A Portion In The World To Come For The Mitzvah Of Sukkah

It was only a short time before Sukkot, and in all of Berdichev there could not be found a single etrog. The Tzaddik, Reb Levi Yitzchak, and the entire congregation, were concerned how they would be able to fulfill the important mitzvah of Lulav and Etrog. They waited, but no etrog arrived in Berdichev. Finally, the Tzaddik instructed his followers to go to the closest main highway – perhaps there they would find some Jew who had an etrog. And so they found a Jew, on his way home after a long journey, who had in his possession a very beautiful etrog. But his home was not Berdichev. He lived in another city, far from Berdichev; he was only passing through on his way home.

The followers of Reb Levi Yitzchak persuaded the traveling Jew to meet with the great Tzaddik, Reb Levi Yitzchak. The great Tzaddik tried to convince the Jew to spend Sukkot in Berdichev which would result in so many Jews having the merit of properly performing the mitzvah of Lulav and Etrog, and of course, Reb Levi Yitzchak too would also have the privilege of performing the mitzvah. The Jew would not agree. After all, he was traveling home to his family, whom he hadn't seen for so long. How could he deprive them and himself of the simcha of Yom Tov, the joy of the Sukkot holiday?

In order to further persuade the traveler, the Tzaddik, Reb Levi Yitzchak, promised the Jew wealth and great nachat (pleasure) from his children. The Jew responded that he had, thank G-d, both wealth and wonderful children, and was not in need of anything more. Finally, in desperation, Reb Levi Yitzchak told the Jew that if he would fulfill the rabbi's request, the rabbi would promise him that after 120 years, he would spend eternity together with the rabbi, in the rabbi's four cubits in the World to Come.

When the Jew who owned the etrog heard this incredible offer from the great Tzaddik, he immediately acceded to the Tzaddik's request and agreed to remain in Berdichev for the Sukkot holiday. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and the entire community were delighted, and the Jew with the etrog was ecstatic.

Unbeknownst to the Jewish traveler, a secret command had been issued by the Tzaddik to all the people of Berdichev, that under no circumstances should they allow this Jew who brought the etrog to Berdichev to enter any of their sukkot during the holiday. No one knew why, but the decree of the Tzaddik, was an unalterable decree.

On the first night of Sukkot, after services, the traveling Jew returned from synagogue to the inn where he was staying, and found in his room wine for kiddush, candles, challahs, and a table covered with food. The guest was perplexed...Doesn't the innkeeper have a sukkah? A righteous Jew like he, no sukkah? He went out to the yard and found a sukkah, beautifully built and arrayed, the owner and all the members of his household sitting around the table. The guest sought to enter, but he was not permitted. Why, why? How could this be? No response. So he went to the neighbors on the street and found them, each one in their own sukkah. He begged them to allow him to enter, to sit in their sukkah - for just a moment. No one answered. Finally, he learned that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak had decreed that he should not be allowed into a single sukkah in the entire city of Berdichev.

In panic, he ran to the Tzaddik's home. "What is this?" he cried. "What is my trespass? What is my sin?" Said the Tzaddik: "If you will nullify the promise I made to you that you would sit with me in the World to Come, I will immediately instruct my followers to allow you to enter their sukkot. The guest was astonished - outraged - but was silent. "What can I do?" he thought to himself. "After all, is it an insignificant thing to sit together with this great Tzaddik in the World to Come? On the other hand, in my entire life I have never missed performing the mitzvah of sitting in a sukkah. How can I fail now, on the first night of the holiday, to fulfill this wonderful mitzvah?" Finally, the guest came to a conclusion -- in favor of the sukkah. He said to himself: "Is it possible that all of Israel will sit in a sukkah and I will eat in a house, like a non-Jew? G-d forbid!" He then renounced the promise that Tzaddik had made to him, and at the demand of Reb Levi Yitzchak, extended his hand to confirm the agreement, and proceeded to sit in a sukkah.

When the festival concluded, Reb Levi Yitzchak summoned the Jew to his home. "Now," said the Tzaddik: "I am returning to you my promise. You see, I did this to teach you, to inform you, that I didn't want you to merit the World to Come for no reason, as if it were a business deal or bargain. I wanted you to truly earn a place in the World to Come because you were deserving, because of your deeds, and so I caused you to be tested in the mitzvah of sukkah. Now that you have passed the test, and have shown true devotion to the sukkah, you truly deserve to be my partner in the World to Come."

