Elul Yartzeits

1 Elul – R' Dovid HaNagid (1300) ben R' Avrohom ben HaRambam

1 Elul – R' Chanoch Henoch Dov of Alesk ben R' Shmuel (1884), the Lev Sameach, was a son-in-law of the Sar Sholom of Belz in his first marriage and in his second marriage was a son-in-law of R' Meir ben R' Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev

2 Elul – R' Yitzchak Bar Sheshes, the Rivash (1408)

2 Elul - R' Avraham Yaakov Friedman of Boyan-Lvov HY"D (1942) ben R' Yitzchok, author of Nachalas Yaakov, murdered by the Nazis y's.

2 Elul – R' Eliezer ben R' Yisroel Hager, the Damesek Eliezer of Vizhnitz (1946) He is buried on Har Hazeisim.

2 Elul – R' Shmuel Dovid Walkin (1979) was Rov in Shanghai during WWII and later in Queens, NY. He was the son of the Pinsker Rov, the Bais Aharon.

3 Elul - R' Yissochor Bertcha Leifer of Nadvorna (1848) ben R' Yitzchok of Kalish was a great-grandson of R' Meir "HaGadol" of Premishlan

3 Elul - R' Yitzchok Yeshaya Halberstam HY"D of Tchechoiv (1943) was the youngest son of R' Chaim of Sanz

3 Elul - R' Moshe Friedman HY"D of Boyan-Krakow (1943) ben R' Sholom Yosef

3 Elul - R' Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz was the legendary head of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas and founder of Torah Umesorah. He used to ask to be called Mister Mendlowitz, to which one of the great tzadikim said, his name is "Nister" Mendlowitz

3 Elul – R' Avrohom Yitzchok HaKohen Kook (1935)

3 Elul – R' Sholom Eichenstein of Zidichov-Tsfas (1988) ben R' Asher Yeshaya

4 Elul - R' Meir Simcha Hakohen of Dvinsk (1926) ben R' Shimshon Klonomus, author of Ohr Someach and Meshech Chochma

4 Elul - R' Aryeh Leib Tumim, author of Gur Aryeh

4 Elul - R' Eliyahu Kramer, grandfather of the Vilna Gaon

4 Elul - R' Yechiel Fishel Eisenbach (2008) Rosh Yeshiva of Shaar Hoshamayim, was one of the greatest teachers of the teachings of the Arizal and Rashash, son-in-law of R' Asher Zelig Margolies

5 Elul - R' Dovid Tzvi Shlomo (1918) ben R' Elazar Menachem Mendel Biderman of Lelov, one of the great tzadikim of Yerushalaim, buried on Har Hazeisim

5 Elul - R' Moshe Ahron ben R' Chaim Pinto, great tzadik who lived in Ashdod

6 Elul - R' Yom Tov Lipman Heller (1654), author of Tosfos Yom Tov

6 Elul - R' Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum of Sighet (1883) ben R' Elazar Nisan, author of Yetev Lev, Yetev Ponim, Avnei Tzedek and Rav Tov L'Beis Yisroel. He was a grandson of the Yismach Moshe and grandfather of the Satmar Rebbe

6 Elul - R' Moshe Mintz, author of Shailos U'Tshuvos Maharam Mintz

6 Elul - R' Yechezkel Sarna (1969), Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron, great tzadik and talmid of the Chofetz Chaim and Slabodka

6 Elul - R' Meir Zvi Ehrentreu, Manchester Yeshiva Rosh Kollel and RoshYeshiva

7 Elul - R' Reuven Margolios, author of Margolios Hayom and many otherseforim

7 Elul – R' Eliyahu (1859), father of the Ben Ish Chai

7 Elul - R' Aryeh Leib Lopian, Rosh Yeshivas Gateshead

8 Elul – R' Shlomo ben R' Yosef Karo (1889) was Rov in Saana, Yemen

8 Elul - R' Michoel Ashkenazi (1889) was a Rov in Aram Soba, Syria

9 Elul - Dan ben Yaakov Avinu (also birthday)

9 Elul - R' Tzadok ben R' Yaakov HaKohen Rabinowitz of Lublin (1900), author of Pri Tzaddik, Tzidkas HaTzadik and numerous other seforim.

9 Elul - R' Nachum Mordechai ben R' Alter Yisroel Shimon Perlow of Novominsk (1976) was a descendant, ben acher ben, from R' Mordechai of Neshchiz. His son, R' Yaakov is the current Novominsker Rebbe.

9 Elul - R' Yonoson Shteif (1958), Viener Rov and renown posek

10 Elul - R' Pinchos of Koritz (1790) ben R' Avrohom Abba Shapiro, a descendant of R' Noson Nota Shapiro, the Megaleh Amukos. He was not only one of the greatest talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov, but was also considered a friend of the Baal Shem Tov. His teachings are collected in Medrash Pinchos, Nofes Tzufim and Imrei Pinchas. His talmidim included R' Raphael "der Emesser" of Bershad and the Shpoler Zeide. See here for more. There is a site dedicated to R' Pinchas and R' Raphael, Two Tzaddiks.

