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Pleader for Israel
by DR H RABINOWICZ
(A Srvrn Arts Feature)
Outstanding amonf> the Hassidie
amts who have flourished in
Jewry during the past two centu
ries was Knhbi Levi Isaac h. Meii
of Herdychev (1740-180!)). the
uthor of the famous Hassidie
work "Kedushat Levi.” A disciple
of K.ihhi Dov Baer, the Maggid of
Messerit/. he settled in 1780 in
Herdychev, “the Jerusalem of
Volhynia," which became a strong
hold of Hassidism. lie was affec
tionately known as the "Great Do
lt ndcr of the House of Israel.”
Hassidie legend has it that when
(lie He'rdychever was born, ltabbi
Israel Baal Shem-Tov, the founder
of Hassidism, prophetically j>ro-
claimed; "A (treat and holy soul
has descended into the world, and
it shall be an eloquent pleader for
Jewry."
ltabbi Levi Isaac fulfilled his
(treat destiny, lie was endowed
with boundless optimism and with
a passionate faith in the inherent
goodness of humanity; he was
utterly devoid of bitterness despite
tin' many tribulations to which he
was subjected. He could not "be
hold iniquity in Jacob nor per
verseness in Israel." Just as every
letter in a Sepher Torah is sacred,
so is every member of the House
of Israel sacrosanct and above
leproach. For a man is given two
eyes; with one lie is to regard his
own failings, and with the other
lie is to observe the virtues of his
fellow-men
Innumerable are the anecdotes
and aphorisms that reveal t.ie
Berdychever's true nobility of
i haracter. It is related, for ex-
..tuple, that he once chanced upon
a Jew eating m public upon the
Fast of Ab. "Surely", the Rabbi
i.emonstratod. "you must have
forgotten that today is the ninth
iif Ah'. No. 1 have not forgotten."
was the reply "Perhaps, my son.
you are not enjoying good health
and were advised by your doctor
to eat’" "No. 1 am in excellent
health.” Cried the Sage aloud:
“See, O Lord, what a wonderful
people are the Jews. Even when
they transgress thy commandment,
they do not stoop to utter
untruths.”
When he saw a driver, clad in
Talith and Tephilin, greasing 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 confederates of
the night's haul, the Rabbi com
mented: "It is still a long time to
Selichot; yet the man has alread)
begun to confess 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 reputed to have told an in
veterate evil-doer: "1 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
i :ie of your transgressions, and
you would be luminous alto
gether.”
If Ills anger was ever roused, it
was always in the cause of Israel
whom he defended fiercely against
flic itinerant Maggidim who would
castigate the assembled congrega-
t.ons with “fire, flame and brim
stone." When he heard a preacher
accusing the people of a multi
tude of sins, he protested vigor
ously: "Lord of the Universe! This
poor tnaggid complains 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 Berdyehever was equally
distressed when he heard another
Rabbi publicly admonish a congre
gant for the hasty and indecorous
r .inner in winch he was reciting
his prayers. Said the Berdyehever:
' .: is wrong to criticise a Jew.
and on such ground. God will
surely uunderstand him just as a
loving mother understands the
mumblings, seemingly unintelli
gible, of her .little child.”
On the Days of Judgment, Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the
Gredt Advocate excelled himself.
The House of Israel was on trial;
The Heavenly Tribunal was as
sembled: all his legal faculties, his
powers of eloquence and oratory,
were called for and were fear
lessly employed.
In a famous colloquy, that has
been set to music, he pleaded:
“Tell. me. O Lord, what hast Thou
against Israel? Thou hast’ written
in Thy Holy Torah, 'speak'. Unto
whom? Unto Israel. Thou hast
written 'say'. Unto whom? Unto
Israel. Thou hast written 'Com
mand'. Unto whom? Unto Israel.
Hast Thou no other nation to in
struct in Thy Laws? Hence it
must follow that Thou lovest
Israel. Have mercy upon him, and
fulfill his great needs."
Emotion was not the only wea
pon in his armoury. He would
seize upon every technicality to
procure an acquittal. When Rosh
Hashanah occurred on a Sabbath,
he seized the opportunity offered:
"O God. Thou hast forbidden us
to write on the holy Sabbath, ex
cept in. order to save life. Write
us down therefore for life, as
otherwise Thou too mayest not
write on the Sabbath."
He was always on the look-out
for facts which would place his
"client" Israel in a favourable
light. On one Kol Nidre night, he
propounded this argument: "O
Lord of the Universe, hadst Thou
enjoined nations, other than Jews
to eat and drink today (the eve ol
the fast), they would surely have
over-eaten and drunk themselves
into a stupor. But Thy people
Israel are sober and are all stand
ing before Thee. Hast. Thou, in
truth, a people comparable to
Israel?
Like all great advocates, he
w'ould often use a good story in
support of his brief. On one oc
casion—it was the Day of Atone
ment—he urged a poor and
humble tailor to speak in front
of the Congregation; said the man
"I. Yankel, am a poor tailor, who
the truth be told, have not been
too honest in my work. I have at
times kept left-over cloth, and I
have missed an occasional after
noon service. But Thou, O Lord,
hast taken away infants from theii
mothers, and mothers from theii
infants. Let us, on this Day of
Days, be quits. Mayest Thou for
give me as I forgive Thee." On
which the Berdyehever comment
ed: "O, Yankel. Yankel, why did
you let God off so lightly?. . .”
And when the Rabbi had no
case to present, he would question
the validity of the Heavenly
Tribunal: "Do not our sages tell
us that a person who us childless
is not eligible to be a member of
the Sanhedrin as he may be de
void of pity? How then are the
Angels entitled to constitute a
Heavenly Tribunal'."
It was said of Rabbi Levi Isaac
Berdyehever—and it is indeed a
t-tting epitaph—that he loved God
and he loved Judaism but that his
love for the Jews surpassed his
love for both.
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