Rav Menachem Mendel Turim of Rymanow zt"l
הרב מנחם מנדל בן יוסף חריף טורים זצ"ל
Iyar 19 , 5575
Rav Menachem Mendel Turim of Rymanow zt"l
In Ateres Menachem, we learn that Rav Menachem Mendel was born around תק''ה in Neustadt, Poland and studied in the illustrious yeshivah of the Rebbe Reb Shmelka of Nikolsberg in Moravia. There, he became a member of the Chassidic movement and eventually a talmid muvhak of the rebbe, Reb Melech of Lizensk in Galicia. Eventually, Rav Mendel married and lived with his in-laws in Pristik. His father-in-law was a misnaged-- opposed to Chassidus-- and threw his son-in-law and daughter out when he found out that they had joined the “cult”. They suffered poverty and privation for years, becoming so poor and destitute that they lacked food, wood, and other basic needs.
Eventually, after the Rebbe Elimelech’s passing, news of Rav Mendele’s sanctity and erudition spread and he began to lead a flock of followers and chassidim in Rymanow. Tzaddikim said that for some twenty-two years he delivered a weekly sermon about Parshas HaMon which drew down parnassah (sustenance) for all Klal Yisroel. He was a staunch opponent of new fashions and modes of dress and fought against any immodesty he perceived in the dress of Bnos Yisroel. His talmid and disciple, Rav Yechezkel Pannet of Karlsberg, wrote a famed letter describing Rav Mendele’s kedushah and defending him from his detractors.
His biographical stories were published as Ateres Menachem, and his divrei Torah are found in several collections: Divrei Menachem, Menachem Tzion, and others.
He passed away on 19 Iyar תקע''ה and was succeeded by his holy gabbai, Rav Tzvi Hirsch MeShares haKohen of Rymanow.
Stories of Rav Menachem Mendel Turim of Rymanow zt"l
Rav Mendel of Rymanow was but a young man when he began his pilgrimages to Lizensk to the rebbe, Reb Melech. He was poor and had not a coin to his name. His clothes were simple and old, and the harsh winter brought the kind of bitter cold that creeps into your bones.
With no alternative, Rav Mendel hired himself out as watchman. He would travel about with the coaches and travelers. While the coachmen and the travelers spent the night at the inn, Rav Mendel remained, outside in the cold, guarding the coach and the horses against thieves.
On one particular trip, snow fell relentlessly and traveling was hard. Finally, night fell and the coach reached its destination. As the coachman and his customers entered the warm inn, Rav Mendel braved the bitter elements outside, shivering under his threadbare coat, shaking in his hole-filled shoes, and waiting for the dawn as he stood guard.
It was so cold, he ran back and forth, clapping his hands and rubbing them together for warmth. Soon, he began to hop and one foot and then on the other. This routine soon became a dance as he hopped and clapped, singing in simcha, “Baruch Hashem I am cold! Praised by the Lord I am freezing! Baruch Hashem I am starving!”
Another coach arrived at the inn and as the travelers alighted, they witnessed a bizarre scene before them. There in the bitter cold night, an obviously poor man danced and sang! “What are you singing?” They asked in astonishment.
“I am praising Hashem for making me so healthy that I can properly feel my hunger,” answered Rav Mendel.
“And why don’t you eat?” They asked.
“I have no money” he answered. The travelers decided to take care of Rav Mendel; they brought him into the warm inn and placed someone else as a watchman. They fed him until he was sated and when his wits returned, he declared, “Had I not sang and danced, praising Hashem, I would still be cold and hungry!” (Chassidim MiSaprim #44)
Rav Yaakov Yitzchok, the Chozeh of Lublin once asked Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow if he had any followers and Chassidim? “Yes, we do,” responded Rav Menachem Mendel.
“And in what way are they Chassidim?” inquired the Chozeh further.
“Our Chassidim, my followers,” answered Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow, “study in depth halocha and Tosfos.”
