Chodesh Av and the Zechut of the Tzadikim

Chodesh Av and the Zechut of the Tzadikim

Throughout the ages, our enemies have calculated the days when we are most vulnerable in order to attack (chas v'shalom). This was the case in the time of Purim, when Haman cast lots to determine the day on which to strike, and it is happening in our own days as well, as Shlomo HaMelech said in Kohelet (1:9): “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” From 1 Av through 9 Av are the most difficult days of mourning for the two destroyed Batei HaMikdash. Moreover, on 1 Av, Aharon HaKohen HaGadol departed this world, and together with him, the Ananei HaKavod disappeared and ceased protecting Am Yisrael. The Mekubalim compare the death of tzadikim to the burning of the Beit HaMikdash. Apparently, this is why so many tzadikim ascended to the Heavenly Yeshivah on Rosh Chodesh Av, when the First and Second Batei HaMikdash were destroyed, beginning with Aharon HaKohen—“Ohev Shalom v'Rodef Shalom”, who loved peace and pursued peace, and who was in turn connected with the korban in the Temple (sacrifice). But we know that our tzadikim are “more alive than the living,” and their zechuyot (merits) protect Am Yisrael from all misfortune like a massive fortress wall. We remember this by lighting olive-oil candles on their yahrzeit, giving tzedakah l'Chvod Tzadikim, and recalling their teachings. Shemen Zayit l'Chvod Tzadikim There is a minhag to light olive-oil candles—שמן זית זך l'Chvod Tzadikim. The Talmud says that when something good is said about the deceased, or words of Torah are repeated in his name, the power of his soul manifests itself in the lower world, as it is written (Berachot 5): “Dovev Siftei Yeshanim”—making the lips of those who sleep speak. The rashei teivot of שמן זית זך “shemen zayit zach” (pure olive oil) have the same gematria as the Holy Name שדי – “Shaddai”, which is written on our mezuzot. This is itself an acronym for the words: דובב שפתי ישנים—“Dovev Siftei Yeshanim” (making the lips of those who sleep speak). (Shir HaShirim 7) Furthermore, the word “zach” (pure) has a gematria of 27, symbolizing the sum of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet (22) together with the 5 final letters (Mantzepach)—27. “Katit” (“shemen katit”—pressed oil) symbolizes a righteous person who is mourned, and it is said that the day of a tzadik’s death is as difficult as the day on which the two Temples were destroyed, where korbanot (sacrifices) were offered, and the soul of the tzadik is likened to such a pure sacrifice. From 1 through 10 Av, the Zechut of the Tzadikim of Israel protects Am Yisrael. 1 Av—Aharon ben Amram HaKohen 1 Av—Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen 1 Av—Rabbi Natan Nata ben Yosef of Ovruch (1785). A disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and father-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Dov of Ovruch, the Bat Ayin. He never slept on Shabbat, observing what is written in the Torah: “V'Shamru Bnei Yisrael et HaShabbat.” 1 Av—Rabbi Yehoshua Hershel ben Elazar (1700)—the rabbi of Dubno after Rabbi Yosef Yoshka, the Yesod Yosef; 1 Av—Rabbi Aharon Wallerstein (1837)—son of the great Sha'agat Aryeh; 1 Av—Rabbi Aharon Moshe Goldstein (1845)—rabbi of Breslau. He was one of Rabbi Nachman's principal disciples. He and Rabbi Naftali were the two witnesses to Rabbi Nachman's famous promise to rescue from Gehinnom anyone who would give tzedakah and recite Tikkun HaKlali at his kever. His son, Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh, succeeded him, and Rabbi Tzvi's son was the great Rabbi Nachman of Cherin. Prayer of Rabbi Nachman of Cherin A Special Prayer for Rosh Chodesh 1 Av—Rabbi Shmuel ben David Tzvi Ehrenfeld, the Chatam Sofer—grandson of the Chatam Sofer (1883). 1 Av—Rabbi Aharon ben Chaim Halberstam of Sanz (1903); 1 Av—Rabbi Menachem Nochum ben Yehudah Leib of Kobrin-Belostok—a disciple of the Yesod HaAvodah of Slonim (1918); 1 Av—Rabbi Shlomo ben Benzion Halberstam of Bobov (2000)—his father, wife, and several children were murdered by the Nazis. After the war, he remarried and rebuilt Bobov into one of the largest Hasidic communities in the world. His only son to survive the war, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi, succeeded him and passed away in 2005. The book “Nor the Moon by Night” recounts what he endured during the Shoah. It was mentioned many times after his passing that his yahrzeit coincides with the yahrzeit of Aharon HaKohen, because he was an unparalleled “Ohev Shalom v'Rodef Shalom” and was loved by everyone. 2 Av—Rabbi Aharon ben Moshe Teomim, rabbi of Krakow—“Al Kiddush Hashem” 3 Av—Rabbi Shimshon ben Pesach of Ostropoli—“Al Kiddush Hashem” 42 Encampments in the Wilderness — the Segula of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropol 4 Av—Rabbi Menachem Azaryah ben Yitzchak Berachyah—the Rama MiPano 4 Av—Rabbi Raphael Ankawa, HaMalach      4 Av—Rabbi Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam        5 Av—Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, the Arizal 5 Av—Rabbi Moshe ben Tov, the Tzadik of the Mezuzot 5 Av—Rabbi Meir ben Shaul of Pressburg, the Maharam Barbi 5 Av—Rabbi Chaim of Krasna—a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov 5 Av—Rabbi Gedaliah Hayun, Rosh Yeshivah of Beit El 8 Av—Rabbi Shimon Agassi, the Rashba 8 Av—Rabbi Simcha Zissel Broide Ziv, the Alter of Kelm 8 Av—Rabbi Yitzchak ben Zilber—Toldot Yeshurun 9 Av—Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz, the Chozeh of Lublin 9 Av—Rabbi Yitzchak Nissim ben Rachamim—Rishon LeZion (teacher of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu) 9 Av—Rabbi Gavriel Malach ben David Horowitz of Mogelnitz—a disciple of the Maggid of Kozhnitz May the Zechut of the Tzadikim and their teachings protect Am Yisrael during these days, from 1 through 10 Av!!!