10 Elul - R' Yitzchok of Bohush (1896) ben R' Sholom Yosef of Sadiger

10 Elul - R' Moshe Yehudah Leib of Pashkan (1947) ben R' Yitzchok of Bohush, author of Birchas Moshe.

11 Elul - R' Sholom Yosef Friedman of Sadiger (1851) oldest son of R' Yisroel of Ruzhin

11 Elul - R' Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Sadiger (1883) second son of R' Yisroel of Ruzhin

12 Elul - R' Shimon of Toledo, son of the Rosh (1342)

12 Elul - R' Simcha Bunim of P'shischa (1827) ben R' Tzvi, talmid of the Chozeh and the Yid HaKodosh

12 Elul R' Moshe Elyokim Briah Hopstein of Koznitz (1828), son of the Kozhnitzer Magid, R' Yisroel

12 Elul - R' Yitzchak Zelasnik, Rosh Yeshiva of Me'or Eliyahu

12 Elul - R' Menachem Menashe (1968) was a great tzadik from Turkey. He wrote Ahavas Chaim, a sefer filled with halacha, mussar and more, including fascinating stories of tzadikim, including many Chassidish Rebbes. You can read about him here, about halfway through the article.

13 Elul - R' Yosef Chaim of Baghdad (1909) ben Eliyahu, author of Ben Ish Chai and many other seforim

13 Elul - R' Yaakov Yisroel Twerski of Cherkas (1876) ben R' Mordechai of Chernobyl

13 Elul - R' Avrohom Yisochor Ber HaKohen Rabinowitz of Radomsk (1892), wrote Chesed L'Avrohom. He was son of the Tiferes Shlomo, R' Shlomo of Radomsk

14 Elul - R' Yosef Yuska (1867) ben R' Yisroel Ashkenazi, author of Ohel Yosef

15 Elul - R' Moshe Alshakar, author of Shailos U'Tshuvos Maharam Alshakar and "Kol Bruei Malah U'matah", a piyut of praises to Hashem, featured at the beginning of some siddurim.

15 Elul - R' Chanoch Eiges of Vilna (1941), author of Marcheshes

15 Elul - R' Yaakov Koppel Chassid (1787) ben R' Nechemia Feivel, was the Shliach Tzibur of the Baal Shem Tov and forefather of the Kosov-Vizhnitz dynasty. He was a descendant of R' Ovadia of Bartenura.

16 Elul - R' Yitzchok HaKohen Shapiro (1582) father-in-law of Maharam Lublin

16 Elul - R' Avrohom Avigdor Nochum of Strikov (2001) ben R' Yaakov Yitzchok Dan Landau was a talmid of the Brisker Rav and became Rebbe of Strikov after WW II, first in Tel Aviv and then Bnei Brak.

16 Elul - R' Yechi Shnior (1994), talmid of Baba Sali

17 Elul - R' Chaim Benveniste (1673), Rav in Izmir and author of Knesses Hagedola

17 Elul - R' Yaakov Koppel Reich (1900), Av Beis Din of Budapest

18 Elul - R' Yehuda ben Betzalel Loew, the Maharal of Prague. See Heichal HaNegina: The Patience of the Maharal

18 Elul - R' Abdullah Somech, Rebbe of the Ben Ish Chai and head of Iraqi Jewry

19 Elul - Rabeinu Yaakov of Orleans HY"D (1189), a talmid of Rabeinu Tam, he was killed in London at the coronation of Richard the Lion-hearted

19 Elul – R' Moshe of Orzistchov ben R' Pinchas of Ostroh. After being orphaned, he was raised by the Shpola Zaide.

19 Elul - R' Hillel Vitkind, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Hillel in Bnei Brak

19 Elul - R' Moshe Tzvi Aryeh Bick (1990) great posek, his father, ben R' Chaim Yechiel Michel was the last Rov of Mezibuz. Their family had been the heads of the Bais Din in Mezibuz for seven generations, since the days of the Baal Shem Tov. He is buried in Beth David Cemetery on Long Island.

20 Elul - R' Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, R' of Ponevezh, Lithuania, and founder of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak (1969)

20 Elul - R' Avrohom ben R' Naftali Hertz Sternhartz (1955), great-grandson of R' Noson of Breslov, he was one of the leaders of Breslov in his time He was known as "Kochov Lev".

20 Elul - R' Eliyahu Lopian (1970), author of Lev Eliyahu, and legendary mashgiach in Kelm and Kfar Chassidim

20 Elul - R' Moshe Aryeh Freund (1996), Av Beis Din of Eida Hachareidis in Yerushalayim

21 Elul - R' Yonoson ben R' Noson Nota Eibeschitz (1764), Rov of Altona, Hamburg and Metz, and author of Kereisi U'Pleisi, Urim VeTumim, and Yaaros Devash

22 Elul - Rabeinu Yaakov ben R' Moshe HaLevi Segal Moellin of Mainz (1427), the Maharil, the primary source of Minhagei Ashkenaz

22 Elul - R' Mordechai Dov Twerski of Hornesteipel ben R' Meshulam Zusia Ytzchok. He was a descendant, ben avcher ben, from the Rebbe, Reb Zusia of Anipoli. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, the Cherkasser Rebbe after his father died, so he adopted the family name, Twerski.

