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Сила Теилим

21 Shevat · Yahrzeit

Rabbi Yechiel Meir Lifshitz of Gostynin - the "Baal HaTehillim"

Rabbi Yechiel Meir ben Yaakov Tzvi Lifshitz of Gostynin (1810-1888) - the "Baal HaTehillim" Yahrzeit - 21 Shevat Resting place - Gostynin, Poland Rabbi Yechiel Meir of Gostynin was a talmid of the Kotzker Rebbe, the Chidushei HaRim, and Rabbi Avraham Landau of Ciechanow - the Avnei Nezer, author of the books "Merom HaRim", "Tzof HaRim" and "Mei HaChayim". He was known as the "Baal HaTehillim". The Kotzker Rebbe said that he was one of the 36 hidden tzadikim -"lamed-vav".   The "Baal HaTehillim" Reciting Tehillim, - Rebbe Yechiel Meir of Gostynin never tired of repeating, - is a shield against any trouble and a salvation in a moment of misfortune. Once a chasid came to him with his sick son. The father brought the boy in a wheelchair; the boy could no longer walk and barely understood what was happening to him. "For the healing," instructed Rebbe Yechiel Meir, "the boy must read the entire Book of Tehillim 5 times". - "But Rebbe," objected the father, "look at my son! Can someone so ill possibly read even one page"? - "Listen to what I will tell you," answered the tzadik. - A few weeks ago a father came to me with his insane son. Alas, because of the illness the child's mind, may we be spared such things, had become completely clouded. Well, I instructed this child also to read the entire Book of Tehillim. You will ask, what good can come from an unwell child reading Tehillim? I will answer: I made a pact with Heaven - whoever fulfills my instruction to read the Book of Tehillim will be saved from his trouble". Once the young son of Yehuda Aryeh Leib fell gravely ill, and he sent his brother to Rebbe Yechiel Meir with a request for help. - I cannot obligate the Gerrer Rebbe to read the entire Book of Tehillim, - said the tzadik. - But at the very least he will have to manage ten of them. - Ten psalms! - cried Rebbe Yehuda Aryeh Leib, upon hearing his brother who had returned from Gostynin. - When I read just one, my head spins. And here it's ten... May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael! (From the book by Yaakov Shechter, "A Voice in the Silence", volume 8)