... "Good morning, Lord of the Universe! - he spoke in Yiddish to the Creator. - I, Levi Yitzhak, son of Sarah, of Berdichev, challenge you to a court on behalf of your people! What do you have against his people ?! What You Naselle on His people ... I, Levi Yitzhak, son of Sarah, of Berdichev, say? "Do not come down from that point until the stop distress of the people of Israel, until it comes deliverance!". "


Rabi Levi-Itzhak Meir Derbaremdiker bar (Rabbi Levy - Yitzhak of Berditchev); 5500-5570 / 1740-1809 / yy. ) - outstanding righteous, one of the spiritual leaders of the generation.


On his father's side was preceded by thirty-six generations of prominent rabbis and Torah experts. On the maternal side he was descended from a famous scribes and Talmudic commentator Rabbi Shmuel Eydelsa (Maarsha).


Born in Galicia, in a place Guskov, located near the town of Przemysl. His father, Rabbi Meir Bar was Rabbi Moshe Guskova.


He studied Torah with his father, and from the age of twelve - in the yeshiva of Yaroslav, a major center of Jewish scholarship, which is located north of Przemysl. Even before reaching the age of bar mitzvah, he became famous as a prodigy by the name "iluy of Yaroslav".


Shortly after the Bar Mitzvah, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak married the daughter of the wealthy Rabbi Israel Peretz from the town of Lubartów, near Lublin. The young family settled near the house-in-law, who took care of all of its content.


In Lubartów Rabbi Levi Yitzchak worked together with outstanding scribes Rabbi Yosef Teomim (When Megadim), wrote a famous commentary on the Shulchan Aruch Code.


At seventeen, he met one of the leaders of the Chassidic movement, Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Hurwitz (Shmelke Rabbi of Nikolsburg), who introduced him into the circle of disciples of Rabbi Dov Baer (Magid of Mezrich). Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was one of the few students who were able to comprehend the ultimate essence of the teachings of Magid and join his spiritual light.


"In Rosh Hashanah, during late afternoon prayers, - later recalled Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, - I saw on his face mentor radiant light, iridescent colors of the rainbow. I was attacked by awe and fear, and people supported me, so I did not fall, but no one knew the reasons for my condition. Noticing my confusion, the instructor turned and stood a few minutes, his face pressed to the wall. And when he turned back to us, I have not seen the lights. Once again I saw the light on the teacher's face in the hour of his death. And only because I opened it shine, I have received the ability to comprehend his teachings. "Even in the period of study at the Maggid Rabbi Levi - Yitzhak traveled a lot in Ukraine and Galicia, collecting funds to help the needy, to the dowry for poor brides, and for the repayment of the debt of impoverished tenants prison.


In 5521/1761 / year, at the age of twenty-one years, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak became the head of the rabbinical court in the town of Richvel, succeeding his older friend Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Hurwitz.


A few years later, he led the community town Zhelehova, consisting entirely of misnagdim (opponents of Hasidism). In the period of persecution that followed the proclamation of the "great Herem" 5532/1772 / year, he was deprived of the rabbinical "throne."


In 5535/1775 / year, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak became chief rabbi of Pinsk, located in the south of Polesie.


Only in the summer of 5544/1784 / year, after several years of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak went just as hard to spread Chassidic teaching, he was also expelled from Pinsk.


In 5545/1785 / year, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak became the Chief Rabbi of Berdichev, the largest city in the Volyn region, where the influence of the Hasidim was predominant. However, despite the importance of his position, he still traveled a lot, collecting money to charity. In his travels, he was always surrounded by people, including the most simple and unlearned - he inflamed his heart with love for God and a desire to serve Him.


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak had a remarkable ability to notice in each person only the best of its sides and, respectively, the only good things to say about the people - and in front of other people and to Gd.


One day at dawn, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak saw a Jewish coachman, dressed in a tallit and tefillin prays at the synagogue courtyard, while lubricating the wheels of their carts with tar. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak delightedly exclaimed, "Master of the Universe! Look how holy Your people! Even when a Jew lubricates the wheels of his cart, he thinks of you and serve you! " (Sarei amea 3:17).


Chassidim called Rabbi Levi Yitzchak honorary title "sanegor shel Yisrael" (Israel's patron). Tradition tells us that sometimes he carried out special tests - only to emphasize the righteousness before God the people of Israel.


Once, on the eve of Passover, he sent his Shamash (servant) with the request to purchase a bit of chametz (leaven). After a long search Shamash returned with nothing: after all, keep chametz on Passover is forbidden, and therefore all Berdichev Jews had got rid of him. Then Rabbi Levi Yitzchak inquired whether it is possible to find in Berdichev contraband tobacco banned by Customs for import to the city. It turned out that the tobacco is sold in almost every shop. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak hurried to the house of prayer, I came to the ark with the scrolls of the Torah and said: "Gd of Israel, look how thy people keep thy commandments! Look how many Russian Tsar soldiers guarding the border, what his gendarmes and prison - and yet, in a city full of contraband. At you, the King of kings, no soldiers and gendarmes - thou hast commanded: "Thou shalt have no chametz on Pesach," and already on the eve of in any Jewish home no chametz (Sarei amea 3:17; Gdoley Rusia). "


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak sought to justify even those who caused him harm.


