7 Adar · Yahrzeit

Rabbi Yitzchak Taub of Kaliv

Rabbi Yitzchak Taub (1744-1828) - founder of the Kaliver dynasty (Kalov, Kaliv), Hungary. Yahrzeit - 7 Adar Burial place - Nagykálló, Hungary The Kaliver dynasty began with Rabbi Yitzchak Taub (1744–1821) of Nagykálló (in Yiddish, Kaliv, Kalov, Kalev), the county seat of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in northeastern Hungary. He was the first Hasidic Rebbe in Hungary. He was discovered by Rabbi Leib Sarah's, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Leib first met Rabbi Yitzchak when he was a small child, a little shepherd boy. Rabbi Leib told his mother, a widow, that her son was destined to become a great tzadik. He took the little boy to Nikolsburg so that he could study under Rav Shmelke of Nikolsburg. Rabbi Yitzchak grew up to become a great Rebbe and was known as the "Sweet Singer of Israel." He composed many popular Hasidic melodies. He often adapted Hungarian folk songs, adding Jewish words to them. He taught that the melodies he heard actually originated in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and had, over the years, been lost among the nations, and that he had found them and restored them to the Jewish people. He said that proof of this was that any non-Jew who taught him such a song would forget it as soon as the Rebbe learned it. He was known for composing the traditional Hungarian Hasidic melody "Szól a kakas már." He composed many popular Hasidic melodies. He often adapted Hungarian folk songs, adding Jewish words to them. He taught that the melodies he heard actually originated in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and had, over the years, been lost among the nations, and that he had found them and restored them to the Jewish people. He said that proof of this was that any non-Jew who taught him such a song would forget it as soon as the Rebbe learned it.

(Kiryat Kaliver in Rishon LeZion) May the merit of the Rebbe protect Am Yisrael! (https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/723-Rabbi-Yitzchak-Isaac-Taub)