“If so,” replied the Chozeh, “then they are indeed true Chassidim!” (Bais Menachem 5:2)
Similarly, regarding the study of halocha and Tosfos, Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow said that he never understood the secret of the matter until recently, that those laws and halochos forgotten during the aveilus over Moshe (see Temura 16a) were returned to us by Osniel ben Kenaz during the days of Sefiras HaOmer. Therefore, it is a minhag Yisrael, which has the status of Torah, to study halocha and Tosfos during these holy days. (From the letter Igeres HaKodesh of Rav Yechezkel Paneth of Karlsberg, originally published in Shu”t Mareh Yechezkel Siman 104 {it is known that on the thirty-fourth day of the Omer, the yahrzeit of Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow, they found the Divrei Chaim of Sanz reviewing this teshuva and his eyes poured forth tears of longing. Derech Yivchar by Rav Chaim Betzalel Paneth of Tash and son of the Mareh Yechezkel}
An elder Linsker Chassid once told that he heard himself how Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow asked, “What did Bnei Yisrael do from the time of Rosh Chodesh Sivan until Kabbolas HaTorah? They had not yet received the Torah so they were not yet studying it!”
He (Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow) answered, “In the interim they were all reciting the berocha Ahava Rabba – How great is the love!” (Kisvei Chassidim Yalkut Menachem 290)
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)
Once, in his youth, Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov was studying in the Bais Medrash under Rav Doniel Yaffe in Berlin. He studied the works of the Rif on the Talmud diligently, and his soul thirsted for self-perfection. Once, he learned so much in one sitting that his tongue stuck to his palate. He began to daven deep in his heart and cried to Hashem to enlighten him and brighten his darkness. He davened and davened, until he fell into a deep sleep and dreamed. In his dreams he saw the Rif himself. The Rif showed him an image of Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk and told him to travel to the Rebbe, for there he would succeed in attaining his goal.
(Ohel Elimelech 183)
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).
“Rav Elozor Ish Bartosa says: Give Him what is His, because you and yours are His” (Avos 3:8).
Rav Ovadia Yosef used to illustrate our Mishna with the following story:
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov once sat studying and teaching Torah with his talmidim when a pauper entered the Bais Medrash. Some people naturally awaken sympathy and our pauper was an especially bedraggled and sad sight that tugged at the Tzaddik’s heartstrings. The Rebbe sent his gabbai to fetch a golden dinar from his wallet in the next room and the Rebbe handed the surprised and grateful pauper one gold coin. The poor beggar was dumbstruck and overjoyed at his good fortune. A gold dinar was a handsome, large donation, and he effusively thanked the Rimanover and went on his way.
Afterward, the Rebbe had second thoughts. He began to feel troubled that he had given the pauper tzedoka out of feelings of mercy, compassion and sympathy, rather than to fulfill the mitzva of tzedoka for the sake of Hashem, as Rashi comments on Teruma – “‘Take teruma and give it lishmi – for the sake of My Name,’ says Hashem.” The Rebbe decided that he would call his attendant again and send him after the pauper.
The pauper was meanwhile happily on his way, smiling at his good fortune. The poor man had gone some distance when behind him he heard the Rebbe’s attendant calling after him, running to catch his breath. The pauper froze and his eyes darkened. “Oh no! Surely the Rebbe made a mistake when he gave me a gold dinar and he has sent his gabbai after me to exchange it for a silver one!”
Still, having no choice, he turned sadly around and headed back to the Rebbe’s hoif, following the gabbai’s lead.
When they returned, the Rebbe had the gabbai bring the wallet and to the pauper’s total astonishment, not only did the Rebbe not take his gold dinar away, but he proceeded to hand him another gold coin! This was too much! The pauper smiled, turned to the Rebbe and taking courage from the Tzaddik’s kindness, asked boldly, “Rebbe, I am sorry, I don’t understand. If Your Honor wished to give me two gold coins, why couldn’t the Rebbe have done so at once rather than call me back? The gabbai gave me quite a turn and I suffered a fright and was very downcast and disappointed until just now,” he concluded, confused.
