Tuesday, the 25th of Tishrei, marks the 200th anniversary of the death of the beloved Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, known as the “Defender of the Jewish People.”
He is the subject of many stories in which he confronts G-d and intercedes on behalf of the Jewish People. Typical of these narratives is when he confronted a youth smoking on the Sabbath and asked him for an explanation; when the boy said, “I am knowingly sinning,” Rabbi Levi lifted his face to the Heavens and said, “Master of the Universe, see how holy your people are; they would rather declare themselves sinners than tell a lie!”
Another story recounts how Rabbi Levi Yitzchak “stole” a sack of the Jewish People’s sins from Satan by finding ways to judge the sinners favorably.
Click here for more stories of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.
Born in eastern Europe in 1740, he served as Rabbi in the cities of Britchval (Ritchwul), Zelichov, and Pinsk. However, he was persecuted there for his Hassidic teachings, and was forced to leave each town in turn. From 1785 until his death, he was the Rabbi of Berdichev, a town in northern Ukraine, which he developed into a thriving center of Torah and Hassidism.
Chana Lewis, in her short biography of the beloved rabbi, writes, “Though a prominent Jewish center, Berditchev was highly influenced by the Enlightenment movement, and famous for its anti-religious sentiment… Despite the challenge of living in a city that was largely unwelcoming, R. Levi Yitzchak was determined to remain, to counter the anti-religious climate, and to advocate for his people. At the time, such a cause – specifically choosing to live amongst self-proclaimed secularized Jews – was unheard of, and R. Levi Yitzchak was entirely unique in his outlook.”
The Berditchever, as he was also known, authored the two-volume work Kedushat Levi, a classic Hassidic commentary on the Torah, Jewish holidays, Talmud, Midrashim and Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers).
R' Levi Yitzchak was a close disciple of the second leader of the Hassidic movement, Rabbi Dov Baer, known as the Maggid of Mezritch.
Some biographers say that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak died in 1810. Today, the 25th of Tishrei, also marks the 170th anniversary of the death of the Chatam Sofer, Rabbi Moshe Sofer of Pressburg.
