Yartzeit of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska to be observed on 14 AV throughout the World.
On Wednesday evening, Parshas V’eschanon, the night preceding 14 AV the the current Liska Rebbe, HaRav Tzvi Hersh Friedlander SHLITA, will commemorate the 142th yartzeit of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska who was known throughout Hungary as the Ach Pri Tevuah, the tile of his sefer on Torah.Yartzeit Seudah will be taking place Wednesday evening, preceding 14 Av/July 29 at the Liska Bais Hamedrash, located at 1449 50th Street, in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn commencing at 9:00pm with Maariv followed immediately with the Yartzeit Seudah which will be led by the current Liska Rebbe, Rav Tzvi Hersh Friedlander Shlita and attended by prominent descendants of the Ach Pri Tevuah, Rabonim and all those who feel a special connection to Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska and revere his legacy.
In virtue of his status as the preeminent Chasidic manhig in Hungary of his generation Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska’s influence was felt throughout his lifetime and for generations. As a result of his inspiring leadership Chasidus flourished in all regions of Hungary.
His Yartzeit along with the Yartzeits of the Reb Eizek of Kaliv and the Yismach Moshe of Uhel were the three yartzeits that attracted tens of thousands of participants in pre-war Hungary and where miraculous yeshous were recorded on those holy days.
This year as every year, the Yartzeit of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska will be observed by Chasidim all over the world including Yerushalim, Bnei Brak, London, Antwerp, as well as in the United States in every Chasidisha community.
Most noticeable is the reverence of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska in Satmar communities. It is told by Reb Ezriel Glick, longtime Gabbi of the late Satmar Rebbi, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum of sainted memory that he would only proceed to the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah each year without exception after he would remark to those surrounding him that “indeed it is true that Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska was a tzadik and would quote a dvar torah from him. Also not known but the Satmar Rebbe gave a unique bracha to the current Liska Rebbe, Rav Tzvi Hersh Friedlander Shlita that “he should be zocha “Lehachzer Ateres Le’yoshna” alluding to his exalted ancestry.
As is his custom the Liska Rebbe sends a shaliach to Liska for the yartzeit–this year his nephew Rabbi Yisroel Friedlander son of the Hivnover Rav will be traveling and taking along all the kvitlich received by the Liska Rebbe.
|
|
|
Liska Rebbe davening at the kever of his ancestor Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska, author of the seifer Ach Pri Tevuah. Download in high-def |
View of the Bais Hachaim of Liska, Hungary |
BACKGROUNDRav Tzvi Hersh of Liska
Chasidim relate that the Baal Shem Tov instructed his followers that if they relate a story about him on a Motzei Shabbos after his histalkus it would be a segula for yiras shomayim. Others added that not only on Motzei shabbos, but on Friday night as well. Other tzadikim added that not only on Friday night would be a special time to relate about the Baal Shem Tov, but throughout the week as well. Other tzadikim spoke about the segula of yiras shomayim can be attained by relating a story of any tzadik, any day of the week. Not only relating relating a story about a tzadik, but by reading a story about a tzadik can bring yiras shomayim. Introduction The Ach Pri Tevuah was a talmid muvhak of the Yismach Moshe of Uhel, from whom he accepted all minhagim. He was very close to the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, who began his haskama on the sefer Ach Pri Tevuah with “It has been a short while since the Aron Elokim was taken from us, my friend harav, hagaon, hatzadik, betzina kedusha… and I have no doubt that every one will acquire the sefer, who saw his exulted holiness and pureness and will bring this holy manuscript to their home,” -such was the esteem that Divrei Chaim of Sanz held his contemporary Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska, who in his lifetime was considered the rebbi of Hungary. Rav Tzvi Hersh also authored the sefer Hayosher V’Hatov, a commentary on the Shas and Yomim Tovim. Family background Every year he would visit he would visit the grave of his parents upon the yortzait of the Yismach Moshe ZATZAL. Holy Origins Another story that is printed in the sefer Darkei Hayosher V’hatov authored by the einekil of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska , that the Kedushas Levi of Barditchev was visiting the town on the very day of the wedding of Rav Tzvi Hersh’s parents. The kallah was given the honor of cooking and preparing the Kedusah Levi’s meals. He sensed certain uniqueness about the person cooking the meal and acquired who prepared it. Upon being told that the girl who prepared the meal is getting married that day, the Kedushas Levi blessed her with a son who will be a light upon this world. Youth Upon returning to Uhel after spending years in the Yeshiva in Bonyhad, Reb Tzvi Hersh studied under the great Gaon and tzadik, Rav