The Tzaddik smiled and explained, “In Parshas Re’eh the pasuk tells us noson titein – ‘you shall surely give tzedoka’. Why does the pasuk use a double expression? It tells us that if you give out of feelings of sympathy, give once more for the sake of the mitzva. This is what I did. The pasuk also says, ‘Your heart shall not be evil when you give him’. I interpret this pasuk to mean that the first time you give tzedoka do not do so because of the feelings in your heart, that you feel bad for the pauper; therefore give again, and do so for the sake of mitzvas tzedoka. (Anaf Etz Avos p. 183)
Divrei Torah of Rav Menachem Mendel Turim of Rymanow zt"l
the divine revelation on har sinai - seeing hashem face-to-face
“Hashem spoke once (and) I heard this twice” (Tehillim 62:12).
The heilige Ropshitzer cites the Medrash that quotes our pasuk, saying, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha – I am Hashem, your G-d”. The Medrash adds, “As it says: “Face-to-face Hashem spoke with you” (Devorim 5:4).
The Ropshitzer reminds us here in Parshas Yisro of what he says in his derushim to Shavuos: “I heard from my teacher and master, Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow, regarding the pasuk in Tehillim (62:12), ‘Hashem spoke once and I heard twice’ the following: Perhaps, said the Rymanower, we heard from the Holy One’s mouth nothing but a single letter, just the alef of the word anochi…” From this, says the Ropshitzer, we understood the rest of the Aseres HaDibros (Ten Commandments). Perhaps, adds the Ropshitzer, we heard just komatz alef [the first nikud taught to a cheder yingel], the alef vowelized with the nikud of komatz, as explained elsewhere at length.
He continues in his derushim to Shavuos to explain this in greater detail, saying that we can try to understand this idea based on the sweet words of our forefathers, who said that Shivisi Hashem lenegdi somid is a klal godol baTorah – “Placing Hashem before me at all times is a great general principle in the Torah”. Notice that they did not say it is a great rule in Avodas Hashem (serving Hashem) – no, they said “in Torah”!
lack of simcha causes the enemy to rule
Rav Mendel of Rymanow taught that lack of joy gives power to the enemy nations, allowing them to rule over you. He illustrated this based on his understanding of the verse, Devarim 28:47 “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d in joy, with a glad heart, and you served your enemies.” He read it as one statement: “Because you did not serve Hashem b’simcha, instead, you will serve your enemies.” If you lack joy and delight in fulfilling the mitzvos, then it is this that gives the enemy nations the upper hand in having their desires and needs fulfilled, resulting in the fact that they shall rule over you and you will serve them. (Menachem Tzion Yeshaya 58:13)
lack of simcha causes the enemy to rule
Rav Mendel of Rymanow taught that lack of joy gives power to the enemy nations, allowing them to rule over you. He illustrated this based on his understanding of the verse, Devarim 28:47 “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d in joy, with a glad heart, and you served your enemies.” He read it as one statement: “Because you did not serve Hashem b’simcha, instead, you will serve your enemies.” If you lack joy and delight in fulfilling the mitzvos, then it is this that gives the enemy nations the upper hand in having their desires and needs fulfilled, resulting in the fact that they shall rule over you and you will serve them. (Menachem Tzion Yeshaya 58:13)
lack of simcha causes the enemy to rule
Rav Mendel of Rymanow taught that lack of joy gives power to the enemy nations, allowing them to rule over you. He illustrated this based on his understanding of the verse, Devarim 28:47 “Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d in joy, with a glad heart, and you served your enemies.” He read it as one statement: “Because you did not serve Hashem b’simcha, instead, you will serve your enemies.” If you lack joy and delight in fulfilling the mitzvos, then it is this that gives the enemy nations the upper hand in having their desires and needs fulfilled, resulting in the fact that they shall rule over you and you will serve them. (Menachem Tzion Yeshaya 58:13)
all your actions are recorded and written down in a sefer
Rav Yosef Levenstein of Seratzk told how Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow once told Rav Naftoli Ropshitzer to go and teach Pirkei Avos together with the Chassidim.
