Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein of Ziditchov zt"l
הרב יצחק אייזיק בן יששכר בעריש אייכענשטיין זצ"ל
Sivan 9 , 5633
Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein of Ziditchov zt"l
Born in 1805, son of Rav Yissocher Berish Eichenstein of Zidatshuv. He was a talmid muvhak (disciple) of his uncle - Rav Tzvi Hirsch of Zidatshuv and of Rav Moshe of Samvur.
Rav Yitzchok Aizikel’s appreciation and respect for his uncle Rav Tzvi Hirsch was boundless. He cites him constantly in his many seforim, virtually making mention of him on almost every page.
Rav Tzvi Hirsch testified about his beloved nephew and disciple that a soul like his had not come down into this world for hundreds of years.
He was a child prodigy, recognized from a very young age for his extraordinary memory and holy ways. From age fourteen, he would never again sleep through the night; instead, he arose at midnight for tikkun chatzos and studied Torah until dawn.
He did his best to get well acquainted with other tzaddikim of his generation including the disciples of the Chozeh: Rav Naphtuli Ropshizter, Rav Meir Premishlaner, Rav Sar Sholom of Belz, and Rav Shimon Yarosluver. He even travelled great distances to meet with Rav Yisroel of Ruzhin and he reached Mezibuzh to meet with the elder of the generation, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel of Apta, the Ohev Yisroel.
He lived in deprivation until his eventual appointment as rebbe. Until then, he was so severely impoverished that he walked around in tattered shoes that had holes in them.
He had taken to wandering and travelling to seek out a way to sustain his family and make some living.
When he tried his hand at the rabbinate, the Sar Sholom of Belz and Rav Meir Premishlaner refused to grant him a letter of approbation. Their stated reason was that he was more suited for a position as a chassidic rebbe and went so far as to predict that he would one day lead thousands.
When Rav Yehudah Tzvi of Rozdal passed away in תר"ח, the majority of his followers flocked to Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Zidatshuv eyeing him as their new rebbe and leader.
After some time, he moved to take over his uncle's beis midrash and he became the recognized successor to the Zidatshuver dynasty, despite the fact that other relatives also conducted themselves as chassidic rebbes.
Many other tzaddikim accepted his leadership and relied on him even though they themselves had courts of loyal chassidim and followers. These included such rebbes as Rav Avraham of Stretin, Rav Eliezer of Ozipula, Rav Uri of Ruhatin, Rav Yekusiel Yehudah Teitelbaum of Sighet, Rav Yehoshua of Kaminka, Rav Chaim Avraham of Mykolayev, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Lisker, Rav Yehoshua of Belz, and Rav Chatzkel Shrage Shinuver. Quite amazingly, Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Kormarno deferred to him, even though they were cousins and Rav Isaac of Komarno began his tenure as a chassidic rebbe himself before his cousin became rebbe.
There were also many great talmidei chachamim in his generation who recognized his leadership and treated him with affection and great respect such as Rav Mordechai Zev Etinga, Rav Yosef Shaul Natanson, Rav Yitzhcok Shmelkes, Rav Yitzchok Aharon Etinga and Rav Hillel of Kolomaya.
Among Rav Aizekel Zidatshuver's own disciples we find:
--Rav Shlomo of Dolyna who regarded him his rebbe and once testified that, “In heaven, they laugh at the fact that I am the rebbe while he is my disciple [when it should be the other way around!]"
--Rav Yoel Ashkenazi of Zlotshuv, Rav Yosef Meir of Spinka, who was perhaps his most important disciple.
-- Rav Aharin Aryeh of Rozla abd, Rav Moshe of Skohl, Rav Duvid of Bolchuv, Rav Eliezer Tzvi of Komarno and Rav Sholom Mordechai Hakohen of Brezhan.
Like his uncle, Rav Tzvi Hirsch, he often cited the holy Zohar and other works of Kabbalah having mastered these works by way of his great erudition and phenomenal memory.
Rav Aizekel Zidatshuver’s Torah came across with fiery enthusiasm. So effectively rendered were his discourses that his listeners would say that they could chap up the kedushah with their very hands!
It was not unusual for him to cite entire pages of Zohar, Gemara or his uncle's writings by heart without mistakes or errors.
Fulfilling the earlier projection, his chassidim numbered in the thousands. Even so, he knew them all by face, by name, and was familiar with their children.
More on his life, leadership, and conduct appears in the sefer, Pe'er Yitzchok by Rav Michael Hakohen Braver, among the classics of chassidic literature.
Rav Yitzchok Aizekl was involved in communal affairs and public works alongside other gedolim of his generation. Especially noteworthy was his relationship with Rav Chaim Halberstam of Sanz on matters concerning Klal Yisroel. They shared a mutual bond of respect and admiration for one another. He also greatly respected Rav Avrohom Yaakov of Sadigura and referred to him as "the holy rav who is master of all the revealed and hidden Torah, famed in all the lands, the holy flame."
When a fierce machlokes broke out between these two giants and their respective courts, Rav Yitzchok Aizekl tried his hand at quieting the discord. His success in repairing the rift, however, was limited.
He also enjoyed warm ties with Rav Menachem Mendel of Vishnitz, and eventually they became mechutanim.
He passed away on 9 Sivan 1873. His levaya (funeral) was attended by thousands. His sons eulogized him and then laid all his hand written manuscripts beside their father’s body.
