as agents to fulfill the request.
Sometime later, the child awoke from his feverish dreams and called out: “Tatty Tatty!” When the Yismach Moshe hurried over, young Elazar Nissan told him: “From now on I will get better, I won’t be sick anymore and I will get up out of bed and be healthy again!” Overjoyed, the Yismach Moshe asked, “my son, how do you know this?” “Because Tatty,” explained the child, “just this very minute a great rebbe came to see me.” He then described perfectly just how the Rebbe Reb Melech looked. “He gave me a berachah that I would get better and be healthy from now on!”
The Yismach Moshe checked his watch. Off course when the shluchim returned and they compared notes, the time of the child’s miraculous recovery and the time that they were davening at the tziyun matched exactly! (Tehillah L’Moshe)
The Divrei Chaim of Sanz once told Rav Shimon Sofer of Cracow regarding his father the Chasam Sofer that:
“It was no chiddush that your father the Chasam Sofer was so great and holy and rose to such heights when he had a rebbe such as Rav Nassan Adler.
Regarding whom I heard from my own rebbe Rav Naphtali of Ropshitz who heard in turn from his rebbe the Rebbe Reb Melech of Lizensk author of Noam Elimelech who said that ‘for many years a soul such as Rav Nosson Adler’s had not descended to this world besides the soul of the Baal Shem Tov.’”
The author of Chesed L’Avraham, Rav Azulai, asked Rebbe Elimelech after they had already entered the higher worlds, “How is it that I authored ten sefarim and merited that they are even studied in the heavens, but at the mere mention of the name of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech, there is a great tumult in the heavens? What did you do to merit this?”
Rebbe Elimelech answered, “Every erev Shabbos, my household was full of such awe that even the maids would fall down crying and begging each other for forgiveness saying, ‘Forgive me if I offended you all week long!’ They would cry and forgive one another as people do on erev Yom Kippur. This great feeling of awe emanated from me because of my awe of the approaching holy Shabbos day.” (Ohel Elimelech 197)
Rav Shmuel of Karov was originally from Neustadt near Cracow when he heard of the Rebbe Elimelech and travelled to study under him.
When he initially arrived the Rebbe Elimelech rebuked him saying “I can smell the stench of something rotten coming from you!” Rav Shmuel was at first taken aback and greatly offended. But after hearing his new rebbe and mentor repeat this rebuke several times over during the weeks he spent in Lizensk, Rav Shmuel began to review his own deeds. He decided that surely he had some character flaws and that the moral failing that his rebbe meant must be arrogance and false pride. Then after he began to work on this flaw the Rebbe Elimelech drew him close.
At the time there was a cholera epidemic that plagued the region and Rav Elimelech sought a segula to end the plague.
One of the local villagers had an older daughter. Aged thirty six that he was unable to marry off due to his poverty and inability to provide her with a suitable dowry.
He approached the Rebbe Elimelech and since there was a well known segulah against plagues and epidemics to marry of the poor, indigent and orphans, Rav Elimelech proposed a match and made her a shidduch with the water carrier who was a thirty year old orphan.
The Kozhnitzer Maggid grabbed a fiddle and the Chozeh from Lublin cracked jokes acting as a jester and badchan to entertain the assembled at what was to be sure a wedding never to forget.
Rav Elimelech turned to Rav Shmuel and said to him, “come let us go together to simchas chassan ve’kallah and lets make the groom (chosson) and bride (kallah) happy.”
As they stood they heard the grammen – the rhymed couplets of Yiddish prose and verse that the Chozeh of Lublin used to entertain the dancing guests.
Rav Elimelech asked Rav Shmuel of Kariv “Can you see how the fire dances and swirls surrounding them all?” When Rav Shmuel replied in the negative that he could not see it, “here you must have some speck or dirt clouding your vision,” so saying Rav Elimelech took out his handkerchief and proceeded to clean and rub Rav Shmuel’s eyes. Then Rav Shmuel saw for himself how the fire danced around the merrymaking partygoers and dancers!
Then the tzadik himself joined the dance and Rav Elimelech danced for longer than an hour!
He then declared “Chessed veEmes” is the same gematria and has the numerical value of Chassan and Kallah!