23 Elul – R' Yisroel of Pikov (1818) ben R' Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev

23 Elul - R' Uri "the Seraph" of Strelisk (1826) ben R' Pinchos, his main Rebbe was R' Shlomo of Karlin

23 Elul - R' Meir Yehuda Getz, R' of the Kosel and Rosh Yeshivas Beit El (1995)

23 Elul - R' Yitzchak Menachem Mendel Danziger (1942), the Alexander Rebbe, killed in Treblinka with eight of his children HY"D, he was the son of R' Shmuel Tzvi of Alexander

24 Elul - Chabakuk Hanavi (c. 480 B.C.E.)

24 Elul - R' Yisroel Meir ben R' Aryeh Zev HaKohen Kagan (1933), the Chofetz Chaim

24 Elul - R' Yechezkel Abramsky (1976), Rov of Slutsk and London, author of Chazon Yechezkel

25 Elul - R' Elazar (102 C.E) ben R' Shimon bar Yochai

25 Elul - R' Yechiel Michel (1786) ben R' Yitzchok, the Maggid of Zlotchov, talmid of the Baal Shem Tov

25 Elul - R' Aharon (1901) ben R Yaakov Abuchatzera

26 Elul – R' Elyakim Getz of Ostroh (1824) ben Reb Yaakov Yosef ( Reb Yeivei) He printed the seforim of his illustrious father. Was known for his devotion to providing for the destitute.

27 Elul - R' Noson Adler, Rebbe of the Chasam Sofer

27 Elul - R' Sholom ben R' Elazar Rokeach (1855), the first Belzer Rebbe, known as the Sar Sholom

28 Elul - Shaul Hamelech and his three sons died in Gilboa 4 months after Shmuel Hanavi's death (878 B.C.E)

28 Elul - R' Chaim Yehuda Leib ben R' Avrohom Dov Auerbach (1954), Rosh Yeshiva Sha'ar Hashomayim, father of R' Shlomo Zalman

29 Elul - R' Yaakov Halevi Lipschutz, secretary of Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spector and author of Zichron Yaakov

Links for Chodesh Av

The Month of Av

Why We Can Bring Moshiach

Why 3 Nisan is Mesugal for Parnasa

Received by email from DF and posted with his permission. I made small adjustments to make it readable online.

It is known that the day of 3 Nissan is mesugal for parnasa.  The source for this is Sefer Chaim V'Sholom (Vayeitzei), from the Munkatcher Rov (the Minchas Elazar) who says he heard from the Reb Yechezkel Shraga of Shiniva (Divrei Yechezkel) that the day of 3 Nisan, when the Nasi of Zevulon is read, is mesugal for parnasa and ashirus. This sounds like any one of the other numerous segulas for parnasa. That's why I think it's a disservice to tell anyone this without also telling them what it says before that on the very same page.

 

He starts off the page (here is the link to the page so you can see it; this is my understanding of it) by explaining thatולזבולן אמר שמח זבולן בצאתך  means that through Zevulon's הוצאות (hinted by בצאתך) for Torah (his giving money to Yissachar so he can learn Torah) the Torah is his reward, but Zevulon will also be happy (שמח) in this world immediately since he needs to make more money in order to support talmidei chachomim. (See link for the rest) This seems to be the lesson we should take out of it. By supporting people who learn Torah – everyone according to their means – we can be worthy of getting parnasa. This should get those people that speak disparagingly of talmidei chachomim that are supported to stop doing so, as really the talmidei chachmim are doing the giver a favor.

 

If I may add: שמח זבולן is equal to באמת, hinting at dealing honestly. שמח זבולן is also meramez to simcha being mesugal for parnasa. Reb Nosson Breslover once told someone with financial troubles that simcha is mesugal for paranasa. The man replied that it was difficult to be happy in his present situation. Reb Nosson responded: "But, what won't a person do for parnasa?" (The same story is told over with the Yismach Yisroel of Alexander) Reb Mendel Riminover says a remez to simcha being mesugal for parnaas is the last letters of פותח את ידך and והיית אך שמח are the same and they are a Name connected to parnasa. If I may add, the first letters of שמח זבולן are equal to the first letters of והיית אך שמח. This is also meramez in the Mishna: איזה הוא עשיר השמח בחלקו. How does one become an עשיר? השמח בחלקו – by being happy with one's lot.