They were studying the Mishnah Avos (2:1): “All your actions are recorded and written down in a sefer,” and the Ropshitzer explained this mishna as follows:
All the travels and journeys of Rav Menachem Mendel from Pristik to Rymanow and what he accomplished on all those trips and journeys will be recorded, as well as all of our travels and trips, of each and every one of us, all of these will be written and recorded in the sefer and they will form a new Torah, as in the pasuk, Torah chadosha me'iti teitzei – and it will be genuinely Torah, so much so that every person will recite upon it Birkas HaTorah as we do when we read from the Torah scroll. (Ateres Menachem 90)
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow himself taught that all the travels of Chassidim to their Rebbes who were bonded and attached to them at the root of the souls will be inscribed in a sefer and this will form a body of new Torah (Imrei Chaim Shoftim 71b). The pasuk “A new Torah will come out from Me” means that even the tales and stories of the talmidei Ba’al Shem Tov and their travels and what happened to them on their journeys will all be blessed by the recitation of Nosen HaTorah the very same as recited over Krias HaTorah (ibid 72b).
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow warned us often to study in depth (iyun). He highly praised this form of study when done lishma (sincerely, for the right reasons). He praised it as one of the forty-eight ways through which the Torah is acquired (Avos ch. 6) and taught that all the Tzaddikim in our generation only merited lofty spiritual levels through in-depth study (b’iyun).
the divine revelation on har sinai - seeing hashem face-to-face
“Hashem spoke once (and) I heard this twice” (Tehillim 62:12).
The heilige Ropshitzer cites the Medrash that quotes our pasuk, saying, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha – I am Hashem, your G-d”. The Medrash adds, “As it says: “Face-to-face Hashem spoke with you” (Devorim 5:4).
The Ropshitzer reminds us here in Parshas Yisro of what he says in his derushim to Shavuos: “I heard from my teacher and master, Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow, regarding the pasuk in Tehillim (62:12), ‘Hashem spoke once and I heard twice’ the following: Perhaps, said the Rymanower, we heard from the Holy One’s mouth nothing but a single letter, just the alef of the word anochi…” From this, says the Ropshitzer, we understood the rest of the Aseres HaDibros (Ten Commandments). Perhaps, adds the Ropshitzer, we heard just komatz alef [the first nikud taught to a cheder yingel], the alef vowelized with the nikud of komatz, as explained elsewhere at length.
He continues in his derushim to Shavuos to explain this in greater detail, saying that we can try to understand this idea based on the sweet words of our forefathers, who said that Shivisi Hashem lenegdi somid is a klal godol baTorah – “Placing Hashem before me at all times is a great general principle in the Torah”. Notice that they did not say it is a great rule in Avodas Hashem (serving Hashem) – no, they said “in Torah”!
shabbos a delight - yom kippur haftorah
“If you restrain your feet because of Shabbos…and if you proclaim the Shabbos a delight” (Yeshaya 58:13). Rav Mendel of Rymanow taught that true joy is awakened on Shabbos when we sing Hashem’s praises and exult in the honor of Hashem’s glory and His exalted name. This in turn uplifts and refines any negative, licentious, or foreign, extraneous thoughts a person had [all week], as well as any negative traits and bad habits that he formed [all week long]. This is illustrated by the aforementioned pasuk, which the Rymanower reads as, “If you reform your habits because of Shabbos,” because raglecha, which is usually translated as “feet,” can mean “habit.” Thus, the novi is saying, “If you proclaim the Shabbos a delight,” and rejoice, then this “reforms your bad habits,” and transforms them, uplifting and refining them, “because of Shabbos.” (Menachem Tzion, Yeshaya 58:13)
Segulos of Rav Menachem Mendel Turim of Rymanow zt"l
There is a well-known segula to study Parshas HaMon shnayim mikra ve’echad Targum from the Rymanower.