The Cry Of The SHofar - 2 Rosh Hashana Parables

A parable from Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov:

A King had an only son, the apple of his eye. The King wanted his son to master different fields of knowledge and to experience various cultures, so he sent him to a far-off country, supplied with a generous quantity of silver and gold. Far away from home, the son squandered all the money until he was left completely destitute. In his distress he resolved to return to his father's house and after much difficulty, he managed to arrive at the gate of the courtyard to his father's palace.

In the passage of time, he had actually forgotten the language of his native country, and he was unable to identify himself to the guards. In utter despair he began to cry out in a loud voice, and the King, who recognized the voice of his son, went out to him and brought him into the house, kissing him and hugging him.

The meaning of the parable: The King is G-d. The prince is the Jewish people, who are called "Children of G-d" (Deuteronomy 14:1). The King sends a soul down to this world in order to fulfill the Torah and mitzvot. However, the soul becomes very distant and forgets everything to which it was accustomed to above, and in the long exile it forgets even its own "language." So it utters a simple cry to its Father in Heaven. This is the blowing of the shofar, a cry from deep within, expressing regret for the past and determination for the future. This cry elicits G-d’s mercies, and He demonstrates His abiding affection for His child and forgives him.

A parable from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev:

A king was once traveling in the forest and lost his way, until he met a man who recognized that he was the king and escorted his master out of the forest and back to his palace. The king later rewarded him with many presents, and elevated him to a powerful minister's post.

After a while, however, the man committed an act which was considered rebellious against the king, and he was sentenced to death. Before he was taken out to be executed, the king granted him one last request.

The man said: “I request to wear the clothes I wore when I escorted His Majesty when he was lost in the forest, and that His Majesty should also wear the clothes he wore then.”

The king complied, and when they were both dressed in the garments they wore at the time of their meeting, he said, “By your life, you have saved yourself,” and called off the execution.

The meaning of the parable is that when G-d gave the Torah to Israel, he offered it first to all the nations of the world. They all refused, except the people of Israel, who willingly accepted the yoke of Heaven and fulfilled the commandments of the Creator.

But now we have transgressed and rebelled, like the man in the parable, and with the arrival of the Day of Judgment we are fearful indeed. So we blow the shofar to recall the shofar blowing that accompanied our original acceptance of the Torah and coronation of G-d. This merit stands by us, and G-d forgives us all our sins and inscribes us immediately for a year of goodness and life.

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Who Acquires His Servants Through Judgment - A Rosh Hashana Story

It happened in Berditchev. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, during the repetition of the Shacharitprayer. In the shul of the greattzaddik, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.

The rebbe himself was leading the service. His sweet yet powerful voice permeated the shul, stirring the soul-strings of all present and churning their emotions. Each person felt as if he was standing at that moment before the Throne of GloryTears streamed down many faces. Everyone was inspired to pray with much more greatly focused intensity than usual, from the depths of their hearts.

Just before Kedushah, when he started to intone the prayer that begins with the words “L’E-l orech din”—“To G‑d who conducts judgment,” the tzaddik’s voice quivered. A current pulsed through the room. Every heart pounded as the holiness and seriousness of the occasion seemed to be climaxing. Each person felt as if he was standing at that moment before the Throne of Glory, and the Judge of the World was measuring and weighing his deeds of the past year as His gaze penetrated every heart and secret thought. The Rosh Hashanah judgment was about to emerge!

When he came to the words of one of the final couplets, “l’koneh avadav badin”—“Who acquires his servants through judgment,” R. Levi Yitzchak’s voice cut off. He stood as if frozen in his place. His face turned white as a sheet. His eyes bulged. As his tallit began to slip off his head, it seemed as if his soul had flown off to higher realms.

All eyes riveted upon the rebbe. Everyone shook in fear. What will be, what will be?

The veteran chassidim, however, realized that something special must be happening, even if they couldn’t perceive it. With great joy he called out confidently, “Who acquires his servants through judgment!”They concentrated on thoughts ofteshuvah, of regret for the past and good resolve for the future.

A few more seconds went by. Then, the color returned to the tzaddik’s face. It was as if he had been restored to life. His face shone. With great joy he called out confidently, “L’koneh avadav badin”—“Who acquires his servants through judgment.”

After the prayers, at the holiday meal, one of the elder chassidim mustered his courage and directly queried the rebbe, “What happened during Shacharit? Did you see something in the upper worlds?”

Not one present ever forgot the rebbe’s extraordinary reply.

“I saw the Accuser carrying a huge sack on his back. Right away I felt uneasy. I realized that it was full of the sins of the Jews that he had managed to accumulate over the course of the year.