 

זבולן equals המן reminding us of פרשת המן. Leah said regarding זבולן that Hashem gave her a זבד טוב. Rashi says that this means as Onkelos translates it, חלק טב – "a good portion." The gematria of חלק is equal to הצלחה. The word זבולן in א״ת ב״ש is עשפכט, equal to 479 – the gematria of בזעת, as in בזעת אפיך תאכל לחם. The last letters of שמח זבולן בצאתך equal לחם. This posuk teaches us that although there are people that seem to amass great wealth without breaking a sweat, the posuk is teaching that if one thinks בזעת אפיך, meaning one's own efforts are what makes - as the posuk says: ואמרת בלבבך כחי ועצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה - then no matter how much one may have it's never enough (as Chazal teach that if one has 100 he wants 200). Then despite all you may have, תאכל לחם, it seems like you only have bread. The gematria of בזעת with the kolel is equal to the last letters of ואמרת בלבבך כחי ועצם ידי. The posuk then says:  עד שובך אל האדמה כי ממנה לקחת כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב - which can be read as: until he does teshuva and realizes that he is just dust and powerless, as Avrohom Avinu said: ואנכי עפר ואפר – "I am but dust and ashes". When someone comes to the realization that every single great idea and every single penny comes only from Hashem, (as is hidden in the pesukim, אפיך is equal to אלף, which alludes to Hashem who is One and the אלופו של עולם and the first letters of כחי ועצם equal 26, Hashem's Name) then even if he only has bread, he feels like he has everything, as the Mishna says: איזה הוא עשיר השמח בחלקו. He is then taken out of the curse of  בזעת אפיך תאכל לחם. Hashem is saying אפיך, meaning "(by the sweat of) your face". When you take the ך off to make it אפי which would be referring to Hashem, then you have the first letters of פותח את ידך – we ask Hashem to "open His hand" since we can't do anything on our own. We can then realize there is only One that controls everything, as בזעת אפיך תאכל לחם is equal to שמע ישראל ד׳ אלקינו ד׳ אחד with the kolel.

 

Rashi on the words, בזעת אפיך, says: לאחר שתטריח בו הרבה – "after you toil a lot." But many toil and barely put food on the table? לאחר שתטריח - "After you toil" can mean two things: 1) After you are done with thinking that your own toil makes parnasa. 2) Reading it with a comma לאחר שתטריח, בו הרבה.  After toiling hard by working on your emunah, thenבו הרבה . This doesn't mean quantity, rather quality. There will be lots of shefa; the money will come from the side of kedusha, as opposed to one who thinks he gets money on his own has the money coming from the "other side." A remez to this is that בו הרבה is the same gematria as טהור.

 

The Munkatcher Rov shows how the Name of זבולן is equal to 95 which will be equal to the Names of Hashem – י־ק־י־ק אדנ׳ - when Moshiach comes. After he speaks about the segula for parnasa, he says that we should understand that Nisan is a time of Geula. Exactly what he means I don't know, but as Rav Gamliel Rabinovitz shlita constantly says we need parnasa to live but we should remember that Hashem has no house, no wife (we are in golus), most of his children don't know how to say Shema. He says that Hashem doesn't even have bread, so to speak, as we say in korbonos: את קרבני לחמי. He says that besides constantly saying: "give me, give me", we should ask Hashem to rebuild His house.

 

We should all remember that the brocha of parnasa on this day comes from supporting talmidei chachomim. May we all be zoche to have parnasa berevach and do good things it, and may we be zoche to realize what we are missing without Hashem's House so we can daven properly for its rebuilding.

 

Remazim to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov - His Birthday

The following is Part 1 of remazim to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov from Remez L'Nachal put together by DF who last wrote Remazim to the Noam Elimelech. I have permission to post it but it's too much to post at one time so the rest will be posted in the future. If anyone would like the full version emailed to them, send me an email.

 

The Rebbe's Birthday

 

The Rebbe was born on Shabbos Hachodesh/Rosh Chodesh Nisan. There is a source that says it was the year 5531, but Reb Nosson says that the truth seems to be that it was the year 5532. (Chaye Mohoran 104; in both years Rosh Chodesh Nissan fell on Shabbos) If I may suggest, there is an amazing remez to it being the year 5532, as this would make the date of the Rebbe's birth, א׳ ניסן תקל״ב – exactly equal to 703, the gematria of נחמן בר שמחה. This would mean that his bris took place on ח׳ ניסן תקל״ב, which is equal to 710 - the gematria of נחמן spelled out, נון חית מם נון.

 

On this Shabbos we read החדש הזה לכם ראש חדשים ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה. The lesson of the Jewish calendar is that after the moon seems to disappear, it reappears and becomes full again. This can help us understand one of the most famous sayings of the Rebbe. He said: אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל - there is absolutely no despair; no matter how low a person falls, materially or spiritually, there is always hope. Just like the moon seems to disappear and then a short time later it becomes a full moon again, so too a person has the potential to rise from the lowest level to the highest. This is alluded to beautifully from החדש הזה לכם. The word החדש is the exact gematria of יאוש, despair. Then it says הזה לכם, meaning this is a lesson for you that teaches instead of giving up hope, take a lesson from the moon and turn the יאוש into החדש, by starting fresh - התחדשות. Also הזה is the gematria of טוב, which could now be read as טוב לכם, as we are instructed (in Azamra, LM 282) to look for the "good points" in ourselves as well as others.

