Reb Tzvi Hirsch of Zhidachov and His Great Brothers

Reb Yitzchok Issac Eichenstein of Safrin, Hungary, besides being a great philanthropist, was a tzadik and talmid chochom, despite the fact that he never held a rabbinic position. He was also a descendent of the Tosafos Yom Tov. He had five sons that were all great tzadikim; Reb Tzvi Hirsch of Zhidachov, Reb Moshe of Sambor, Reb Alexander Sender of Komarna, Reb Yissachor Beirish of Zhidachov and Reb Lipa of Sambor. The oldest son, Reb Tzvi Hirsch used to say about his father: "I am like vinegar the son of wine", indicating how great he considered his father.

Once, when Reb Yitzchok was already quite old, he gave a long loud krechtz, a sigh. His wife asked what was bothering him. He answered that he was worried about how they would merit going to Gan Eden. His wife replied with two words from this past week's parsha, Chukas (20, 19): בַּמְסִלָּה נַעֲלֶה, on the highway we will go up. What she really meant by these words was: נַעֲלֶה we will go up to Gan Eden - בַּמְסִלָּה has the first letters of their son's names: Beirish, Moshe, Sender, Lipa and Hirsh. Through the merit of our great sons we will merit Gan Eden.

This Wednesday, 11 Tamuz, is the 176^th yahrzeit of the oldest brother, Reb Tzvi Hirsch of Zhidachov. He was a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin, Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov, Magid of Kozhnitz and Reb Mendel of Rimanov. He was very involved in the study of kabalah and wrote seforim on kabalah and the revealed Torah. His many seforim including Ateres Tzvi on Zohar (he is known by the name of this sefer) and Bais Yisroel on Torah.

Zchusom Yogen Aleinu