“I went over and peeked in to see what he had. Let me tell you, there was a full assortment: some nasty lashon hara talk, stinginess, baseless hatred, wasted time that could have been used for Torah study, and so forth and so on ad nauseam. Big ones, little ones—the sack was bulging, and the Accuser was gleefully galloping toward the Throne.As I took each particular sin and considered it in the light of these thoughts, it melted in my hand and disappeared as if it had never been!

“‘Oy!’ I thought to myself. ‘What can I possibly do?’ I couldn’t come up with any plan. My spirits sank.

“Suddenly the Accuser stopped short. His sharp eyes had detected a Jew committing a sin on Rosh Hashanah itself. He dropped the sack and jumped off to pick up this juicy new item to top off his collection.

“As he disappeared from sight, I decided to look in his sack again to get a closer look at what he had. I went over and started examining the different transgressions. I quickly saw that the Jews who had done these things weren’t really so guilty. The bitter harshness of the exile, their bleak poverty, the oppressive negative influence of the dominant cultures in which they lived, and other extenuating circumstances, all combined to coarsen the Children of Israeland seriously weaken their Jewish identity and commitment, until finally they were mired in the filth and unable to resist temptation. Those poor Jews! What could be expected of them? And anyway, what could these puny errors weigh against the callous murder, immorality and theft in which the host nations were sunk?

“As I took each particular sin and considered it in the light of these thoughts, it melted in my hand and disappeared as if it had never been! The pile shriveled and shrank, and soon was all gone.

“Just then, the Accuser returned. When his glance took in the empty sack, he shrieked grievously, ‘Thieves! Ganavim! They stole all my Jewish sins that I worked so hard to amass.’

“Then he spotted me. He recognized right away that it must be me that would do something like this to him. He flew over and grabbed me by my beard!

“Now, you should realize that when it comes to knowing Torah, the Accuser is no slouch! He demanded that I pay him back for what I stole, and not only that, but that I was obligated to pay him double. When I answered him that I didn't have anything to pay him with, he quoted the verse, ‘If the thief can’t pay back, he is sold into slavery.’. . . only by serving Him can we escape the clutches of the Accuser

“With that, the Accuser seized me firmly and dragged me off to sell me. The first angel we encountered, though, adamantly refused to buy me. A Jewish slave? No way! It is too much responsibility. He’d be obligated to feed me and provide for my other needs, and at the same time have to worry about getting caught in false accusations and other problems. ‘He who acquires a Jewish slave acquires a master for himself,’ he quoted. ‘Even if he were free, I wouldn’t take him,’ he finished.

“So the Accuser offered me to the next angel we came upon, and to a third and to a fourth. No one wanted to buy me. No one was interested at all.

“Deciding it was hopeless, the Accuser took hold of me again and pulled me right up to the Throne of Glory, and set forth his case before the Almighty Himself! When he finished, a voice was heard. ‘“I have made you and I shall carry; I shall sustain and I shall deliver.” I will buy him from you, O Accuser.’

“The Accuser stood slack-jawed. All his complaints were silenced.

“At this point I revived, as you saw for yourselves. And now you know the explanation of ‘Who acquires His servants through judgment’: we are all servants of the Almighty, and only by serving Him can we escape the clutches of the Accuser. So let’s do it!” concluded the tzaddik dramatically. “And in the merit of doing so, surely we will be inscribed and sealed for good.”

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A Yom Kipur With The Kedushas Levi

Once, on the eve of Yom Kippur, a young Torah scholar (avrech) arrived in the town of Yaroslav. It was just before the start of Kol Nidre and suddenly the young avrech appeared in the Shul. Without any words or introductions he went up to the reader's stand and began to chant the Kol Nidre prayer in frightening and hauntingly beautiful melody. Not one of the members present in the Shul could identify the stranger or explain his behavior, but since he was clearly a person of considerable spiritual stature, they allowed him to continue uninterrupted.

After the Maariv prayer the avrech chanted all of the Shirei Yichud (Songs of Unity) and then began to recite Tehillim (Psalms) all the while standing. When the members of the shul arrived back in the morning, they found the arech still standing on his feet absorbed in prayer. As soon as a minyan assembled he began with Adon Olam and continued to lead Shacharis prayer. He himself read from the Torah and chanted the Haftorah. He said Yizhkor and then began the arduous Mussaf prayer. At this point the members were suspicious if he was indeed a mortal human being or some kind of angel that had descended on this awesome day; for his voice and his stamina were other worldly. Then there were times when the avrech was silent and the congregation sang. They themselves reached such heights of exultation that they were sure that he was indeed a mortal and they were his equals. But as the Neilah prayer drew to a close, the congregation, thoroughly swept up by his singing and roaring as he stormed the gates of prayer to bring in Klal Yisrael in Teshuva, felt certain that he could indeed be only an angel.