 

If we add an א for Hashem to יאוש then it equals שיח (tefila), an allusion to hisbodedus. Another allusion to this can be found in the first letters of החדש הזה לכם, which equal 40, the gematria of לְבָדָד. Reb Ephroimel Krakofsky in Sefer Oneg Shabbos (Parshas Balak) says that when it says הן עם לבדד ישכן (Balak 23:9), לבדד refers to hisbodedus and ישכן is the gematria of השעה, referring to the one hour that Likutei Mohoran II, 25 says one should engage in hisbodedus.

 

The Rebbe is alluded to by last letters ofהחדש הזה לכם , which spell משה, who was the midah of נצח and Kochvei Ohr explains that it is the same gematria as נחמן and that is why the Rebbe always had the fourth aliyah which represents נצח. Also his yarzeit is on the fourth day of Succos, the Ushpizin of Moshe Rabbeinu which corresponds to Netzach. If I may add: the portion read of Parshas Hachodesh when read in Parshas Bo falls out in the fourth aliyah.

 

החדש הזה לכם is equal to the gematria of משיח בן דוד, alluding to "my fire will burn till Moshiach comes" and to his saying that Moshiach will come from him. (Chaye Mohoran 229; 274; 612) It can also allude to his saying the main avodah of a Yid is to say Tikun Chatzos. (Sichos Haran 301)

 

לחדשי השנה equals the gematria of רבי נתן. With the kollel it equals נחמן בר שמחה with the letters.

 

רבי נחמן is equal to השנה.

ראש חדשים equals ראש השנה with the 2 words.

 

The first Rashi in Bereishis says that the Torah could have started from החדש הזה לכם, and says ומה טעם, what is the reason that we start from Bereishis. The ו of ומה represents the sixth midah of יסוד. מה טעם equals 164, the amount of pesukim in Tikun Haklali.

 

Rashi goes on to say we start from Bereishis because כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו לתת להם נחלת גוים. This could be read as the "strength of a story", alluding to the Rebbes saying that we tell stories to wake people up. לתת להם נחלת could allude to the Rebbe as in נחל נבע מקור חכמה. We need to get out of our slumber and then we can work on the Hischadshus of Parshas Hachodesh.

 

One of the ways the word בראשית is broken up is ירא שבת. The tzadik is referred to as שבת. The gematria of רבי נחמן בר שמחה equals ירא שבת plus the two words.

 

He was the greatest of those giving encouragement to people, hinted to by ראש חדשים, the head of those teaching hischadshus. I told this over to Reb Shloime Cheshin and he added thatראש חדשים  can mean that the Rebbe was the "greatest of all Chidushim", as he himself said that he was a "chidush".

 

החדש הזה לכם these 10 letters, representative of the 10 Tehilim of Tikun Haklali are a chiddush for you. There are also 10 words in the posuk.

 

There are 38 words in the posuk, equal to the age of the Rebbe when he passed away.

 

Of course Parshas Hachodesh goes on to discuss the Korban Pesach, and as known פסח is the gematria of נחמן.

 

Tazria

The day the Rebbe was born was Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh and the day Parshas Tazria is read, which speaks about Bris Milah. These are the three things that the Greeks wanted us to get rid of. As is known, the Rebbe was vehemently opposed to anyone learning "Greek wisdom", and for that matter any chakira even if written by tzadikim. The first letters of ש׳בת מ׳ילה ח׳דש spell שמח the root of the word שמחה. The Rebbe was the son of שמחה; he passed away on חג השמחה; he was born following two months of Adar in a leap year; he was born on Rosh Chodesh Nissan when we are supposed to have in mind by Mussaf the posuk: ישמחו השמים ותגל הארץ (as brought in Bnei Yisaschor, Rosh Chodesh 1:11 and Nissan 1:1) Of course, he is famous for his teachings of שמחה. Perhaps the most famous is the song sung by everyone that comes from the opening line of Likutei Mohoran II, 24: מצוה גדולה להיות בשמחה תמיד.

 

Tazria has 67 pesukim, equal to בינה. Kochvei Ohr discusses how this is equal toנחמן בן שמחה (553) when spelled bimiluy – בית יוד נון הי.  67 is also equal to אלול, which is the preparation for Rosh Hashona – the Rebbe's essence. He also says that the kavanos of Elul are Tikun Habris (Likutei Mohoran II, 87) which he speaks about at length. אלול spelled bimiluy – אלף למד ויו למד- with the letters and kolel equal נחמן בן פיגא.

 

The day he was born Tazria was read. The third posuk says וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו. The word ערלתו is equal to נחמן בר שמחה with the 3 words, meaning that on the eighth day from now, the Rebbe would have his Bris Milah. Also, Kedushas Habris is the subject the Rebbe spoke  a lot about and revealed the 10 chapters of Tehilim, Tikun Haklali, that rectify pegam habris.