When in Pinsk began the persecution of the Hasidim, a woman, a wife nerimirimogo opponent of Hasidism, poured on Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, who was then the chief rabbi of the city, a bucket of slops. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak prayed: "Merciful Gd! Please do not punish me because of this woman - because she was a wonderful wife. It is written in our Shulchan Aruch (Even aezer 69): "Only a wife can be called decent, which makes it pleasing to her husband '" (Sarei amea 3:17).


Moreover, even if right before his eyes a Jew violates the laws of the Torah, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak tried to find justification for his actions.


It is said that once, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak saw a Jew who smoked a pipe on the Sabbath: "Son, you probably forgot that today is the Sabbath?" - he asked. "No, I know that today is the Sabbath," - said a smoker. "But maybe you do not know what the Sabbath is forbidden to smoke?". "I know." "Master of the Universe! - said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, raising his hands to the sky. - Look to what extent really your people! This man could lie, but even the risk of appearing impious in my eyes, he told the truth - as You commanded it! ".


When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak learned that seventy Jewish backslid, he responded as follows: "This is proof that every Jew has a spark of holiness. After all this for a convert as many as seventy years struggled with his evil inclination, did not want to renounce the God of Israel! " (Ibid).


"No one has the right to talk about the Jews anything bad, - he wrote - should only emphasize their merits" (Kdushat Levi, Pinchas). "After all, even when the Jews did not fulfill God's will, - he explained to the above rule, - they are still chosen from among the nations" (ibid, Jethro).


His love for the people of Israel was so comprehensive that even debating with the "Enlightenment" and the apostates, he avoided categorical statements and mentor intonations.


One great Torah scholar, get lost in the labyrinth of doubts and contradictions, changed faith. Since then, he wandered across Ukraine, poisoning their skepticism and disbelief the souls of others. Visiting Berdichev, he came to the house of study, where he was Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, and with it started the discussion on the fundamentals of the faith: is there a Gd, whether acting in the world system of rewards and punishment? Rabbi Levi Yitzchak said to him: "Son, I have heard that you have already debated with many vydyuschimisya rabbis, and yet, in spite of all their beliefs and arguments, you have remained unconvinced. From your point of view, there is no judge and no judgment in the world, Gd forbid! Indeed, no one in this world is not able to show you the Gd you to your senses convinced of his real existence, and no one can show you GanEden and Geinom. However, agree that the issue is still not completely resolved. What if there are still court, and Judge? And suddenly there is still Geinom and there Gan Eden? What will you do then, what answer on Judgment Day, and what do you say on the day of sentence "(Sarei amea 3:17)?!.


Stood up for his people, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was not afraid to argue with the very Creator of the world, teaching and even denounced him.


"Good morning, Lord of the Universe! - he spoke in Yiddish to the Creator. - I, Levi Yitzhak, son of Sarah, of Berdichev, challenge you to a court on behalf of your people! What do you have against his people ?! What You Naselle on His people ... I, Levi Yitzhak, son of Sarah, of Berdichev, say? "Do not come down from that point until the stop distress of the people of Israel, until it comes deliverance!". "


In the prayer of Rosh Hashanah, which came on the Sabbath, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak demanded Vsevysheno: "On this day of judgment you have to write down all his people, the sons of Israel in the Book of Life! After the Sabbath you and your Court is forbidden to write, as well as us - but written in the book of life as possible, as the salvation of Jewish life removes all the restrictions of the Sabbath ... "(Sarei amea 3:17).


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak prayed very emotionally, with loud cries and tears - his weeping coming from the depths of the soul, breaking through to Heaven and soften even the heart of stone: the most mundane and stale people crying and reached genuine remorse, praying with him.


"He prayed, trembling from covering his awe - recalled contemporary. - From the excitement he could not stand on one place: here he is seen praying at one end of the house of prayer, and a minute later he was at the other end. ... Heart melted in those who listened to his prayers, and washed off all the filth of the soul. "


His usual appeal to God was the word in Yiddish - "Der Baremdiker" (Merciful).


It is told that once the official in charge of registration of the Jewish population, went to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and asked him to give the name. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, immersed in prayer, aloud several times repeated the word "Der Baremdiker". The officer, thinking that it is the answer to his question, has registered the family of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak by that name (Encyclopedia leveyt Israel v. 13 p. 55).


Some of his descendants, being in Israel, was transferred to this strange and unpronounceable name in Hebrew and call themselves "Rahmani" (F. Kandel, Essays on times and events hr. 2, p. 126).


Dedicating to the service of Almighty all his days, special spiritual heights of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak reached on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - the days of judgment and redemption.


