7 Nisan · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Yitzchak of Drohobych
The holy Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak ben Yosef of Drohobych - father of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov.
Yahrzeit - 7 Nissan
Burial place - Drohobych
Even before Chassidus was spread by the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov throughout Europe, there was a well-known group known as the chassidim of Provence. This group consisted of great scholars of the revealed and hidden Torah (Torah HaNigleh and Torah HaNistar), who refrained from worldly vanity.
Among them was the holy Rav Yitzchak of Drohobych, who was called Reb Yitzchak "the Mochiach" (the reprover), who awakened thousands of Jews to repentance and self-strengthening.
In later years, Rav Yitzchak served as a Magid, or "mochiach" (admonisher), as well as a Dayan on the Beit Din of Brody, at a time when Rabbi Yitzchak of Hamburg served as the town's Rav.
Rav Yitzchak's name is especially associated with Drohobych, a town located 40 miles south of Lelov, which today is a major oil-refining center. Like many towns in this region, it periodically changed hands over the course of its history, beginning as a Ukrainian village before becoming part of Galicia.
In the 14th century, Drohobych became Polish, when King Casimir annexed Galicia to Poland. The town was then seized by Austria in 1772 during the partition of Poland. Poland regained it for 20 years shortly before World War II, and today it is once again under Ukrainian control. In 1939, Drohobych was home to about 10,000 Poles, 10,000 Ukrainians, and 15,000 Jews.
When Rav Yitzchak served as Dayan in Brody, he led a well-known group of ten scholarly men at Rabbi Yosef's synagogue in Ostrov.
He passed away on the seventh of Nissan, 5510 (1750), leaving behind his renowned son - the Magid of Zlotchov.
The Encounter with the Baal Shem Tov
Complaints about the ineffectiveness of the amulets (kemayot) from Rabbi Yitzchak of Drohobych reached the ears of the Baal Shem Tov, and when he investigated, he realized that Rabbi Yitzchak's words were influencing people to consider them useless. The Baal Shem Tov exercised his tremendous power of concentration and caused Rabbi Yitzchak to become confused about what day of the week it was. Rabbi Yitzchak was traveling and, arriving in Mezhibuzh on Friday afternoon, decided that it was Thursday. Not particularly in a hurry, he prayed, had a bite to eat, and lay down for a nap.
When he woke up, he was shocked to see the entire staff of the inn preparing for the holy Shabbat. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why are you already preparing for Shabbat when it's only Thursday afternoon?"
"You are mistaken, for it is nearly Shabbat," everyone assured him. But Rabbi Yitzchak did not believe them. Only when he went outside and saw the street filled with Jews busy preparing for Shabbat did he conclude that it was indeed erev Shabbat.
Rabbi Yitzchak hurried back to the inn to quickly prepare for the holy day, but his preparations were interrupted by a visitor - the Baal Shem Tov himself!
"I ask you to join me for Shabbat," the Baal Shem Tov pleaded, but Reb Yitzchak refused, saying that the innkeeper had already prepared to host him.
"Don't worry," said the Baal Shem Tov. "I spoke with the innkeeper, and he forgives you for the change of plans."
"But I am accustomed on Shabbat to eating until I am completely full," Reb Yitzchak objected. "I'm afraid you won't have enough food for me."
"Don't worry, I have prepared plenty of food," the Baal Shem Tov assured him. Finally, Reb Yitzchak ran out of excuses and had no choice but to accept the Baal Shem Tov's invitation.
When Rabbi Yitzchak said that he was accustomed to eating enormous quantities of food, he was not exaggerating, since he fasted all week, from Shabbat to Shabbat. During the Shabbat meal, he had a huge silver platter, engraved with the Name of G-d, onto which he would place his food. Every week, after reciting Kiddush, he would set the laden platter before him and eat everything served with each course.
When he finished the portion of food set before him at the Baal Shem Tov's Shabbat table, he expressed displeasure: "You promised to give me enough to be satisfied, and I am still hungry, but there is no more food left."
"I am truly sorry," the Baal Shem Tov replied. "I was expecting angels, but I did not expect seraphim (spiritual beings that 'consume' everything in their path)!"
When Shabbat ended, the Baal Shem Tov approached his guest and asked, "Why did you find it appropriate to render my amulets ineffective?"
"It is forbidden to use the Holy Names of G-d in such a manner," Rabbi Yitzchak replied.
"You are mistaken, because I do not use the Holy Names. All I write in my amulet is my own name - Yisrael ben Sarah."
Only after the Baal Shem Tov took one of the amulets and showed it to Rabbi Yitzchak was the tzadik able to believe that such wonders could come from an amulet that did not contain the Holy Names of G-d. He was so astonished by this discovery that he immediately restored the power of the amulets, saying: "Almighty G-d, if such wonders can occur through this man's name alone, why should You object?" (Mayim Rabim)
May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!
https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/188-Rabbi-Yitzchak-of-Drohovitch