One of those present that special Yom Kippur, was R' Yaakov Meshullam Orenstein, the author of the work Yeshuos Yaacov. It from him that we know of this whole story. R' Yaacov Meshullam decided to follow the young man after the completion of the services. He went after him to his lodgings to see if he would eat now or not. He saw how he heard the havdalah ceremony from others and then asked his host for some kvickenish (a tasty morsel) to refresh his soul since he was hungry.

They immediately brought him some cake and fruit, but he thundered, "No this is not what I need, bring me a volume of (the Talmudic) tractate Sukkah. With that he retired to his room claiming that he wanted to rest. R' Yaacov Meshullam peeked in the key hole and saw that he opened up his book and started to learn with extraordinary exuberance, not pausing for a minute. R' Yaacov Meshullam could already not stay awake himself, so he left to break his fast and to rest. In the early morning he returned to find that the avrech was still learning and about to complete the final page of the tractate. Only after that did he proffer a sheepish request for a glass of coffee and a bit of cake.

This young avrech was none other than R' Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, the Kedushas Levi. He is the same R' Levi Yitzchok whose son writes about him in the introduction to his own book Keser Torah, that ". . . he raised up thousands upon thousands of disciples . . . and ignited within them a passion for learning Torah and serving the Creator with love. His own divine service was such that even the angels above were envious of him!"

R' Moshe Leib Sassov's Trip To Hell

At his grandson's circumcision celebration, the great Chasidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1810), recounted the following episode:

"This morning I arose very early to prepare myself to perform the brit mila of my dear grandchild. At daybreak I opened the window and saw a penetrating darkness in the heavens. As I wondered about the blackness before my eyes, it was made known to me that this very day a prince of Israel, the holy Tzadik, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Sassov, had passed away.

"As I mourned for that master of Israel, I heard a voice cry out: 'Make way for Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib!'

"When Rabbi Moshe entered the celestial realms, the Tzadikim and Chasidim formed a joyous circle around him. Suddenly, he heard a voice reaching from one end of the world to the other. Intrigued, he began following it until he found himself at the gates of Gehinnom (Purgatory).

"Without waiting for permission, Rabbi Moshe entered Gehinnom. The guards saw him walking back and forth as if looking for somebody. They were certain that he had come there by mistake and they politely asked him to ascend to his proper place in Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden).

"Rabbi Moshe said nothing. The guards repeated their request, but he remained silent and did not move. They didn't know whether to drive him out or permit him to remain. They decided to confer with the Heavenly Court, but even it was puzzled. Never had a Tzadik descended into Gehinnom of his own desire. Rabbi Moshe was summoned before the Throne of Glory where he made his request known.

"Rabbi Moshe began, 'Master of the World, You know how great is the mitzva of redeeming captives. I have occupied myself with this mitzva my entire life, and I have never differentiated between wicked captives and righteous captives. All were equally beloved by me, and I had no peace until I had succeeded in freeing them. Now that I have entered the World of Truth, I find that there are many captives here, too. I wish to fulfill this mitzva here, as well.

"'I will not leave Gehinnom until I have fulfilled this mitzva. So dear are Your commandments to me that I have observed them no matter what the place or time or penalty might be. If I cannot bring these wretched souls to freedom, I would rather remain with them in the fires of Gehinnom than to sit with the righteous and bask in the light of the Divine Presence!'

"Rabbi Moshe's words flew before the Throne of Glory, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, uttered the decision: 'Great are the Tzadikim who are ready to relinquish their share in the Gan Eden for the sake of others. Because this mitzva is so noble, let it be calculated how many people Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib redeemed during his lifetime, both they and their children, and their children's children until the end of time. That number he may redeem here, also.'

"The Book of Records was immediately brought, opened and read. The names of all those who had been redeemed by Rabbi Moshe were counted and their children and their children's children. The final figure arrived at was sixty-thousand souls from Gehinnom to Gan Eden.

"Rabbi Moshe began to walk through Gehinnom, looking into countless pits and caves where he found souls who had suffered for hundreds of years and who had long ago lost all hope of redemption. One by one he gathered them and when he was finished, he found their number to be exactly sixty-thousand. Column after column emerged from Gehinnom, marching with them at their head, until they arrived at Gan Eden.

"When all sixty thousand souls had entered, the gates were closed."

After recounting this story, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak named his little grandson Moshe Yehuda Leib and blessed him to grow up to emulate the holy Tzadik, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib of Sassov.

