Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
The Holy Rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk, zy”a
The Holy Rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk, zy”a, was born in 5417 (1717) to his father, Rabbi Eliezer Lipman, in the shtetl of Titkin, Poland, and was niftar on 21 Adar 5547 (1787) in Lizhensk.
Rabbi Elimelech’s greatness was matched only by his great humility and modesty. He hid his great stature and head which touched the heavens, with all his might. As for us – we have only the few crumbs which we managed to gather up…
Rabbi Elimelech became close to the holy Maggid of Mezritch – the successor to the holy Baal Shem Tov and the primary teacher of chassidus in the next generation – through his brother, the holy Rebbe Zusha of Anipoli, zy”a. The two brothers went into exile, and on their way tried to bring Jews close to serving their Creator with chassidus.
After the passing of the Maggid of Mezritch, the spiritual center established by Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk was one of the places which shaped chassidus in general, and a lodestone for the multitudes of Jews, who came to visit his court and bask in his Torah and holiness.
Even during his lifetime, travelling to Lizhensk was considered a way to achieve yeshuos. Rabbi Elimelech raised the spirits of his chassidim, and even those who came to receive a brachah for hardships, first received a spiritual gift which revived and elevated them.
Rabbi Elimelech’s special manner – with his pure yiras Shamayim, incomparable modesty, and complete devotion to every single Jew – created a fiery chassidus around him, and greatly affected every individual and the entire community.
“For five hundred years before his birth, the world received sustenance in his merit – the two tablets of stone and his ten fingers were like the ten commandments!” – the Holy Rebbe of Ruzhin, zy”a, said of him.
Many, many chassidim absorbed his pure way from him, were given advice and guidance, blessings for good health and yeshuah, but more importantly received a way to rectify themselves and do teshuvah, by growing and being inspired spiritually.
The books of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
Noam Elimelech on the Torah
A Prayer Before a Prayer
the Tzetel Katan
The disciples of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
- The Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin
- The Maggid of Kozhnitz
- Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rimanov
- Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apt
Rabbi Elimelech left behind, aside from these four disciples, dozens more great talmidim, including:
The author of the Maor Vashemesh, Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz, the author of the Noam Megadim from Tarnigrad, Rabbi Neta of Chelm, the author of the Likutei Maharil – the Av Beis Din of Zaklikov, the author of the Ohr Pnei Moshe of Pshevorsk, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai of Pintshov, Rabbi Fishel of Strikov, Rabbi Pinchas of Gniewoszów , Rabbi Shmuel of Karov, Rabbi Yitzhak of Ozerov , and more.
Also his holy sons, his successor, Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Lipa of Chemelnick, and Rabbi Naftali of Lizhensk, and his holy sons-in-law, Rabbi Eliyahu from Sde Lavan , and Rabbi Yisrael of Frysztak, all of whom were his disciples.
Rabbi Elimelech’s passing and grave
Rabbi Elimelech’s passing on Adar 21, 5547 (1787) left a void in the hearts of the Jewish nation, which cannot be filled again. Rabbi Elimelech’s gravesite serves until today as a wonderful segulah for yiras Shamayim and great, miraculous yeshuos. From all corners of the globe, Jews come to pray on the tziyun on his yartzheit, and draw strength and inspiration from there. His incredible promise that “anyone who visits his grave will not die without teshuvah” – draws tens of thousands of chassidim, young and old, fulfilling their years-long aspiration, to merit visiting the tziyun of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk.
After his passing, his holy tziyun turned into a place with great powers of segulah, and throughout the centuries people journeyed to Lizhensk, particularly before Rosh Hashannah, and on his yartzheit, Adar 21. One hundred and fifty years ago, the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk encouraged people to travel there – he was a kohen and traveled to Lizhensk, and arranged a special place for kohanim.
Once the Shoah and the destruction of Polish Jewry began, few Jews reached Lizhensk.
In recent decades, particularly with the broad activity of Hachnasas Orchim Lizhensk, we have merited restoring the situation to its former glory. Now, once again, tens of thousands of Jews travel to the holy tziyun, for healing and yeshuos.