Moshe Teitelbaum, author of the Yismach Moshe. His chavrusah was his einikel, the future founder of the Sigheter dynasty Rav Yekuseul Yehuda Teitelbaum, author of the sefer Yetev Lev. Leadership Wisdom With Gedoilai HaTorah How to conduct a debate in learning Ahavas Yisroel & Tzadakah Business Relationships And so it was all Shabbos…….Rav Yoizef partaking in the davening and Tishen as an ordinary Chusid. Motzei Shabbos as is the custom among Chasidim is the time for bidding farewell to one’s Rebbe known as “gezaginen”—you submit a kivitel and hope for a brocha and you return home in an elevated status after spending Shabbos in an atmosphere of supreme kedusha. And so it was the turn of Rav Yoizef to enter the inner sanctorum of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska. “After the customary questions Rav Tzvi Hersh asked his son-in-law the Chusid “is there a specific request that you have” “Yes, there is. I am asking for a bracha for parnosah!” “What is your parnasah” asked Rav Tzvi Hersh”? “I am a timber merchant-I travel periodically to the city and negotiate the acquisition of timber to resell in local markets”. “Please tell me the process” urged Rav Tzvi Hersh. “I “handle” with the goyim until I press down the price”……”Ah I have heard enough! Rav Tzvi Hersh elaborated-when you begin your discussions and the price is fair do not attempt to push down the price in order for you to leave enough of a spread for your profit…..”When you allow someone else to profit you will always have hatzlocha in your business ventures! It is said that from then on forward Rav Yoizef Goldberg began his journey to wealth. How to give Tzadakah Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska was asked by his Chasidim to spend a Shabbos in the city of Munkatch. As was customary people flocked to his place of residence to give kvitlach and receive brachos. Among the many multitudes was an individual who broke down with a pitiful story of the man’s daughter who was engaged for two years with no wedding date set as the dowry that was promised was beyond the reach of him as his financial ability made it impossible for him to fulfill his promise thus delaying his strong desire to marry off his daughter. The Liska Rov asked him “how much are you missing-how much do you need?” The man responded “I need 100 ranish” which was a vast amount of money at that time. The Liska Rov immediately gathered all the money necessary from the money that was lying on his table and handed it to the needy individual. Standing at the side of the table and observing this episode was a very prominent man who questioned Rav Tzvi Hersh inquiring “why did the Rebbe find it necessary to personally solve this person’s financial problem-wouldn’t it be preferable to have him collect from many people smaller amounts until he reached the amount of money required for his daughter’s wedding? The Rebbe responded to the man’s directness by saying I would like to tell you a story. “In my youth, I was a melamed and poverty was very prevalent. One year I developed a very strong desire to travel to Belz for Shavuos to bask in the holiness of the Sar Shalom of Belz. I did not have the funds required to travel so without an alternative I began my journey by foot-when I arrived in Lemberg my feet was swollen from traveling a great distance. I went to the local shul to rest. I noticed a group of Chasidim arrive with several carriages carried by horses from Munkach who were on their way to Belz and used this stopover to replace to replace the horses that were weary from their long journey. There was one person who stood out as their leader. I approached him and asked him if he could allow me to travel with them to Belz. He responded by saying you will need to pay me 60 gratzer. I pleaded with him that I don’t have one gratzer in my possession and I showed him my swollen feet and pleaded with him stating that I have suffered up until this point and of my strong desire to spend Shavuos in Belz. He replied by giving me advice to gather the necessary funds by going to collect the 60 gratzer as there is still two hours left until we depart on our journey to Belz. If I don’t come up with this amount I won’t be able to join them. Without an alternative and with my strong desire burning to spend Shavuos in Belz I had no choice but to go out and attempt to collect the 60 gratzer. It was customary in those days to ask charity in the form of money or material to exchange for money. As I walked into the first store I was asked “money or material?” I replied material thinking it would be easier to accumulate to 60 gratzer utilizing this method. I was given a feather. The second store repeated the same format-“money or material?”…again I asked for material-I was given a button and so it was when I entered the third store……”money or material?”