Yahrzeit/Hillula of Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov - the Maggid of Zlotchov

Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov (the Maggid of Zlotchov), (1725—1785) - an outstanding leader of Galician Chassidism.

Yahrzeit – 25 Elul;

Burial place – Yampol, Khmelnytsky region.

The Seal of the Levite

In Belarus, a personal seal (dated to approximately the second half of the 18th century) was found, belonging to the Levite Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov.

An approximate translation of the inscription on the seal reads: "Yechiel Michel Kahane, assistant to our teacher and rabbi Pinchas Levi" (Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz). A historical connection was established between the people whose family names are inscribed on the seal.

Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov — Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov (the Maggid of Zlotchov), (1725—1785) — an outstanding leader of Galician Chassidism. His father, Yitzchak of Drohobych, one of the first followers of Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov (the Besht), was universally respected for his great knowledge of the Talmud and his righteous life.

According to tradition, when the young Yechiel Michel first visited the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidism highly praised his scholarship. After the passing of the Baal Shem Tov, Yechiel became a disciple of Dov Ber of Mezeritch.

After a short time serving as a village melamed, Yechiel Michel joined the community in Brody, soon became the leader of the local Chassidim, and provoked the displeasure of the kahal.

By order of the kahal elders, a work by Yaakov Yosef ben Tzvi HaKohen Katz of Polonne (a great disciple of the Besht) was publicly burned in front of Yechiel Michel's house.

After the Misnagdim succeeded in 1772 in having another cherem imposed on Chassidism, Yechiel Michel became renowned in his position as Maggid in the Galician town of Zlotchov.

He is credited with incorporating many melodies into the Chassidic liturgy; Yechiel Michel's vivid sermons drew thousands of people.

The Misnagdim accused Yechiel Michel of disregarding Talmudic rulings, and the Chassidic brothers Shmuel (1726–78) and Pinchas (1730–1805) Horowitz had to seek the protection of the authoritative rabbi Yechezkel ben Yehuda Landau on his behalf.

Yechiel Michel is credited with the interpretation of devekut (the boundless devotion to G-d prescribed by the Torah). In Yechiel Michel's view, a Jew should strive for devekut to become his permanent state of soul.

His disciple was Rabbi Meshulam Feivish of Zbarazh, author of the book "Derech Emet" (The Path of Truth).

Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov passed away in the year 5546 (1786).

Before his passing, he told his sons that he had lived a blessed life, since he had never needed anything he did not have.

The sons and disciples of Rabbi Yechiel Michel soon after his passing became tzadikim in many places throughout Galicia and Volhynia. For their holiness, the Chassidim called the Rabbi's five sons "the Living Five Books of Moses."

His famous "Nigun" for Geulah and Yeshuot can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q67UU19DlpM

May the merit of the tzadik protect the people!

( https://mdrussia.ru/topic/81110-imennaya-pechat-levita-18-vek/)