How the Secret of Shalom between Two Kings Is Revealed through the Power of Tikkun Chatzot
Rabbi Snir Gueta (a beloved figure among Israelis—a former well-known soccer player who did teshuvah and has inspired many young Israelis to do teshuvah) tells a remarkable story about our two kings, David HaMelech and Shaul HaMelech, known only to a very select circle of Mekubalim. The Mekubalim have transmitted a tradition through the generations that in every generation, David HaMelech and Shaul HaMelech come to a great tzadik so that he can make shalom between them. Rabbi Daniel HaKohen Stavsky says that for ten dorot (generations) after the Maharsha, this story was repeated with the participation of great tzadikim. Maharsha Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Eidels—the Maharsha (who immortalized the name of his mother-in-law)—was an ordinary fruit and vegetable seller, a greengrocer, before he became known throughout the Jewish world. He grew his hair long so that after work he could study Torah and write his perushim at night. In the morning, he gathered his hair into a bun and went to work. Those around him mocked him, made cutting jokes at his expense, ridiculed him, and made fun of his hairstyle, since 400 years ago it was not customary for men to grow their hair long. The Maharsha grew his hair long so that he could tie it to a cord, which he in turn tied to the door handle. When he sat at the table studying Torah at night, he was afraid that he might accidentally fall asleep—it was so important to him not to miss his Torah learning. There was a gabbai in that area who was a great tzadik. Every night at Chatzot HaLailah, he came to the Beit Knesset, locked it for the night, lit a candle, and prayed Tikkun Chatzot, weeping and weeping over the Beit HaMikdash. Then he washed his face and began reciting Tehillim. After completing one book, he would make hakafot, stop beside the Sefer Torah, and repeat the process two or three times during the night. One day, after finishing his usual recitation of Tehillim, he suddenly sat down and was overcome by drowsiness. He fell asleep. He awoke when someone touched his shoulder. He stood up and saw a tall man in front of him, who asked where the Maharsha's house was. The bewildered gabbai asked him to come outside, showed him the way, and the stranger immediately disappeared. The same thing happened on the second night, but with a different stranger. The gabbai was astonished and resolved that he would not tell anyone anything until he understood what was happening. On the third night, following his plan, the gabbai locked up the Beit Midrash, prayed Tikkun Chatzot, read the Sefer Tehillim, and again fell asleep. He awoke when someone touched his shoulder and asked where he could find the Maharsha. He stood up, gathered his courage, and said that he would not say anything until he learned who these people were and why they all needed the Maharsha. The nocturnal stranger then said: “Only because you are a great tzadik and can see us will I reveal to you what is happening. I am Eliyahu HaNavi. Yesterday David HaMelech came, and the day before yesterday Shaul HaMelech came. The Maharsha is a great tzadik, and we are going to him so that he can make shalom between David HaMelech and Shaul HaMelech, for they departed this world without ever reconciling. The Maharsha is a great tzadik and belongs to the Beit Din shel Ma'alah—the Heavenly Court—and participates in it, but he does not want people to know that he is a great tzadik. Therefore, you must remain silent about what you have learned—otherwise you will die.” The gabbai could not sleep until morning. He decided to tell everything to the city's chief rabbi, went to him, and related all that he had learned about the Maharsha, since everyone had mistreated him without realizing who he truly was. According to Eliyahu HaNavi, the entire world was sustained at that time in the merit of the Maharsha and his Torah. The gabbai told the rabbi everything and added that he had been forbidden to speak. He immediately collapsed and died. After the gabbai was buried, the city's rabbi went to the Maharsha. The Maharsha opened the door, thinking that an ordinary customer had come to buy vegetables, but when he saw the city's rabbi, he was surprised. The rabbi fell at the Maharsha's feet and begged him to reveal the whole truth about himself, but the Maharsha remained firm, insisting that he was merely a greengrocer. The rabbi then entered his room and