Contemporary, who witnessed how Rabbi Levi Yitzchak blew the shofar, recalled: "For his belt hung a few of the shofar; it was as if beyond the flesh, heart-stopping everyone who saw it - all in awe of him as a Gd angel. "


In the post Yom Kippur, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak himself led all five prayers of the day. According to the testimony of one witness, after the evening prayer, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, without departing from the prayer lectern, I read aloud the whole book of Psalms, and then when dawn broke, began the morning prayer - "the voice of the mighty and powerful, growling like a lion." He had read the Torah and without interruption led molivy Mussaf, Mincha and ne'ila - until the evening. At the end of his post he blew the shofar, and read the evening prayer of the day the come. Immediately after Awdal separating the holy day of fasting from everyday life, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak opened Talmud tractate Sukkah, dedicated to following the Yom Kippur holiday huts and studied him in the morning. By dawn, he studied the whole treatise, and hurried to the morning prayer. "And I could not decide for themselves - an eyewitness recalled - the person in front of me or Angel" (Gdoley adorot).


The first night of Sukkot, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, awake, sitting in a tent, waiting for the first rays of dawn, to fulfill the commandment netilatlulav - the ascension of four plant species (Maaseiah avoteynu, Leviticus Emor).


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak wrote that Jewish Holidays - Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot, and others -. Not just serve napomnaniem about the events that took place sometime in history. These days in the spiritual worlds, all these events happen again, year after year, and therefore spiritually awakened person can every time they re-live and in full for them to join (Kdushat Levi).


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak became one of the spiritual leaders of generations - thousands of Chassidim came to him for advice and guidance. Thanks to his presence Berdichev became the center of the Hasidic movement in Ukraine.


According to contemporaries, the other prominent Hasidic mentor Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz (Jose from Lublin; cm) for fifteen years devoted an hour a day of special prayer, in which, thanks to the Creator for what He has sent into the world a great and holy soul, like heart Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev (Gdoley adorot).


The spiritual heritage of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev reflected in his book Kdushat Levi (Levi Sanctity), constructed in accordance with the order of the weekly chapters of the Pentateuch.


This book received a further development of the doctrine of the tzaddik to do in Hasidism a central place. "We find in the Talmud indication - wrote Rabbi Levi Yitzchak - that" Gd called forefather Yaakov word El (God) "(Megillah 187a). It is understood that since Jacob complied with all covenants of the Torah, he was in a certain aspect is similar to Gd - and all the righteous, fulfilling the commandments of the Torah, also likened to Gd "(Kdushat Levi)," The righteous truly serving God, - said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak elsewhere in the book - are enjoying the world's future is already in the world "(ibid, Chaya Sarah). Book Kdushat Levi withstood many editions and has become a classic of Hasidism.


At the end of the life of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak affinity with Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Ladi (Alter Rebbe;. Cm), who was a friend in his youth, in the years of co-education at the Magid of Mezrich - now the grandson and granddaughter of the two saints became husband and his wife.


The legend tells that, after reading in tnaim (the contract is before the wedding): "The wedding will take place in the town of Berdichev ..." Rabbi Levi Yitzchak in the perturbation of ripped paper and dictated a "corrected" version of "The wedding will take place in the holy city of Jerusalem ... But, if until then, not Gd forbid, the Messiah will not come, then the wedding will take place in Berdichev ... ". It is in this edition were composed in his house such contracts (Sarei amea 3:17; GdoleyRusiya).


According to contemporaries, he has always been prepared special holiday clothes in case you suddenly come to Messiah and will have to run out to meet him (Sarei amea, ibid).


In his last Rosh Hashanah, three weeks before his death, before the sounding of the shofar, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak angrily said: "Lord of the Universe! ... Your chosen people, the children of Israel, today, in the day of judgment, appeal to you with a lawsuit. After all the troubles and tribulations, persecution and pogroms raining down on us only because we - Your slaves and serve you - as he said in the psalm, King David: "For you are killing us every day, we venerate the sheep for the slaughter" (Psalms 44:23) ! And, because we are dying because of you and for you, you are obliged to save us, as quickly as possible by giving us the final deliverance! ". And then, turning to the faithful, he said, "I promise you that, after death, when I get into that world, I call on the Supreme Court all the host of heaven, and will require that they have saved our people from exile. "(Sarei amea 4: 9).


At the end of Yom Kippur, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Chassidim said: "Today, at this hour, was to end my life. But I really wanted to accomplish two important commandments of Sukkot: to live in a tent and bless the four plant species. Therefore, I ask God to prolong my life, and prayer has been heard. " A day after Sukkot, at the end of Simchat Torah, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak became ill and died the next day.


According to eyewitnesses, he cried out before his death: "I shall find no rest, and do not be silent, and I will not give peace to all the righteous in the world until the Messiah has not yet come" (Gdoley Rusia).


Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev died in the twenty-fifth day of Tishrei 5570/1809 / year.


On his grave was erected a stone tent - in accordance with his will, without any inscriptions.


This tomb still attracts many pilgrims.


From the book "Jewish Sages", ed. Shvut Ami





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