His sons and successors were Rav Sender Lipa of Zidatshuv, Rav Yissocher Berish of Dolyna and Rav Eliyahu (unknown until he caught everyone’s attention with the surprising eloquence and delivery of his hesped), Rav Shlomo Yaakov of Zidatshuv, and Rav Menachem Mendel, his ben zekunim. His son-in-law was Rav Yisroel Yosef Labin.
His numerous writings and manuscripts were published in the order that his tzavaah (will) dictated:
First and foremost was his famed commentary on the Midrash in two large volumes in Lvov. Next came Likkutei Torah V’Shas on all five chumashim. The last three include an important introduction by his disciple, Rav Yosef Meir of Spinka, particularly the one on Devarim that has been published in separate volumes.
Another sefer published was the Likkutei Mahari on Yalkut Shimoni. Recently as well, the Yalkut Mahari, a collection of teachings and anecdotes, was published.
Stories of Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein of Ziditchov zt"l
The Tosher Rebbe told how when Rav Yehoshua of Belz made a shidduch for his son with the daughter of Rav Eliyohu, the son of Rav Isaac’l Ziditchover, they disagreed on where to hold the vort to celebrate the tenno’im of the engagement. Finally, the Ziditchover sent word to the Belzer that he should know that each day he, the Ziditchover, ascends to the sixth firmament, the Rokiya HaShishi, and that only due to his infirmity and his advanced age he could not immerse in the mikve daily anymore. “If I could immerse,” he concluded, “I would be able to ascend even higher, to the seventh heaven, to the Rokiya HaShevii.”
When the Belzer heard these words, he acquiesced and agreed to come to Ziditchov so that the tenno’im could be held there. Afterward, the plans the Chassidim made were that the Belzer would come to one of surrounding towns and spend the night there, but his mechuton, the Ziditchover, insisted that Rav Yehoshua spend the night in Ziditchov, and he agreed.
Due to the Belzer’s excessive holiness, piety and perishus, he would only sleep on either a brand new bed, one that was manufactured and made to order with kedusha and tahara, or on a specially prepared bed that met his spiritual specifications and qualifications. However, the Ziditchover simply gave him his newly married grandson’s bed, Rav Beirishel, mechaber of Malbush Shabbos and Yom Tov to sleep on. The Belzer Rav slept well and declared that it was a good, fine bed and that he had the fragrance of fear and heavenly awe – es shmekt fin yiras shomayim!
The next day, the Ziditchover told the Belzer that he would repeat the heavenly discourse he had heard that night in the heavenly academies that the Belzer Rav’s father the Sar Sholom had said in the Mesivta DeRokiya. Rav Yehoshua listened and rejoiced! (Avodas Avoda Sichos Kodesh Bamidbar p. 247–248)
When Reb Isaac’l Ziditchover was a yungerman and still anonymous, he once traveled to Sanz, where he sat studying in the Divrei Chaim’s Bais Medrash. The Divrei Chaim’s home was built in such a way that in order for the Divrei Chaim to go outdoors he first had to exit through the Bais Medrash, and the scenario repeated itself in reverse when he wished to re-enter: he first needed to go through the Bais Medrash in order to enter his home. When the Divrei Chaim reached the door to the Bais Medrash he froze quite literally, for it was freezing cold outside and the sounds of the sweet Torah learning enthralled him so that he leaned toward the keyhole to listen, enraptured. He stood this way for so long that his beard froze to the door handle and the metal of the lock and the keyhole!
When the Divrei Chaim’s family noted his prolonged absence, they went searching for him and found him frozen and rooted to the spot! After they had brought him home and warmed him up, they asked him what had happened and the Divrei Chaim responded, “I heard the sweet sounds of Torah being studied lishma! The sound was so sweet and pleasant that I had no wish to go inside and disturb the learning and to interrupt Rav Isaac’l!”
On a different occasion, the Divrei Chaim remarked that every day he heard a heavenly voice proclaim, “Yitzchok Isaac Ben Etya studies and learns Torah lishma!”
When Rav Isaac’l would recite Torah at his tisch, lofty souls would reveal themselves from the highest spiritual planes and descend to him. He would often remark during his recitation of Torah discourses, “Rav Shimon ben Yochai and his Chevraya are here! The entire heavenly hosts are here!”
Some of his lofty talmidim once felt quite discouraged that he would say such things, yet they did not witness these visitors or see anything. When the Rebbe saw their disappointment, he told them, “Horvitz vi unz vet etz oich zehn – desire and apply yourself as much as I do and you too shall see!”
Once, a few of the Divrei Chaim’s descendants were present at the Rebbe’s tisch. As usual, Rav Isaac’l repeated that Rashbi and his Chevraya and all the heavenly hosts were there. Afterward, when they retold all this to the Divrei Chaim, they were sure he would disapprove of such remarks, yet he listened to it all and did make any comment. (Avodas Avoda Sichos Kodesh Naso pages 303–304)
Divrei Torah of Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein of Ziditchov zt"l
no tachanun during adar
In Ziditshov, the minhag is to not recite tachanun at all during Adar. Once, the Yeshuos Yaakov met Rav Eizikel of Ziditshov and asked him to explain the minhag based on p’shat rather than from Chassidus. The Ziditshover told him that it was a meforash pasuk – an explicit verse.
“Which one?” asked the Yeshuos Yaakov.
Replied the Ziditshover, “It says, ‘The month that was transformed from distress and sadness into joy and from mourning into a Yom Tov.’ The month, not the day, became a Yom Tov.