From The Crown of Creation, by Chana Weisberg, published by Mosaic Press

The Generous Miser

The town of Berdichev was buzzing with the news of the death of a certain very wealthy Jew. The townspeople, however, didn't shed a tear, for this man, who had been so blessed in his life, shared not a penny of his great wealth.

The Chevra Kadisha (burial society) planned to compensate the community for his miserliness; they would charge the man's heirs a high price for the burial. When they presented their demands to the man's children, they were shocked at the sum, and insisted that the case be heard by the rabbi of the town - none other than the saintly Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.

When the heirs and the representatives of the Chevra Kadisha appeared before Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, they were surprised to see the depth of his grief at the passing of the rich man. He not only ruled in favor of the heirs, but he said that he would be sure to attend the funeral.

Of course, when the news spread throughout the town that the Rabbi would be attending, every other Jew made certain that he would be there as well. As a result, the entire town closed up and every able - bodied man and woman came out to accompany the deceased to his final rest. Needless to say, they were full of curiosity as to why this stingy man was receiving so much respect.

When the funeral was over, people approached the rabbi and asked the reason for such a show of honor to such a person. "No one knew him like I did," was his reply. "Everyone took him to be a miser, but I came to discover his true character through three legal cases which I was called upon to decide. If you have the time, I will tell you about it.

"The first case concerned a wine merchant who acted as an agent for all the other merchants in the town. They would give him the money to purchase the wine, and he would receive a commission for his trouble. Well, once, just as he was about to go to make his purchase, he realized that the money was missing. The shock of losing the money of so many others affected him so badly that he went into shock and passed out. A doctor was summoned, but the poor man could not be revived. Suddenly a man stepped out of the crowd and announced that he had found the missing money. The merchant was instantly revived by the good news.

"Not too long after, another man came forward and said that he had really found the lost money, but he had succumbed to his evil inclination and kept it. When he heard about the person who had claimed to have found it and had in actuality parted with such an enormous sum in order to save the life of a stranger, his conscience troubled him. Now, he wanted to return the money to the generous donor.

"That man, however, refused to accept it. He didn't want to relinquish his mitzva of saving a person's life. The culprit insisted that I hear the case and make a ruling. My decision was that the donor - the man whose funeral we just attended - was not required to accept the money.

"The second time I met him was when a man came to me with a similar demand. He wished to repay a generous benefactor, but the benefactor refused to accept the money. In this case, a poor man had fabricated a story to placate his wife while he would be away in a distant town trying to 'strike it rich.' It so happened that he had no money to support his family and he told his wife to go to a certain wealthy man in the town and demand payment every week for a fictitious 'salary.'

"She innocently went and asked for what she thought was her due, and the rich man, understanding the delicacy of the situation, paid her for many months. When the husband returned, having succeeded in making his fortune, he insisted on repaying his benefactor. He, however, replied that his business was solely with the wife, and he had nothing to do with the husband. Again, I ruled in his favor; he was entitled to keep his mitzva.

"Finally, the third time I met him was after a very wealthy man who had gone bankrupt asked this man for a loan. 'Who will be your guarantor?' the rich man asked.

"'My only guarantor is G-d Alm-ghty,' he replied.

With a smile, the rich man said, 'He is a Guarantor I can really trust!'

"When the day arrived for the man to repay his loan, he failed to appear. Several months later, however, he did come, begging forgiveness for his lateness. 'You owe me nothing,' the rich man answered. 'Your Guarantor was very honest, and He paid me very well with a large, unexpected profit. Therefore, you owe me nothing.'

"Again, the recipient of his largesse appealed to me, but I, once again, ruled in favor of the deceased. He was not required to accept repayment of his loan, if he refused to do so. So, my friends, you see, your assessment of the deceased was very wrong. He was no miser. On the contrary, he was a great and saintly person who practiced the giving of charity on the highest level - that of giving quietly, with no fanfare and no public acknowledgment. Just as the deceased stood in my court and accepted my verdicts three times, he is now standing before the Heavenly Court, accompanied by his mitzvot, which are testifying to his saintliness before that highest court."

At his grandson's circumcision celebration, the great Chasidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1810), recounted the following episode:

"This morning I arose very early to prepare myself to perform the brit mila of my dear grandchild. At daybreak I opened the window and saw a penetrating darkness in the heavens. As I wondered about the blackness before my eyes, it was made known to me that this very day a prince of Israel, the holy Tzadik, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Sassov, had passed away.

"As I mourned for that master of Israel, I heard a voice cry out: 'Make way for Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib!'

"When Rabbi Moshe entered the celestial realms, the Tzadikim and Chasidim formed a joyous circle around him. Suddenly, he heard a voice reaching from one end of the world to the other. Intrigued, he began following it until he found himself at the gates of Gehinnom (Purgatory).