saw many holy sefarim, as well as unfinished perushim on the table. From that time onward, the Maharsha was revealed to the world as a great tzadik. The Baal Shem Tov said that if people knew who the Maharsha was, they would come to his kever and lick the dust from his grave. Baal Shem Tov The Baal Shem Tov had a disciple, Rabbi Leib Sarah, a tzadik nistar. He took his mother's name, Sarah, because when she was a young woman, she married an elderly rabbi, knowing that they would have a son who would be a tzadik. He always performed Tikkun Chatzot not at home but out in the street. He would say, “The Shechinah is in the street, and I will pray in the street.” When Aryeh Leib Sarah performed Tikkun Chatzot and was returning home, he suddenly encountered a tall, handsome, richly dressed man with a crown on his head, who asked him where the Besht's house was. Rabbi Leib pointed it out and explained how to get there. As he continued on his way, he saw a handsome stranger of medium height, with extraordinarily beautiful eyes, a dancing gait, and a crown on his head. He, too, asked where the Baal Shem Tov's house was, and Rabbi Aryeh showed him. All this seemed strange to Rabbi Aryeh, and he decided that until he learned what was happening, he would not show anyone else the way. Suddenly, he saw another man approaching—not as tall as the first and not as short as the second, with a well-built physique and long hair. He, too, asked where the Baal Shem Tov lived. Rabbi Aryeh became insistent and said that he would not say anything until he learned who all these people were and why they needed his Rebbe. The man then said to him: “If you can see us, you are worthy of receiving an answer. The first person you saw was Shaul HaMelech, the second was David HaMelech, and the third am I—Shmuel ben Elkanah. I am the rabbi of both of them, and I have come to make peace between them, because Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov is a great tzadik and belongs to the Beit Din shel Ma'alah—the Heavenly Court—and participates in it. He can discuss their matter and make shalom between them. It is very important to the Baal Shem Tov to make shalom between them, because through this the hamtakat dinim descends into our world.”Rabbeinu Taz
Rabbi David Halevi Segal—the Taz—a rav and posek.
The son of the Skulen Rebbe relates a story recorded in “Pinaksei Sippurei Lvov”.
There was an elderly tzadik who lived in Lviv and came to the Beit Midrash every evening after Chatzot HaLailah to recite Tikkun Chatzot and the Sefer Tehillim.
One night, he arrived but could not enter the Beit Midrash. This distressed him greatly, but he did not give up and decided to pray at the entrance—be-mifta'n—which is also a holy place.
He recited the Sefer Tehillim by moonlight, then thanked Hashem by reciting Shirot ve-Tishbachot (songs of praise). Suddenly, he saw a stranger approaching and asking where the home of Rabbi David Mikloiz Hadash was (this was what Rabbeinu Taz was called in Lviv). The elderly tzadik showed him how to get to the Taz's home.
Some time later, he saw another stranger approaching him and asking where the home of Rabbi David Mikloiz Hadash was. He showed him as well.
The elderly tzadik thought that if anyone else asked, he would not show them the way until they explained why they needed Rabbeinu Taz.
As the tzadik had anticipated, a few minutes later another stranger approached and asked where Rabbi Taz lived. The elderly man then summoned his courage and said that until they explained what was happening, he would not tell him.
The midnight visitor replied: “The first stranger was Eliyahu HaNavi (of blessed memory), the second was Elisha HaNavi, and I, the old man, am Gehazi, Elisha HaNavi's assistant.
I committed a sin and took money and clothing without Elisha HaNavi's permission. A decree was issued in Heaven that Eliyahu HaNavi, Elisha HaNavi, and Gehazi would meet in Rabbeinu Taz's home, where they would perform a tikkun for Gehazi. Since Rabbi Taz belongs to the Beit Din shel Ma'alah—the Heavenly Court—and participates in it, he can make a Tikkun Neshama for me.
The elderly tzadik was permitted to see the holy faces of our prophets and hear this story because he was connected to the Sefer Tehillim and Shirot ve-Tishbachot la-Hashem Echad, and he later related it to the leaders of the city.
In the merit of the tzadikim, may all the dinim be dispelled from Am Yisrael! (Based on the lectures of Rabbi Daniel HaKohen Stavsky and Rabbi Snir Gueta)
