[Be'er Mayim Chaim] Yorzeit of Rav Menachem Mendel of Rymanov - Segulah

[Tal Moshe Zwecker]

Today is the Yorzeit of Rebbe Menachem Mendel ben R' Yosef "Charif" Thurm of Rimanov He was one of the 4 main talmidim of the Rebbe, Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk.

 

He said he would do a favor for one who lights a candle for his neshama. Light a candle and say "le'illui Nishmas HaRav HaTzadik Menachem Mendel ben Reb Yosef zy"a"

Then pray to Hashem in his merit.

 

The Rebbe Rav Mendel of Rymanov used to say that only on the eve of Shabbos, after immersing in the waters of the mikveh, could he understand a shtikel, a piece, of the Noam Elimelech (Ohel Elimelech 92)

 

Before Rav Mendel Rimanover was revealed as a Tzaddik and Rebbe possessing ruach hakodesh, divine intuition, he appeared at Rebbe Elimelech’s table as just another chassid, a regular devoted follower.

One Shabbos, the Rimanover was sitting with all the other chassidim when the shamash brought in the Rebbe’s soup and placed it in front of the Rebbe. The Rebbe took the bowl of soup in his hands, overturned it, and spilled its contents onto the table. Suddenly gripped with fear, the Rimanover shouted, “Oy! Rebbe! Surely they will put us all in jail. You must stop immediately!”

The other guests almost burst out laughing at hearing such strange remarks coming from Reb Mendel, but they restrained themselves in the presence of their holy Rebbe. Rebbe Elimelech said to Reb Mendel, “Relax, my son, we are all safe. We are all here right now.” The others were astonished at the Rebbe’s remarks until Rebbe Elimelech explained what had transpired that had led him and Reb Mendel to say what they did.

“A high-ranking government official had decided to pass a harsh decree against the Jews. He had tried many times before, unsuccessfully, to write out charges and have the king stamp and seal them with his ring. Today he wrote out the charges once again, determined that this time nothing would stop him from carrying out his wicked plan. He was about to use sand to blot the ink and dry it when I overturned my soup bowl. The official became momentarily confused, picked up the inkwell instead, and proceeded to spill ink all over the accusatory letter he had just written! This young man,” the Rebbe concluded, indicating Reb Mendel, “was able to witness what I did, but only by divesting himself fully from the physical world. He forgot that we were in fact here in this room. He imagined that I had actually used my hand and physically overturned the inkwell. He became frightened, and in his terror he called out for fear that we would be arrested for my actions.”
Now everyone understood what lofty a level of ruach hakodesh this young man could perceive. (Ohel Elimelech 185)

 

Once, Reb Mendel of Rimanov told his teacher, Rebbe Elimelech, that he actually saw the angel who removes the light before the darkness and the darkness before the light (as described in the first blessing of the ma’ariv service). The Rebbe Reb Elimelech responded: “But I have already seen this angel in my youth!”
(Ohel Elimelech 156)

 

Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov once related to Reb Moshe Chaim Efraim of Sudilkov, the author of Degel Machaneh Efraim and grandson of the Ba’al
Shem Tov:
“My holy master and teacher Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk used to meditate on the awe and fear of the Almighty every day. Each day when he would do this, his whole body would shake and tremble, and fear and trepidation would seize him. Everyone present could see him trembling violently from the sheer awe of Hashem and the majesty of the Almighty. All his tendons and ligaments could be seen, thick and taut as ropes; his face would change colors and a certain vein below his ear would begin bulging. I received a tradition from my Rebbe that there is a vein located below the ear that only trembles from fear of the day of death. With my Rebbe, this vein trembled daily from his great fear of Hashem.” (Eser Tzachtzachos 2; Seder Doros HeChadash, part 4)

 

Once, in his youth, Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov was studying in the beis midrash under Rav Daniel Yaffe in Berlin. He studied the works of Rav Alfas (the Rif ) on the Talmud diligently, and his soul thirsted longingly for self-perfection. Once, he learned so much in one sitting that his tongue stuck to his palate. He began to pray deep in his heart and cried to Hashem to enlighten him and brighten his darkness. He prayed and prayed, until he fell into a deep sleep and dreamt. In his dreams he saw the Rif himself! The Rif showed him an image of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk and told him to travel to the Rebbe, for there he would succeed in attaining his goal. (Ohel Elimelech 183)

 

Before the Rebbe Elimelech passed away on the twenty-first of Adar in the year 5547 (1787), he lay his hands on his students and gave to them of his own splendor. To the holy Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh of Lublin, he gave the light and power of his eyes. To the holy Rebbe Yisrael, the Maggid of Koznitz, he gave the power of his heart. To the holy Rebbe Mendel of Pristik (later known as the Rimanover), he gave the spirit of his mind, and to the holy Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apt, he gave his power of speech. And after his passing, the land shined with their glory. (Ohel Elimelech 186)

 

There is a story told of the Rebbe’s brother, the Rebbe Reb Zisha of Hanipoli. After Rebbe Elimelech passed away, his disciples approached Reb Zisha and asked him to be their new leader.
Reb Zisha declined. This is what he told them:

 

“The Torah is eternal and alludes to everything that has happened and will happen for all generations. The pasuk ‘And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it split into four paths’ (Bereishis 2:10) alludes to the paths of Chassidus and great Tzaddikim of our times. ‘Eden’ alludes to our holy master the Ba’al Shem Tov. The river is his disciple, the holy Mezritcher Maggid, and the garden refers to my brother, the Rebbe Reb Elimelech. The Torah flows as water from the Ba’al Shem Tov by way of the Mezritcher Maggid to the Rebbe Elimelech. From there it separates into
four paths, and they are the holy Rebbe the Chozeh of Lublin, the holy Rebbe the Koznitzer Maggid, the holy Rebbe Reb Mendel Rimanover, and the holy Ohev Yisrael the Apta Rav. You need no Rebbe other than them.”

 

All quotes from MiPeninei Noam Elimelech published by targum/feldheim.

 

To purchase a copy, make a donation to help support the next project, dedicate a newsletter or sefer please contact me:

 

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
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