"Without waiting for permission, Rabbi Moshe entered Gehinnom. The guards saw him walking back and forth as if looking for somebody. They were certain that he had come there by mistake and they politely asked him to ascend to his proper place in Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden).

"Rabbi Moshe said nothing. The guards repeated their request, but he remained silent and did not move. They didn't know whether to drive him out or permit him to remain. They decided to confer with the Heavenly Court, but even it was puzzled. Never had a Tzadik descended into Gehinnom of his own desire. Rabbi Moshe was summoned before the Throne of Glory where he made his request known.

"Rabbi Moshe began, 'Master of the World, You know how great is the mitzva of redeeming captives. I have occupied myself with this mitzva my entire life, and I have never differentiated between wicked captives and righteous captives. All were equally beloved by me, and I had no peace until I had succeeded in freeing them. Now that I have entered the World of Truth, I find that there are many captives here, too. I wish to fulfill this mitzva here, as well.

"'I will not leave Gehinnom until I have fulfilled this mitzva. So dear are Your commandments to me that I have observed them no matter what the place or time or penalty might be. If I cannot bring these wretched souls to freedom, I would rather remain with them in the fires of Gehinnom than to sit with the righteous and bask in the light of the Divine Presence!'

"Rabbi Moshe's words flew before the Throne of Glory, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, uttered the decision: 'Great are the Tzadikim who are ready to relinquish their share in the Gan Eden for the sake of others. Because this mitzva is so noble, let it be calculated how many people Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib redeemed during his lifetime, both they and their children, and their children's children until the end of time. That number he may redeem here, also.'

"The Book of Records was immediately brought, opened and read. The names of all those who had been redeemed by Rabbi Moshe were counted and their children and their children's children. The final figure arrived at was sixty-thousand souls from Gehinnom to Gan Eden.

"Rabbi Moshe began to walk through Gehinnom, looking into countless pits and caves where he found souls who had suffered for hundreds of years and who had long ago lost all hope of redemption. One by one he gathered them and when he was finished, he found their number to be exactly sixty-thousand. Column after column emerged from Gehinnom, marching with them at their head, until they arrived at Gan Eden.

"When all sixty thousand souls had entered, the gates were closed."

After recounting this story, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak named his little grandson Moshe Yehuda Leib and blessed him to grow up to emulate the holy Tzadik, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib of Sassov.

From The Crown of Creation, by Chana Weisberg, published by Mosaic Press

The Most Worthy Man To Blow The Shofar For Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev

One year Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev spent a long time in search of a man who would be worthy of blowing the shofar in his shul. Rosh Hashana was fast approaching and though many righteous folk sought the privilege, vying with each other in demonstrating their expertise in the abstruse Kabalistic secrets associated with the shofar, none of them were to his taste.

One day a new applicant came along, and Reb Levi Yitzchak asked him on what mysteries he meditated while he was performing the awesome mitzva.

"Rebbe," said the newcomer, "I'm only a simple fellow; I don't understand too much about the hidden things in the Torah. But I have four daughters of marriageable age, and when I blow the shofar, this is what I have in mind: 'Master of the Universe! Right now I am carrying out Your will. I'm doing Your mitzva and blowing the shofar. Now supposing You too do what I want, and help me marry off my daughters?' "

"My friend," said Reb Levi Yitzchak, "you will blow the shofar!"

The Berditchever's Vehu Rachum That Melted A Heart

A fierce looking man ran out of the house, his eyes burning with murderous rage at the coach full of Jews. In his hand he carried a revolver. At his heels, his favorite pet, a massive black dog, yelped and snapped at the carriage.

One of the passengers approached the angry householder, who drew his gun and began to shoot at the coach. The gun clicked - but no bullets emerged. Again and again he pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

Just then, a calm, holy face appeared at the window of the carriage. With a fascinated stare, the angry man lowered the gun and pulled the trigger. A bullet spewed forth and struck the black dog, killing it instantly.

At the holy passenger's request, one of the travelers approached the householder. "Sir, we are Chasidim traveling with the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev," he stammered. "It is time for our evening prayers and we would like to ask your kind permission to pray in your house."

"The Holy Rabbi of Berditchev? Why yes, of course, you have my permission," said the man, as if in a dream. With that, he turned and strode into his house without a backward glance at his beloved dog.