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow said if a person makes a neder (vow) to donate candles for the sake of a certain soul, known as “neiros neshama,” that neshama will venture even to the lowest depths of sheol to do a favor for the donor. Even if the donor had come to fall--sinking to the deepest depth-- that neshama would descend to take him out of there, thus saving him.
(Ateres Menachem p. 235)
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow promised that during his lifetime he would shake and move all the worlds for anyone who lights a candle for the merit of his soul and even after his death, he would repay the favor for that person. (Menachem Tzion in the name of Rav Yisroel Mordechai Teitelbaum, Hadras Kodesh, in the name of the Rebbe of Nasuad)
There is a well-known minhag Yisrael, a custom that young students have, to shoot with a bow and arrow in displays of archery on Lag BaOmer.
Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dynow, mechaber of Bnei Yissoschor, says he heard that Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow explained the reason behind this minhag as follows:
It is known (Yerushalmi Berochos 9:2) that in the days of Rav Shimon bar Yochai the rainbow was not seen. On the day of his ascension we mark this occasion and commemorate the absence of the rainbow with the bow and arrow. (Bnei Yissoschor Iyar 3:4)
Rav Moshe Teitelbaum of Uhjel taught in the name of Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow that whoever merits true knowledge – daas sheleima – when such a person sees a Tzaddik and gazes upon him, he can learn true Torah from every limb as he himself [Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow] testified that he learned Torah from his own Rebbe, Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk, from all of his limbs mamash. (Tefilla leMoshe, Noach 39b)
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)
There is a well-known segula to light a candle for the elevation of Rav Mendele’s soul known as le’ilui nishmas, on the day of his Yahrzeit. In the London edition of Menachem Tzion, the publisher notes: I received a well-known tradition from Rav Yisrael Mordechai Teitelbaum – who in turn received this tradition from many Tzaddikim – that Rav Mendel Rimanover himself said that when he was still alive he had the power to shake all the supernal worlds up and that after his passing he would consider it a tremendous favor and in turn do a favor for one who lights a candle for the merit and in honor of his neshoma.
So light a candle and say, “Le’ilui nishmas HaRav HaTzaddik Menachem Mendel ben Rav Yosef zy”a.” Then daven to Hashem in his merit.
Rav Doniel Frish, mechaber of the Mosok MiDevash on the Zohar would say that he knows many people who merited salvations by doing this segula.
The holy Rav Mendel of Rimanov said that if a person makes a neder (vow) to donate candles and lights them on behalf of a departed soul, then that soul can journey even down into the deepest pits and the lowest depths of the sheol tachtis to do a favor for the donor and they can even rescue him from the lowest place in sheol tachtis as well, heaven forbid. (Ateres Menachem 235)
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow taught that it is a segula to recite the pesukim of the mishkan before davening. He learned this concept from parshas VaYakhel (35:4) where it says asher tziva Hashem – Hashem commanded us to do this, to erect a mishkan where we could serve Him. It is therefore a segula before davening to recite the pesukim of the mishkan, for then it is considered as if we built a mishkan, entered it and davened to Hashem from within. (Menachem Tzion, Kol Yaakov Melo HaRo’im, Vayikra, Behaalos’cha)
Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanow taught the following:
“And you were happy,” – והיית אך שמח (Devarim 16:15) The final letters-- ס''ת חת''ך --of the words of this pasuk spell a Divine Holy Name of the angel of livelihood, of parnassah. This is a hint that simchah, joy, is a segulah for parnassah.
(Toldos Noach Likkutim 35:1 cited by Yalkut Menachem p. 232)