 

If one is in the lowest spiritual state, but searches out Hashem, saying איה מקום כבודו – "where is Hashem's glory", then this itself can help pull him out of his low state and bring him to the highest level. This is the aspect of ואיה השה לעלה. (Likutei Mohoran II, 12) Based on this, we can see a hint from the posuk:ואם לא תמצא ידה די שה ולקחה שתי תרים או שני בני יונה אחד לעלה ואחד לחטאת וכפר עליה הכהן וטהרה. (12:8)

 

ואם לא תמצא ידה די שה – If a person can't even search out Hashem by saying איה מקום כבודו which is the aspect of ואיה השה לעלה. Then ולקחה שתי תרים או שני בני יונה – take the advice of the Rebbe, meramez by שתי, which is equal to 710 - the gematria of נחמן spelled out, נון חית מם נון, and the next word, תרים, is equal to הצדיק אמת. שני is equal to רבי נחמן. יונה spelled out bimiluy – יוד וו נון הה - equal to נחמן. Take the advice of אחד לעלה ואחד לחטא which is meramez to Likutei Mohoran 6 (kavanos of Elul), which speaks about serving Hashem in an ascent (לעלה) or descent (לחטאת). Even in the ascent, the Rebbe says one needs to do teshuva on the previous teshuva, and even in the lowest place one Hashem is there with us. We need to search Him out and strengthen ourselves. Thenוכפר עליה הכהן וטהרה – the tzadik will help us get forgiveness taharah by teaching us how to act.

 

As mentioned, יונה spelled out bimiluy – יוד וו נון הה - equal to נחמן. This could give more meaning to the song sung by people yearning to get to the kever of the Rebbe in Uman: מי יתן לי עבר כיונה אעופה ציון הקודש אומנה. Also, אומנה has the same letters as אמונה.

 

Remazim from Likutei Mohoran II, 74

 

The Rebbe says that after Purim we read Parshas Parah, which is a preparation for Pesach. Purim is the way to Pesach, and Purim enables us to be protected from chometz on Pesach. This is seen from the posuk: את חג המצות תשמר שבעת ימים תאכל מצות כאשר צויתך למועד חדש האביב כי בו יצאת ממצרים ולא יראו פני ריקם. (Mishpatim 23:15) The first letters of ממצרים ולא יראו פני ריקם spell פורים. He then makes a cryptic statement: "In the beginning all beginnings were from Pesach, and therefore all mitzvos were 'zecher litziyas Mitzrayim'. ועכשב - And now…"

 

The author of Be'ibay Hanachal, Reb Boruch Ephraim of Homil, shows some fascinating hints in this. He says that נחמן equals פסח, so ועכשב means that now by coming to the Rebbe for Rosh Hashona one can make a new beginning, as ראש is also a beginning. The Rebbe says that פורים is from the word פרה stands for פסח ראש השנה. The Parah Adumah made the pure impure and the impure pure. So too, when one goes to the Rebbe's kever in Uman, he becomes tamei from the thousands of kedoshim buried there. However, through saying Tehilim, Tachanunim from the depths of the heart, and especially the ten chapters of i (Tikun Haklali) that the Rebbe instructed us to say, the tamei become tahor. There, we start new in our Avodas Hashem, which is the aspect of leaving Mitzrayim – leaving the tumah and being zoche to accept the Torah with a new beginning.

 

If I may humbly add: Originally all beginnings were from פורים which is a preparation for Pesach, the first letters of ממצרים ולא יראו פני ריקם. "And now" they start from the last letters of these very same words which equal אומן exactly. Also, פורים bimiluy – פא וו ריש יוד מם - is equal to 703, the gematria of נחמן בר שמחה. פרה is equal to נחמן מאומן. ולא יראו פני ריקם can hint at the Rebbe saying "no one should be missing" from his Rosh Hashona. ריקם is equal to רב נחמן.

Fascinating Remazim to the Heilege Rebbe Reb Meilich ZY"A

Received via email from DF who last wrote about Parshas Hamon.

 

The Heilege Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk ZY'A

Rabbeinu Ephraim, one of the Rishonim, says that every tzadik that is destined to be mechadesh in Torah is alluded to in the Torah. (Rabbeinu Ephraim, Terumah) The Rebbe, Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk authored Noam Elimelech, considered one of the most important works of the Talmidei Baal Shem Tov. It therefore stands to reason that there are hints to him in the parshios of Ki Sisa and Vayakhel-Pekudei surrounding the day of his passing on Sunday, כ״א אדר תקמ״ז. Here are some of them.

 

It is known that there is no section for Parshas Vayakhel in Sefer Noam Elimelech, though there is a piece on Vayakhel in the section for Pekudei. It is said that his son who put together the sefer, Reb Elazar, did this because 21 Adar, except on rare occasion, falls out in the week that Vayakhel is read. This is similar to the yarzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu usually falling out the week of Parshas Tetzaveh, which doesn't contain his name. (Ohel Elimelech 289) ויקהל – "he gathered" is appropriate because he spoke so much about Yidden gathering together and being like one, as he says in his tefila before davening: שנראה כל אחד מעלת חברינו ולא חסרונם – "Everyone should see the positive of their friends and not their shortcomings." The parsha starts off: ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל.  The first letters of משה את כל עדת equal 131, the exact gematria of אלימלך. He passed away in a regular year in the week of Vayakhel-Pekudei which can mean "remember to gather" - be b'achdus. The first words of Pekudei are אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדת, and their first letters also equal אלימלך.

