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Rabbi Levi Isaac
THE
GREAT
DEFENDER
OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
by DR H. RABiNOWICZ
Outstanding among the galaxy of
Hasidic saints and sages that have
flourished in Jewry during the
past two centuries, Rabbi Levi
Isaac of Berditshev, author of
“Kedushath Levi,” was affection
ately known as the “Great De
fender of the House of Israel.”
Hasidic legend has it, that when
the Berditshever was born. Rabbi
Israel Baal Shem-Tov, the founder
of Hasidism, prophetically pro
claimed “A great and holy soul
has descended into the world, and
it shall be an eloquent pleader for
Jewry. “Rabbi Levi Isaac fulfilled
his destiny. He was endowed with
boundless optimism and with a
passionate faith in the inherent
goodness of humanity; he was ut
terly devoid of bitterness, despite
the many tribulations to which he
was subjected. He could not "be
hold iniquity in Jacob nor trans
gressions in the House of Israel.”
Just as every letter in a Sepher
Torah is sacred, so is every mem
ber of the House of Israel sacro
sanct and above reproach. For a
man is given two eyes; with one
he is to regard his own failings,
and with the other he is to ob
serve the virtues of his fellow-
men.
Innumerable are the anecdotes
and aphorisms that reveal the
Berditchever’s true nobility of
character. It is related, for ex
ample, that he once chanced upon
a Jew eating in public upon the
Fast of Ab. “Surely,” the Rabbi
remonstrated, “you must have
forgotten that today is the 9th
of Ab?” “No, I have not forgot
ten,” was the reply. “Perhaps,
my son, you are not enjoying
good health and were advised by
your doctor to eat?” “No, I am
in excellent health.” Cried the
Sage aloud: “See, O Lord, what a
wonderful people are the Jews.
Even when they transgress Thy
commandments, they do not stoop
to utter untruths.”
When he saw a driver, clad
in Talith and Tephillin, lubricat
ing the wheels of his wagon, the
Rabbi exclaimed: “What a holy
people is Thine! Even when they
oil the wheels of their wagons,
they are mindful of Thee, and
commune with Thee.” And when
he heard a thief boasting to con
federates of the night’s haul, the
Rabbi commented: “It is still a
long time to Selichoth; yet the
man has already begun to con
fess his sins.”
His attitude to the sinner was
truly saintly. He was constantly
striving “to love a good Jew as
much as God loves a wicked one.”
He is reported to have told an
inveterate evil-doer; “I actually
envy you. For if you would only
repent and return wholeheartedly
to our Father in Heaven, a ray
of light would go forth out of
every one of your transgressions,
and you would be luminous alto
gether.”
If his anger was ever roused, it
was always in the cause of Israel,
whom he defended fiercely
against the itinerant Maggidim
who would castigate the as
sembled congregations with “fire,
flame and brimstone.” When he
heard a preacher accusing the
people of a mutitude of sins, he
protested vigorously: “Lord of the
Universe! This poor Maggid com
plains bitterly against thy people
because that is how he earns his
livelihood. Give him, I beg of
You, his daily bread, and save
him the necessity of defaming
your holy nation.” The Berdit
shever was equally distressed
when he heard another Rabbi
publically admonish a congregant
for the hasty and indecorous man
ner in which he was reciting his
prayers. Said the Berditshever:
“It is wrong to criticize a Jew,
and on such grounds. God will
surely understand him, just as a
loving mother understands the
mumblings, seemingly unintelligi
ble, of her little child.”
On the Days of Judgment, on
Rosh Hashonah and on Yom
Kippur, the Great Advcote t ■ •
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