-I was given a needle. As I was asked this question from the owner of the fourth storeowner I realized that although I possess a feather, button and needle I won’t be able to raise the 60 gratzer and one hour had passed. I broke down and cried out my great anguish!! This storeowner had pity on me and gave me the 60 gratzer for my journey. I was overjoyed and made my back and paid my share and I was on my way to Belz for Shavuos. From then on I took it upon myself that when I would be approached by a poor person I would contribute the entire amount and not send him to collect from others”. As Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska concluded retelling this story he told the person who raised the question saying ” this lesson I learned from you-you were the person who taught me to give tzadakah in the entire amount as you were that person-I recognize you even though you don’t recognize me”. That person broke down asking forgiveness. Tochocho A yid once came to Liska to ask for a brocha from the tzaddik for parnassah and other worldly requests. Rav Tzvi Hersh asked him: “How are you conducting yourself in regards to shmiras shabbos, taharas hamishpocha and other yesodei of yiddishkeit?” The man replied: “I came to the Rebbe to ask for a brocha for parnassah. I didn’t come to discuss my ways in yiddishkeit.” The Liska Ruv replied “Let me tell you a story… There was once a yid who traveled to the big city to purchase a wagon full of goods to sell back home among the villages and towns of his vicinity. The custom was for a man to spend several days spending at the wholesaler selecting the products that he would later sell. It so happened that one year as he was returning from his trip to the city in the middle of the night, his wagon got stock in the mud and when he got of to check what was wrong, he realized that one of the wheels of the wagon was broken and he would have needed a certain oil to fix it to be able to continue his journey home. He didn’t know what to do. Suddenly it dawn to him to return on foot to the wholesaler to ask him if he had the needed oil. He knocked on the man’s door and cried out to the wholesaler for the oil so he can return to his family. The wholesaler handed him the oil and wished him a safe journey home. As he continued on his way he noticed another wagon stock in the mud with the same problem as his wagon. He told the owner of the other wagon that if he needed the oil to fix the wheel, he should go to the wholesaler in the city; he for sure will be helpful. The man so did it. He went and knocked on the wholesaler’s door. The wholesaler yelled out asking who is bothering him at the middle of the night. The man replied that he needed oil to fix his wagon. The wholesaler responded that he is not an oil merchant and was upset that he was being woken. “I was told that you possessed this oil only by a man I met an hour ago, and that you gave him the oil graciously.” The wholesaler began to exclaim “Why don’t you understand what happened here? A man comes to me and spends week purchasing merchandise for his business. He encountered a problem on his way to home, so of course I would help him out by giving him oil that I had in my possession. But you just come here for my oil?” B’Darchai Noam Al Pi Chasidus The Ach Pri Tevuah was once shabbos in Hust, the hometown of the famous gaon, the Maharam Shick. On Friday night, before mincha, the Maharam Shik was mechabed Rav Tzvi Hersh with davening mincha for the amud. The Liska Ruv found himself in a dilemma. As it is known, it is the minhag among Chasidim to say hodu before mincha. On the one hand Reb Tzvi Hersh wanted to say hodu before mincha, but understood that the minhag hamakom was nusach ashkenaz, where hodu is not said, it was improper for him to not adhere to the local custom. He approached the Maharam Shick with a twinkle and said “Chuste Ruv, it is known that shabbos has a higher form of sanctity than yom tov. Shabbos comes regularly is a higher form of sanctity as opposed to yom tov that comes at pre-designated times throughout the year. Yet when shabbos and yom tov coincide the nusach hatfilla of yom tov takes precedence over shabbos. So it is between us as well. You, Chuste Rav, are the category of shabbos, you are here every week. I, on the other hand, in the category of yom tov, I am a guest. So I am respectfully requesting of you to allow me to say hodu.” With that the Chuste Rav graciously and smilingly said “Liska Ruv, let be it, say hodu.” Different Methods-Same Goal Rav Menachem Aish of Ungvar once told to Reb Wolf Goldberger, the grandson of Rav Tzvi Hersh of Liska, “Your grandfather, had he not become the rebbe of chassidim he would have conquered the world with his vast Torah knowledge.” Upon retelling the story to his grandfather, — Rav Tzvi Hersh commented the following “What can I do that if in the middle of learning I observe a poor orphaned child walking barefoot, I have pity and I feel compelled to close the gemara to collect money to by him shoes. With a chuckle he added, they are lucky that I became a rebbe. Otherwise they would not be considered such great talmidei chachamin. Epilogue The remnants of Liska was transplanted in the United States by his son, Admor Rav Yoizef Friedlander ZATZAL, who established his kehilah, Ateres Tzvi M’Liska in the now Ir V’em B’Yisroel Boro Park where he was marbitz Torah and conducted himself in the mold of his origins until his untimely petirah at the age of 52, on 28 Shvat, 1971. Today the mantle of Liska has been assumed by Hagaon Hatzadik Admor Rav Tzvi Hersh Friedlander Shlita who is widely recognized as a preeminent Talmid Chochom, mechaber sefer on Sugas HaShas, worthy of carrying forth the illustrious traditions of his forbears as Liska Rav residing in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn. |