The servants and friends were puzzled. They expected to enjoy the massacre of the Jews - these Jews who seemed not to know or care that no Jew dared step onto this property since the owner's murderous reputation had become known. The disciples of Reb Levi Yitzchak were perplexed, too. Why had their Rebbe asked them to accompany him to this unknown place, leaving Berditchev very early, traveling quickly and stopping only once along the way to say Psalms? The homeowner himself was also confused. "I know the gun was in perfect order, and yet it would not shoot when I pointed at the carriage. It must be the power of that holy Rabbi," he muttered to his friends.

News of the arrival of Reb Levi Yitzchak and the estate owner's seeming change of heart reached the Jews living nearby. They began gathering at the estate to see Reb Levi Yitzchak and to pray with him. Many non-Jews also joined the gathering since Reb Levi Yitzchak's holiness was known by the entire countryside.

Reb Levi Yitzchak led the evening prayers himself. Before saying the opening words, "And He is merciful, He forgives sin, and will not destroy. He turns back His anger many times and does not arouse his wrath," the Rebbe began to sing a moving melody. It was sad and poignant and had a haunting effect on all who listened. It turned everyone's thoughts to their own private world, contemplating past regrets and the evil and folly of a person's actions. Each heart was full of despair and bitter regret. The disciples understood the melody to depict the suffering of the pure and holy soul, forced to leave the beautiful heavens, and come to this evil, false world.

But just as the notes seemed to fade into the very abyss of doom, the Rebbe raised his voice in a triumphant call of hope and salvation. The words, "Oh G-d, save. The King will answer us on the day we call," were sung in a joyful tune, stirring everyone to confidence and hope. But, before the Rebbe had sung the last of the sad notes, the host cried out hysterically and fell to the ground in a faint.

Everyone was mystified by the events. The Chasidim now understood that the purpose of the journey had to do with their host. But what were the redeeming qualities of this Jew-hater that he merited the special attention of Reb Levi Yitzchak?

A few hours later, the Chasidim saw the host emerge, his eyes red and his face tear-stained. In broken Yiddish, the host stammered, "I am a Jew. I, too, am a Jew." In wonder, they listened to his story:

"I was born in Germany to Jewish parents. As a young man I joined the Kaiser's army. The higher I rose in rank, the looser my ties to Judaism became. By the time I was a personal guard of the Kaiser, I had totally disassociated myself from Judaism. Finally, I became a Jew-hater and relished every opportunity I had to persecute Jews.

"Now, with you and your Rebbe here, I remember that I am a Jew. I want to be a Jew again. Please, I beg of you, ask your holy Rebbe to teach me how to be a Jew again!"

The next morning, prayers were lead with a festive atmosphere. The host joined the Jewish villagers. He borrowed a talit (prayer shawl) and tefilin and asked to be shown how to use them. After prayers, he was closeted with the Rebbe for several hours, their conversation remaining a secret. The Rebbe warned his Chasidim never to breathe a word about this journey.

A short time later, the former Kaiser's guard sold his estate and disappeared. Around the same time, a stranger came to live and study in Berditchev. He became a close disciple of Reb Levi Yitzchak and the father of one of the finest Jewish families.

A heavenly Purim meal

The last rays of the sun had already disappeared, marking the end of the "Fast of Esther," and the beginning of the holiday of Purim. The synagogue of Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev was filled to overflowing. Everyone waited patiently as Reb Levi Yitzchak ascended the lecturn to begin the evening service and then the reading of the megila, the story of Purim recorded in the Scroll of Esther.

The sexton approached Reb Levi Yitzchak and whispered something in his ear. The Rebbe immediately went out from the shul into an adjoining room.

There, a poor women was standing with a ritually slaughtered chicken. When salting the chicken before cooking it, she had noticed what seemed to be a broken bone and had come to ask the Rebbe if it was kosher. Reb Levi Yitzchak examined the chicken and found it to be not kosher. "Oy, what will I do? My husband is sick and my children are starving. I spent my last few coins on this chicken, hoping the soup would help my husband and satisfy my children. What shall I do?" the woman sobbed.

"Do not worry, my daughter. G-d helps everyone and will certainly help you, too," said Reb Levi Yitzchak compassionately. "Now go to the shul and listen to the megila," he added.

When the woman had left, Reb Levi Yitzchak put on his overcoat and went quickly to his home. There he gathered up everything his wife had prepared for the Purim feast the next day; fresh hamentashen, fish, chicken, soup, challah, and all kinds of delicacies. He tied it securely in a large, white tablecloth and made his way to the home of the poor woman.

Reb Levi Yitzchak entered the house and immediately heard the voice of the sick husband. "Is that you Sara? What happened with the chicken?" he asked in a weak voice.

