18 Adar · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen Levin of Alexander
Rabbi Chanoch Henich bar Pinchas-Yaakov HaKohen Levin of Alexander (1798-1870) - a Chasidic mentor.
Yahrzeit - 18 Adar
Burial place - Aleksandrow Lodzki, Poland
(https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/179-Rabbi-Chanoch-Henich-HaKohen-of-Alexander)
Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen Levin of Alexander served as Rebbe for a community of thousands of Chasidim during the "interregnum" between the Chiddushei HaRim of Ger and the Sfat Emet.
Rabbi Chanoch was a disciple of Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, and Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter - the Chiddushei HaRim.
Chanoch Henich was one of the leading disciples of the Rebbe, Simcha Bunim of Peshischa. After the latter's passing, he became one of the most prominent followers of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk and the senior disciple of the Chiddushei HaRim. After the Chiddushei HaRim passed away in 1866, the majority of his numerous Chasidim chose Chanoch Henich as the next Rebbe.
Chanoch Henich served as rabbi of the Jewish communities of Alexander from approximately 1837 to 1853, and of Peshischa from 1859 to 1864. After his time in Peshischa, he left the rabbinate and settled in Alexander, where he lived during his period of leadership as Rebbe.
His teachings are collected in "Hashava LeTova" ("Counted as a Merit"), first published in 1929, and are widely quoted.
When Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, the Chiddushei HaRim, passed away, pressure was placed on his grandson, Rabbi Yehuda Leib - the Sfat Emet, to become the new leader. However, he felt unworthy and instead went to the Rebbe of Alexander to support Rabbi Chanoch Henich. Only four years later, Rabbi Chanoch passed away, and Reb Yehuda Leib then had no choice but to yield to the wish of the Chasidim that he become the leader of Ger.
Rabbi Chanoch was known for his great wisdom in both the nigleh and nistar - the revealed and mystical aspects of Torah. A man of wonders, he was also known for praying loudly and with great fervor.
Sadness
"The emotion of sadness is by its very nature selfish, since it arises from a person's feeling that he lacks something, spiritual or material, that rightfully belongs to him. Such a view focuses exclusively on oneself rather than on others. 'The heavens are the heavens of G-d, but the earth He has given to mankind.' (Tehillim 115:16) The heavens are heavenly in any case. G-d gave the earth to mankind so that they could make the mundane heavenly." (Rabbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander)
Today
"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse" (Devarim 11:26). There are two different kinds of "today" - the "today" of blessing and the "today" of curse. Viewing the present moment as a call to action can be either positive or negative: "If not now, then when?" spurs a Jew to do good, whereas "Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" leads him down the path of evil. (Rabbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander)
Amidah
- "We ask You to grant us knowledge and understanding." We pray that we may know that our knowledge and understanding come from You.
(Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen of Alexander)
May the merit of the great Rebbe protect Am Yisrael!