Lighting Candles for Tzadikim with Their Mothers’ Names

Lighting Candles for Tzadikim with Their Mothers’ Names

During these days of war in Israel, we light candles every day lechvod the Tzadikim and ask them for help, because the fear caused by great losses leads us to the segula for good fortune and victory in battle—to recite the names of the Tzadikim’s mothers: Amatlai bat Karnevo, Nitzavet bat Adael, Tzelalfonit... During one such prayer, an idea arose—not merely to light candles for the Tzadikim, but to mention their names together with the names of their mothers, whose merit stands behind their children’s success. It is said in Mishlei (25:10): “A storm will pass—and the wicked man is no more, but the righteous man is the foundation of the world” — (ve-Tzadik Yesod Olam). The Tzadikim, the foundation of the world, are a direct channel (notice where Yesod is located in the Tree of the Sefirot) for connecting with Hashem. That is why we light candles in their honor in our homes, calling upon their help in elevating our prayers to the Heavenly Throne. That is why we travel to the Kivrei Tzadikim: by touching the matzevah (tombstone), we receive strength [the Kever of a Tzadik is a place of power] to resolve life’s problems. But our righteous men would not have become who they were without their mothers… It is no coincidence that the Hebrew word רחמים “Rachamim” (mercy) consists of all the letters of the word רחמ “Rechem” (womb). Nitzavet bat Adael David HaMelech, our entire Jewish heritage, would not have become who he was without his mother—Nitzavet bat Adael—an outcast and despised woman who endured many years of bizyonot (humiliation): 28 years of attacks, suffering, and pain—28 years of tzarot. Nitzavet chose a vow of silence and was rewarded with a child who became the King of Israel and would become the ancestor of Mashiach. The Midrash relates that when Shmuel HaNavi anointed David, weeping was heard from beyond the great hall—it was Nitzavet. Channah Another mother stands apart in Jewish history—the mother of Shmuel HaNavi, the great prophet whom the Sages describe as equal to the two great brothers, Moshe and Aharon—Channah. Rabbi Yaakov Culi in Me'am Loez reveals that Channah was the first to recite the name of King David’s mother—Nitzavet bat Adael—17 times when she came to Shiloh to pray for a son, knowing the secret that Nitzavet - ניצבת consists of the same letters as “Nitzbet” ניצבת (the name of an angel). It was only through Channah’s prayers and her vow to dedicate her son to Torah that Shmuel was born and became a great prophet. The Mother of Rabbi Yisrael Dov Ber of Vilednik A well-known story is told about Rabbi Yisrael Dov Ber of Vilednik: shortly before her death, his mother called her son and asked him to bring her a certain book. This greatly surprised him, as he knew that his mother could not read the Holy Tongue—and there were no other books in the house. He therefore asked which book she wanted. His mother said that it made no difference, and that he should bring her the first one he came across. The son handed her a hefty volume of responsa by the Rif. Taking the book in her hands, she said: “Holy letters, plead before the Almighty for my dear son Yisrael Ber, that he may grow up to be a G-d-fearing Jew…”—for she already knew that she had little time left in this world. Many years later, Rabbi Yisrael Dov himself told this story to a woman who asked the Tzadik for a blessing for her son, “that he should grow up to be like you.” After telling the story, he said: “If you will be like my mother, then your son will be like me.” The book Siach Zekeinim relates that a son was born to the Gaon Rabbi David Tzvi Chen, but the next pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. In those days, it was customary for husbands to travel to the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek for a blessing, while wives went to the Tzadik of Vilednik. So his wife traveled to Vilednik with her “bedrka.” When they entered the Tzadik’s room, she said that her husband had been to Lubavitch and received a blessing from the Rebbe, but the child had not survived. The Tzadik promised her that she would have a daughter. When she asked, “What name should we give her?” the Tzadik replied, “Noch mayn mome” (like my mother’s). When she asked for his mother’s name, he answered, “Perle Gute” (incidentally, this is the only source from which we know the name of the mother of the Tzadik of Vilednik). When we light candles ze-lechvod the Tzadikim and recite their names together with their mothers’ names, help from Heaven will follow immediately—beRachamim rabim, veChesed veAhavah. To open the 13 Shaarei Rachamim, it is good to light 13 candles ze-lechvod the 13 Tzadikim and their mothers; 17 candles correspond to the gematria of “tov” (good).     Tehillim 144 and the Names of the Tzadikim’s Mothers Tehillim 144 – A Psalm for the Sons of David HaMelech and Shimshon HaGibor