"A good Purim, happy Purim," answered Reb Levi Yitzchak. "G-d has sent you a Purim gift." The Rebbe set the table neatly and then hurried back to the shul. The prayers and megila reading had not continued without the Rebbe; despite the late hour, no one wished to miss hearing Reb Levi Yitzchak read the megila.

That year, the megila reading seemed to take on new meaning for those gathered in the shul, especially when the Rebbe read the words about sending mishloach manot - gifts of food to one's friends - and giving extra charity to the poor. Everyone understood the implications of love and unity that were inherent in these mitzvot [commandments].

When Reb Levi Yitzchak's wife returned home, she was more than a little surprised to find that everything she had prepared for the Purim meal was missing! She entered her husband's study and found him deeply immersed in a holy book, his face aglow. The Rebbetzin intuitively understood what had happened. She managed to pull together a suitable meal from leftovers here and there.

When the poor family told the town excitedly that Elijah the Prophet had visited their house and brought "mishloach manot from G-d" the townspeople also understood where their Rebbe had been. He had substituted for Elijah.

That year, the unusually generous people of Berdichev were even more generous than usual. They sent food in abundance to Reb Levi Yitzchak for his festive Purim meal, and extra food and charity to all the poor of the city.

Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev Greeting The Traveling Worshipper

Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev walked over to one of the congregants and extended his hand. The man had just concluded the Amida prayer, and Reb Levi Yitzchak greeted him with a hearty "Sholom Aleichem."

"Rebbe," the man questioned, "Why are you greeting me as if I returned from a journey? I live here in Berdichev and we see each other often. I haven't travelled outside the city for quite some time."

"I watched you while you were planing your next trip to the commercial fair in Leipzig. You visualized your transactions so powerfully that you felt as if you had traveled to and from the fair already. After such a journey, I felt it only proper that I should greet you cordially."

R' Levi Yitzchak Of Berditchev's Shofar Blowing

The high holidays were approaching. Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev and Reb Yisrael of Koznitz were planning their service in the upcoming days. Among the topics they discussed was who would blow the shofar first. They agreed that Reb Yisrael would be given that distinction since he would customarily begin his prayers early.

The morning of Rosh Hashana had just begun, and the Rebbe of Koznitz ascended the bima to blow the shofar. Concealed by his talit, he sensed a disturbing, negative response from preventing him from blowing the shofar. It was as if the gates of Heaven were impregnable. Try as he did, he could not breach the wall.

Suddenly, the gates swung wide open. All the obstacles disappeared and the heavens were prepared to receive the Jews' prayers.

"What brought about this change?" he inquired. It was revealed that the heavens were penetrated by the holy service of Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev who was preparing to immerse in the mikva before blowing the shofar.

Reb Yisrael of Koznitz turned to his followers. "If the mere preparation of Reb Levi Yitzchak have such a pronounced effect, we must wait until he blows the shofar, and only afterwards will we proceed with our service."

R' Levi Yitzchak Of Berditchev & The Preacher

A well-known preacher once came to Berdichev before Rosh Hashana and requested permission from the head of the community to preach. "I am a widely-acclaimed preacher," he said, "and consider myself worthy of preaching in the shul of Reb Levi Yitzchak."

"I would gladly allow you to preach in any other shul. If, however, you wish to speak in Reb Levi Yitzchak's shul, you must ask him for permission."

The preacher went to the Rebbe and presented his request. "I will grant you permission on condition that I say a few words before your speech," said the Rebbe. Word spread quickly that a visiting preacher would be speaking in Reb Levi Yitzchak's shul on Rosh Hashana and that the Rebbe would speak to the people beforehand. Crowds of people flocked to the shul and listened attentively as the Rebbe made his introduction.

"Master in Heaven, today is the Day of Judgment. The Satan will come before You to accuse the Jewish people. Do not listen to him, for You have written in Your Torah, 'One witness shall not suffice to accuse in judgment.' "

This visiting preacher has come to preach in our city. Should his words contain accusations against Your people do not hearken to his words. Do not accept him as a second witness. He is unfit to pass testimony for he has a personal interest in the matter. He is preaching only because he is in need of funds to marry off his daughter.

"However, if his words are commendable to Your People, listen to them, though he is only one witness. Our Sages have taught us that while the testimony of a single witness is not sufficient to obligate a person, it is sufficient for a vow to be taken. And, you have made a vow to our forefathers..."

The preacher was at a loss for words. The talk he had prepared was filled with fire and brimstone, condemning the people for their many faults. He forfeited his chance to speak and the crowd dispersed.

After Rosh Hashana, Reb Levi Yitzchak himself collected money for the needy preacher and provided him with the funds necessary to marry off his daughter.