Email comments and suggestions to: zion @ rabbiShimon.com
|
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak - The Chozeh of Lublin Born: Shbarshin, Poland, 1745 Died: Lublin, Poland, 1815 Chassidic leader Rabbi Yaacov Yitzchak, the Chozeh of Lublin, is one of the truly beloved figures of Chassidism. He merited the cognomen of Chozeh, which means seer or visionary, due to his great intuitive powers. For example, he had the ability to discern a petitioner's character, his past deeds, and the root of his soul by glancing at his forehead. The Chozeh could look into the future. He could see, it was said, "from one end of the world to the other." He could see events taking place, far away from where he was sitting. On the day he left the world (9th of Av), he prophesied that 100 years from this day, the Russians would lose their reign over Poland. And so it was to the date July/20/1915 (9th of Av), the Austrians conquered Lublin, and the Chozeh's prophecy was noted in the Polish newspapers. A disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, he continued his studies under Rabbi Shmelke of Nilkolsburg and Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk. After he moved from Lanzut to Lublin, thousands of chassidim flocked to him to savor his teachings and to be warmed by his saintly presence. Among his ardent followers were such chassidic luminaries as Rabbi Yaacov Yitzchak ha-Yehudi ha-Kadosh (The Holly Jew), Rabbi Simcha Bunam of Pshis'cha, Rabbi Meir of Apta, Rabbi David of Lellov, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhel, Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz, Rabbi Klonymos Kalman of Cracow (Ma'or Vashemesh), Rabbi Shalom of Belz, and many others. The story is told of Rabbi
Yisachar Dov Ber of Radoshitz , who said to his teacher, the Chozeh
"Show me one general way to the service of God." "G-d should shine his countenance upon you and pleasure you." [in the Priestly Blessing; Bamidbar, 6:25] The Chozeh explains the word V'yechuneka [and pleasure you] as, "G-d should make you like Choni the Circle Maker" [of whom the Talmud says that his prayers were always answered. This is a play on words in Hebrew, "V'yechuneka" coming from the same root as "Choni"]. The Chozeh's boyhood teacher... The Chozeh of Lublin and his disciples had set out on a long journey. As the
holy Shabbat quickly approached they found themselves at an unfamiliar
crossroads. Dismounting from their wagons, they debated the question of which
way to turn. The Chozeh interrupted the discussion, and advised them to let the
horses' reins go free and let them go where they would. They did as he said, and
they traveled quite a few miles on the road before meeting a peasant who told
them that the town which they had reached was not the one they had been
searching for. Nevertheless, as Shabbat was quickly approaching, they had to
stop over and find some lodging for the night. At that point the Chozeh
announced to his chasidim, "This Shabbat I am not to be known as a rebbe."
From this they understood that he wanted to be inconspicuous for some reason of
his own. It was also understood that they would be on their own in finding
appropriate accommodations. So, they entered the town and made their way to the
synagogue, knowing that, according to time-honored custom, strangers always
received an invitation from some villager for the Shabbat meal. Sure enough,
they all received invitations, except for the Chozeh who, in his usual fashion
prolonged his prayers until all the other congregants had left. There was,
however, one very old man who also remained in the shul and sat singing the
traditional Shabbat tunes. The old man noticed the stranger and asked him,
"Where will you be having your meal?" The Chozeh replied, "I
don't know yet." "Well, I would suggest that you have your Shabbat
meals in the local inn, and after the Shabbat ends, I will go around and collect
the money to pay the bill." "No," replied the Chozeh, "In
that inn, they don't even light Shabbat candles. No, I wouldn't make kiddush in
such a place." "Well, I would invite you to my own home, but we really
don't have much of anything to eat or drink." "Don't worry, I don't
eat very much, and I don't drink very much either." "All right, so,
you'll come home with me." said the old man, still sitting with his prayer
book in his hand. "Tell me, where do you come from?" "I come from
Lublin." "You don't say! Why, you don't happen to know the tzaddik, the
Chozeh, do you?" "It so happens that I know him very well. I spend all
of my time with him." The old man's eyes lit up like a fire. "I would
like very much to be able to see him in his glory, but I don't know how it can
be. I'm very poor and I've become weak in my old age, so it is impossible for me
to make the journey to Lublin. Nevertheless, my desire is so strong, I fast one
day a week that I should have the merit to see him with my own eyes. Please,
what can you tell me about him?" "Well, what kind of things do you
want to know?" asked the Chozeh. You see, many years ago, when he was just
a little boy, I was his teacher. In those days he was a regular boy, just like
all the rest, nothing special about him. But now, I hear he performs miracles
and is a great tzaddik. Every day when his turn came to read from the siddur, he
would be missing. And when he would finally turn up, I would always spank him.
Then, one day I decided to follow him. I was curious to see where he went all
the time. So, I walked a little distance behind him, and followed him into the
forest. There, he sat down and cried out from the depths of his heart, 'Shma
Israel, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad!' From that day on I never spanked him
again." The Chozeh was greatly moved by the old man's recitation, and it
was clear to him why God had directed his path to this out-of-the-way little
village. He revealed to the old man his real identity, and the old man fainted
away. After he was revived, the tzadik told him not to reveal to anyone else who
he was. After the end of Shabbat the Chozeh and his followers continued on in
the originally intended direction. They arrived at an inn and enjoyed the Melave
Malka meal, bidding goodbye to the Shabbat Queen. When they had finished, the
Chozeh told them, "Let's return to the village now, for it is time for us
to pay our last respects to the old man I stayed with. He has just departed from
this world." They returned and said the eulogy for the old man who had such
a burning love for tzadikim, that Gd granted him his greatest wish. His writings are contained in three books: Divrei Emet, Zot Zikaron, and Zikaron Tov. In a compilation of these works, entitled Torat HaChozeh MiLublin, his commentaries are alphabetically arranged according to topics and according to the weekly Torah portion. May the merit of the tzaddik The Chozeh of Lublin protect us all, Amen. |