 

The first posuk of Vayakhel goes on to say ויאמר אלהם אלה הדברים אשר צוה י־ק־ו־ק לעשת אתם. The words אלה הדברים equal 297, the gematria of נועם אלימלך. The first letters of אשר צוה י־ק־ו־ק לעשת equal אלימלך, and the next word, אתם, has the same letters as אמת. The last letters of אשר צוה י־ק־ו־ק לעשת אתם equal 650 – the gematria of הצדיק אמת. With the kolel, it equals הפקר כמדבר, alluding to the last piece of Noam Elimelech in Parshas Devarim. It is on the words אלה הדברים - equal to the gematria of נועם אלימלך - and he says that a tzadik needs to be הפקר כמדבר to help out those in need of בני חיי מזוני.

 

The first few pesukim of Vayakhel speak about שבת, and tzadikim are compared to שבת. His name, אלימלך בן אלעזר ליפמאן, is equal to שבת. (There are many different ways his father's name is spelled. I got this spelling from his signature on a letter he wrote.)

 

His exceptional humility was well known. A misnaged once showed his disdain for the sefer Noam Elimelech by placing it on the floor under the bench he was sitting on. The misnaged asked the Baal Hatanya, who was present, what kind of person the author of the sefer was. The Baal Hatanya replied that even if he would have placed the author under the bench, he wouldn't have said anything. אלימלך equals ענוה, which the Chida and Bas Ayin say is equal to סמאל, since humility is the weapon against the satan. The gematria of אלימלך, using the method of מנצפ״ך, equals 611 - תורה.  This in turn is equal to סמאל לילית, as the Torah is the antidote to yetzer hora. The beginning of Ki Sisa says:כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל לפקדיהם ונתנו איש כפר נפשו לי־ק־ו־ק לפקדיהם ונתנו איש כפר נפשו לי־ק־ו־ק בפקד אתם ולא יהיה בהם נגף בפקד אתם. His first wife was a descendant of many great tzadikim including the Rokeach. Her name, שפרינצא, is equal to כי תשא. The first letters of ראש בני ישראל are רבי. איש כפר is also equal to 611 (אלימלך and תורה, as mentioned above). In the first part of his Hanhogos Ha'adam, he writes that the first thing one should do is learn Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and mefarshim - each person according to their ability. Afterwards, learn poskim, starting with Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim. He goes on to say how one should constantly daven to come to the truth.

 

There is a kabbala that if one davens at his kever, they will be helped as if he was alive and they won't leave this world without doing teshuva. (Ohel Elimelech 261) Two bochurim once told the Sar Sholom of Belz they were very happy because they just came from the kever of the Rebbe, Reb Meilich, and now they won't die without teshuva. He told them: "You're worried about dying with teshuva; in Tzetel Koton, he teaches us how to LIVE with teshuva!" He passed away on the 21^st day of Adar. The Name of Hashem, א־ק־י־ק, is equal to 21. Reb Nachman of Breslov says this Name represents teshuvah, since it means, "I will be", meaning now that one is doing teshuvah he begins to live, because before that it is better if he wouldn't have been born, as the Gemara says. (Likutei Mohoran 6:2) He passed away the day after Ki Sisa – the 21^st parsha - was read. The letter ה represents teshuva, since if one falls through the bottom, he can climb back in through the top. (Menachos 29b) If you spell out א־ק־י־ק with the letter ה, it is אלף־קה־יוד־קה – equal to 151 – the gematria of מקוה. The Maharil in Hilchos Erev Yom Kippur, brought down by the Magen Avrohom (606:4) brings an opinion that the main reason for מקוה is teshuva. If you spell out ויקהל - וו יוד קוף הה למד - it equals שב – an expression of teshuva. There are 122 pesukim in Vayakhel. This is the milui of the Name א־ק־י־ק spelled with Alephs - אלף־קא־יוד־קא (the milui is לף א וד א - 122). Reb Mendel of Riminov and Reb Chaim of Kosov said that after immersing in the mikva Erev Shabbos one can understand a little Noam Elimelech. (Ohel Elimelech 192; Even Shesia 5:2) Perhaps this is also alluded to here, as ויקהל is equal to מקוה, and אלה הדברים is equal to נועם אלימלך.

 

He passed away the day after Ki Sisa was read. רבינו בחיי on the second posuk starts discussing Elimelech in Megilas Rus and ends off the section with the words וימת אלימלך. (Interestingly, רבינו בחיי is equal to נועם אלימלך with the kolel ) The full posuk (Rus 1:3) is: וימת אלימלך איש נעמי ותשאר היא ושני בניה. The word נעמי hints at נועם as in נועם אלימלך. (Also נועם with the 4 letters equals נעמי). The last letters of נעמי ותשאר היא ושני בניה equal כ״א אדר, and the last letters of נעמי ותשאר היא ושני בניה with the kolel equal תקמ״ז (the year he was niftar).

