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Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Liska Born: Ujhel, Hungary, 1798 Died: Liska, Hungary, 1874 Chassidic leader Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh , one of the leading chassidic rebbes of Hungary, was the son of a tzaddik nistar - hidden tzaddik - Rabbi Aaron of Ujhel. After studying Torah with Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Bonyhad, he spent several years at the chassidic court of Rabbi Moshe of Ujhel, the Yismach Moshe. He also journeyed to other great chassidic masters of his time, such as R' Yisrael of Rizhin, R' Meir of Premyshlan, R' Shalom of Belz, and others. However, it was Rabbi Chaim of Sanz who played a dominant role in shaping his life and thoughts. And when R' Tzvi Hirsh established himself as Rebbe in Liska, Hungary, it was his mentor R' Chaim of Sanz, who encouraged and assisted him. As a result, thousands of chassidim convereged on the newly founded chassidic center, eager to bask in the warmth of the Lisker Rebbe's benevolence, to enjoy the fellowship, singing, and joy of a Shabbat meal at the Rebbe's tish and to be inspired by his insights on the weekly Torah portion. The Lisker Rebbe was acknowledged as an eminent Torah scholar and decider of halachic questions. He wrote Ach Pri Tevuah and Hayashar Vehatov. His descendant, the Lisker Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Friedlander, survived the Holocaust and then settled in Brooklyn, New York, where he established a chassidic center that perpetuates Lisker Chassidut. God and Nature (from Ach Pri Tevuah) It is well known fact the the Divine name Elokim and the word hateva, meaning nature, have the same numeric value of 86, and thus can be equated. Indeed, nature is a manifistation of God, for He cloaks His actions with a garment of nature. God does this in order that man may have bechira, freedon of choice. He can choose to believe that events and phenomena in the universe are dictated by nature, or he may recognize God as the Power that rules and guides all of existence. Since God clothes Himself in the mantle of nature, how can He be recognized? You can recognize His Presence by observing how He metes out justice, measure for measure. This realization is illustrated by Jethro who stated, after hearing about the miracles of the Exodus, "Now I know that God is greater that all gods, because the very thing they plotted came on them" (Exodus 18:11) May the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Liska protect us all, Amen. |