Then Rav Elimelech davened: “Ribono Shel Olam – Master of the World! In the merit of our dancing mitzvah tantz may we merit to put out at least one fiery coal that was prepared for us in Gehinom!”
(Ohel Elimelech 153)
Rav Moshe Duvid Shtrum of Tarnov once told how Rav Shimeleh Zelichover HY"D the famed mashgiach of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin once entered the beis medrash of Rav Aryeh Leibush of Sanz and he asked the yungeleit that were gathered there a question:
He asked them "why is that Rav Aryeh Leib does not recite LeDovid Hashem Ori, whereas in Shinuva (the son of tthe Divrei Chaim) they do recite it?! (the Divrei Chaim also did not recite it) they had no answer and he so told them "I will tell you a true story regarding Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem of Chelm:
"There was a decree of expulsion from the local squire, he was childless and he ordered all the Jews there to pray for him to have children and if they failed he would expel them all from his environs. Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem promised him a son within 12 months." The holy Rav Yisrael Baal Shem Tov retold this tale to his disciples and he told them "don't think that this came easily to Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem. At first Rav Eliyahu turned to the forces of holiness and when this failed he turned to the forces of darkness from the other side when this too failed, he laid his own life down on the line and turned to the leader of all the forces of evil himself," the Baal Shem Tov concluded "and as a punishment for forcing the hand of Heaven as it were, so to speak, don't assume that he was punished by sixty flames, instead he was told that he would lose all his nefesh, ruach and neshama, however since he laid his life down and self sacrificed himself to save the Jews, instead the heavenly decree was that two of the enacted prayers that he had instituted and they were: the recitation of LeDovid Hashem Ori and the second was the recitation of KeGavna."
Rav Shimeleh Zelichover concluded: "it is known for example the Rebbe Reb Meilech of Lizensk did not recite KeGavna whereas the Apta Rav the Ohev Yisroel did not recite leDovid Hashem Ori (in this manner the talmidei HaBaal Shem kept up the tradition of reciting these tefilos enacted by Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem while still the decree was fulfilled)."
(cited from Nezer HaKodesh Minhagei Ropshitz pg147)
Divrei Torah of Rebbe Reb Elimelech Weissblum of Lizhensk zt"l
the opening of the ark
“Place the opening for the Ark on its side” (6:16)
The Noam Elimelech teaches us the meaning of this pasuk: when a person wishes to start out on the path of return, to seek out sanctity, he must strengthen himself and push himself [despite any initial hardship]. At first, when he begins this journey back to Hashem, it will seem very difficult. The opening will appear too small and he will have to push as hard as he can, even when he feels he cannot push anymore – at which point they will aid him from Heaven and help him succeed [to push himself through].
Chazal tell us (Bova Kama 50a) that whoever says that Hashem forgives, should forgive and give up his own innards first. The Rebbe Reb Melech explains this Maamar Chazal another way: whoever wants Hashem to forgive him his past misdeeds should indeed give up his innards – he should forgo the desires of the stomach and intestines, the desire and lust after food, drink and other worldly extravagances. He should eat and drink in order to satiate himself and give himself vitality and follow a healthy diet. Through this self-sacrifice of giving up the pleasures of eating and drinking – giving up his own innards – Hashem will mirror his action and forgive him his sins.
The Noam Elimelech continues to describe the path of teshuva by citing the Gemora in Menochos that asks why the bottom rung of the Hebrew letter heh hangs open? The Gemora answers that those who seek to return to Hashem should enter through that small space left open between the roof and foot of the heh.
This, explains Rebbe Reb Melech, is the small opening which a ba’al teshuva, a returnee, must push himself into, struggling and forcing his way in until they aid him from Heaven. This is the opening of the teiva (Ark) described in the pasuk in Parshas Noach. This is the opening of the path of self-seclusion, of hisbodedus and speaking with Hashem in private, secluded conversations. The pasuk says: “on its side” – the opening on the side is small and appears too small for us to fit through. Nonetheless, it is an illusion. We must struggle, push and force ourselves inside. If we constantly strengthen ourselves, pushing further, eventually we will succeed in rectifying ourselves.