 

The Four Main Talmidim

Though he had numerous great talmidim, there are four talmidim that he singled out with a specific spiritual inheritance. Reb Avrohom Yehoshua Heshel of Apta – the Ohev Yisroel received his spiritual power of the mouth. Reb Yaakov Yitzchok – the Chozeh of Lublin received his spiritual vision (hence the name "Chozeh"). Reb Yisroel of Kozhnitz received the spiritual power of his heart. Reb Menachem Mendel of Riminov received the spiritual power of his intellect. I would like to suggest they are alluded to in the posuk, וימת אלימלך איש נעמי ותשאר היא ושני בניה, which speaks about Elimelech's passing and leaving over children. One who teaches his friends son Torah is considered as if he gave birth to him. (Sanhedrin 19b)

 

היא contains the initials of אברהם יהושע העשיל (Apta Rov). ותשאר היא with the 8 letters equals יעקב יצחק (Chozeh) and ישראל (Kozhnitzer Magid). Alternatively, ושני בניה with the 8 letters equals יעקב יצחק הלוי. The last letters of אלימלך איש נעמי ותשאר היא ושני equal ישראל. The last letters of אלימלך איש נעמי ותשאר היא ושני with the kolel equal ר׳ מנחם מענדיל (Riminover). Interestingly, if you add the first letters of all their names together - אברהם יהושע העשיל, יעקב יצחק הלוי, ישראל, מנחם מענדיל - they equal אלימלך exactly.

 

The hint given for the 122 pesukim of Vayakhel is סנואה. I saw in the name of Reb Dovid Feinstein shlita that this is a hint to the סנה - "burning bush". When Moshe encountered the burning bush it says:וירא מלאך ד׳ אליו בלבת אש מתוך הסנה וירא והנה הסנה בער באש והסנה איננו אכל. The 3 times סנה is mentioned can allude to the first 3 parts of Tzetel Koton that speak about how one should imagine a fire burning till the sky and going into it al Kiddush Hashem. However, Tzetel Koton starts off saying "these are the things you should live by". When it says the סנה wasn't consumed, it means we should be lit up to live al Kiddush Hashem. והסנה is equal to 126, which is 6 times א־ק־י־ק. A few pesukim later is when Hashem reveals Himself as א־ק־י־ק אשר א־ק־י־ק. והסנה with the 5 letters equals אלימלך. איננו אכל equals אלימלך ז״ל, alluding to his teachings not being forgotten after his passing.

 

The first piece of Tzetel Koton says that when one is not learning and sitting idle, he should imagine himself going into a fire al Kiddush Hashem. By doing this he will have the mitzvas aseh d'oraisa of ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל. This is hinted to in the posuk:לא תבערו אש בכל משבתיכם ביום השבת, which can mean: On Shabbos - alluding to Olam Habah - don't suffer the fire of Gehinom due to all one's wasted time (alluded to by בכל משבתיכם). Instead, one can use his idle time acquiring the mitzvas aseh d'oraisa of ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל as just mentioned. This is hinted at by reading the posuk another way: לא – If one is doing nothing; he is idle. תבערו אש – light a fire (by doing what the Tzetel Koton suggests, as mentioned). בכל משבתיכם – at any the time you are resting. The Seder Krias Shma Shel Hamita of the Arizal contains a vidui that has a section corresponding to each of the four capital punishments. Each one of these corresponds to one of the four ways of spelling out י־ק־ו־ק. ביום השבת equals שבת, which can be an expression of teshuva, plus יוד־קי־ואו־קי (63), the Name that is connected to the punishment of "burning".

 

Rav Gamliel Rabinovitz shlita said no one should make light of going to go to the kever of the Noam Elimelech. However, he said that one should remember that at the kever of a tzadik you connect to his nefesh but when you learn the sefer of a tzadik you connect to his ruach – a higher level. His point is that whether we go or not we should learn from his teachings. He went on to say that if you learn Tzetel Koton (or his other teachings) you become "mamash a talmid of the Rebbe Reb Meilich." Reb Nachman of Breslov teaches that the image of a tzadik can be found in his sefer. (Likutei Mohoran 192)

 

גדולים צדיקים במיתתן יותר מבחייהן – "Tzadikim are greater in death than in life." (Chulin 7b) May the zchus of הרבי ר׳ אלימלך בן אלעזר ליפמאן זצוק״ל protect us and all of Klal Yisroel and bring all the refuos and yeshuos begashmios u'breruchnios!

Why Visit the Graves of Tzadikkim?

Listen to Why Visit the Graves of Tzadikkim Podcast to hear Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Rosenfeld explain why we travel to the graves of tzadikim, and specifically to the grave of Reb Nachman of Breslov in Uman.