Reb Nachman Horedenker - Longing For Eretz Yisroel

This Monday, 2 Tammuz, is the 246^th yahrzeit of Reb Nachman Horedenker, perhaps, best known as the grandfather of Reb Nachman of Breslov, who was named after him. Reb Nachman Horedenker was one of the great talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov (Besht), and is quoted many times in Degel Machane Ephraim, often next to his Rebbe, the Besht. (See 2 examples here - Parshas Bamidbar and Parshas Behaloscha.) Sefer Mili D'Avos contains his biography and Torah.

Reb Nachman Horedenker was the son of Reb Yitzchok of Zalkova who came from a very illustrious lineage. Reb Nachman was the seventh generation from the Maharal of Prague, who descended from Rav Hai Gaon, a descendant of Dovid Hamelech. He was also the seventh generation from Reb Avrohom Chaim of Apta, the Av Beis Din of Nikolsberg, who was descendant of the Maharshal, a descendent of Rashi, who was the 33^rd generation from Rebi Yochonan Hasandler, a descendant of Raban Gamliel Hazokein, whose lineage extends back to Dovid Hamelech. Some of his other ancestors include Maharam Padua, Reb Shaul Wahl and Reb Naftali Katz, the Smichas Chachomim.

The sister of Reb Yitzchok of Drohbitch (father of the Zlotchover Magid – R' Yitzchok and his father R' Yosef were talmidim of the Besht) asked the Besht to find her a good shidduch. The Besht suggested his talmid, Reb Nachman Horedenker, who agreed to the match, and the shidduch was finalized. The Besht asked Reb Nachman what he would give him as payment for putting together this shidduch. When Reb Nachmam didn't answer, the Besht said that when his own daughter, Udel, has a daughter, and Reb Nachman has a son, they should make a match between them and that would be the Besht's shadchonus payment. Reb Nachman mentioned that he has yichus going back to Dovid Hamelech. The Besht responded by pulling out his family tree and showing how his yichus also goes back to Dovid Hamelech. Of course we know the rest is history; Reb Nachman's son, Simcha, married Feiga, the daughter of Udel, and their son was Reb Nachman of Breslov.

Reb Nachman Horedenker traveled to Eretz Yisroel with his son, Reb Shimshon, but he returned to Europe, leaving his son in Eretz Yisroel. He wanted desperately to settle in Eretz Yisroel permanantely, but the Besht didn't accede to his desire. One time he had such a burning desire to go to Eretz Yisroel and asked his Rebbe for permission to go back to Eretz Yisroel. The Besht told him to first go to the Mikva and then come back to him. After immersing in the Mikva, the Besht asked him: "What did you see in your first immersion?" Reb Nachman answered: "I saw Eretz Yisroel".

The Besht asked: "What did you see in the second immersion?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw Yerushalayim."

The Besht asked: "And in the third?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the place of the Baiss Hamikdash."

The Besht asked: "And in the fourth?" Reb Nachman replied: "I saw the Kodesh Hakodoshim, but I didn't see the Aron."

The Besht replied: "the Aron is in Mezibuz".

Reb Nachman understood that the Besht didn't want him to go to Eretz Yisroel, son he stayed by his Rebbe until the Besht passed away.

Reb Nachman was one of the talmidim that was with the Besht, when he passed away. After the passing of the Besht, Reb Nachman would regularly go daven at the tzion of the Besht, and would speak to him as if he was still alive. He was able to do this because of his great kedusha and separation from the materialism of this world and because of his great attachment and devotion to his Rebbe. Every time he would ask about going to Eretz Yisroel the Besht would answer no. Finally, one day the Besht said he agrees to let him go, and Reb Nachman went away dancing and singing "I'm going to Eretz Yisroel - I'm going to Eretz Yisroel".

He traveled to Eretz Yisroel with Reb Menachem Mendel of Premishlan and other talmidim of the Besht, and arrived there on 12 Tishrei. (The year was probably 5521) He fulfilled his lifelong dream of settling in Eretz Yisroel, where he lived out his final days until his passing on Shabbos, 2 Tammuz 5521/1761. He is buried in Teveria, where, his grandson, Reb Nachman of Breslov went to daven, on his famous trip to Eretz Yisroel.

May the zechus of Reb Nachman ben Reb Yitzchok protect us and all of Klal Yisroel.

2 Tammuz is also the yahrzeit of:

R' Shmuel ben R' Yechiel of Cologne HY"D (1096) He was killed by the crusaders.

R' Avrohom Twersky, the Trisker Magid (1889) He wrote Magen Avrohom and was the son of R' Mordechai of Chernobyl. See Heichal HaNegina for more on the Trisker Magid.

Zchusom Yogen Aleinu V'Al Kol Yisroel

Reb Shlomke's Miraculous Cholent

Reb Shlomo Goldman of Zvhil, known as Reb Shlomke, was a descendent, ben acher ben, from the Magid of Zlochov. While he was Rebbe in Zvhil, he managed to conceal his greatness. Though everyone knew he was learned, they didn't realize what a lofty level Reb Shlomke was on until the following story happened:

One of the town shikers (drunkard) of Zvhil was a man that we'll call Andrei. He was basically harmless, being content with a bottle or two of vodka. Although Andrei was not Jewish, he liked to frequent the Jewish section of town, because he wouldn't get beaten up there, like in other parts of town, and he knew that the Jews were compassionate people, who would give him food when he went begging.

One Saturday morning, after a big drinking binge the previous night, Andrei felt especially hungry. He knocked on several doors, but got no answer, as it was Shabbos and the residents were in shul. The next house he went to also had no answer, but he noticed the door was not locked properly. The homeowners, in their rush to get to shul had left the door unlocked. Andrei opened the door, and was greeted by a set table with beautiful golden challahs, a decanter filled with red wine and other delicacies. There was a heavenly aroma coming from the stove; the smell of the cholent and kugel was making his mouth water. Andrei didn't know where to start first. The wine attracted him the most, but he thought it would be best to get some food in his empty stomach first. He opened up the pot of cholent and scooped out a big portion for himself, which he shoved down his throat like a man who had never seen food before. A huge piece of kugel followed the cholent. At this point, he heard people outside, walking home from shul, and he thought it would be best to leave the house right away, before he would be caught redhanded. He was still chewing his food, as he headed for the door, but was stopped in his tracks by the golden challah on the table; it looked so good and he was still so hungry. He ripped out a huge chunk of challah, took a big bite from it and reached for the doorknob. He had so much food in his mouth that he couldn't chew properly. A piece of challah went down the wrong pipe and he couldn't breathe. Andrei gasped for air and his face turned colors, as he began to choke on the challah, and moments later he fell down, dead, in front of the door.

A few minutes later, the couple who lived in this house arrived home. They tried opening the door but there was something preventing the door from opening more than a crack. The husband pushed with all his might and got the door opened. They walked into the house and looked to see what was blocking the door. They were in a state of shock when they saw, Andrei, the town shiker, lying on the floor of their house. The husband stated shaking him and yelling at him to get out of his house, but soon realized that Andrei was completely lifeless. He saw the big chunk of challah next to Andrei and surmised what had transpired. They began to panic. Just recently there had been pogroms in the area. If people found out that Andrei was found dead in a Jews house they will accuse the Jews of killing him. Even though they couldn't care less about Andrei, they would use any opportunity to attack the Jews. The wife told the husband to go run to the Rebbe, Reb Shlomke, and ask for his advice.

The homeowner rushed over to the Rebbes house and told him what happened. The Rebbe concured with him, that the townspeople might use this as an excuse to make another pogrom. Reb Shlomke took a spoonful of his cholent and told him to take it and put it into the dead shiker's mouth. Thoughts started going through the man's mind; how could he feed a dead man, but he did not ask any questions, as he was a simple Jew who had complete emunah in whatever the Rebbe told him.

He walked home briskly, being careful not to drop the cholent. He tried to put the cholent in Andrei's mouth, but his mouth was sealed shut. So the man said in a panic "Reb Shlomke said I should feed you the cholent". At the mention of the Rebbe's name, the lifeless shiker opened his mouth, and the man quickly placed the Rebbe's cholent in as far as he could. He almost fainted from what he saw next. Andrei got up from the floor and looking straight ahead, walked out the door. The man followed Andrei, curious to see what would happen. Andrei walked across town, in a zombie-like manner, looking straight ahead. After several minutes, Andrei arrived at his own house. As soon as he stepped in to his house, he fell down to the floor, lifeless as before.

The man ran back to his house to tell his wife over what happened. They had just witnessed an open miracle. They had seen a dead man get up and walk across town to his house. They now realized that Reb Shlomke was a lot more than he made himself out to be. The story spread quickly and everyone now knew that their Rebbe was a very holy man, who had tried to conceal his greatness. It is said that this story is what prompted Reb Shlomke to start thinking about moving to another place, where people wouldn't know him.

Eventually he did move to Yerushalaim, where he managed to conceal his identity until one day someone from Zvhil bumped into him in shul and revealed his identity. After that throngs of people flocked to him for his advice and help until his passing on 26 Iyar 5705/1945, the 41st day of sefira, yesod sheb'yesod. One of the tzadikim by the funeral smelled all sorts of fragrant spices coming from Reb Shlomke's body. Later on, he asked Reb Shlomke's son, Reb Gedaliah, what the source of this custom was. Reb Gedalia replied that they have no such custom. They realized that this beautiful smell was actually from this great tzadik himself. May his memory be a blessing.

Reb Shlomo ben Reb Mordechai

Zchuso Yogen Aleinu V'Al Kol Yisroel