Tzadikim's Yahrzeits in Adar
Rosh Chodesh Adar – (according to one tradition) – the yahrzeit of Benayahu ben Yehoyada Rosh Chodesh Adar – Rabbi Tzadok Hutzin – a student of the Ben Ish Chai1 Adar – Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra
1 Adar – Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov
2 Adar – Rabbi Meir Paprish (student of Rabbi Yaakov Tzemach – Rabbi Shmuel Vital – Rabbi Chaim Vital) 2 Adar – Rabbi Yom Tov Algazi (student of the Rashash)7 Adar – Moshe Rabbeinu
7 Adar – the Kaliver Rebbe
8 Adar – Rabbi Eliyahu HaKohen HaItamari – "Midrash Talpiyot," "Shevet Musar" 8 Adar – Rabbi Yosef Yedid ben Mordechai Halevi 9 Adar – Rabbi Yitzchak Shem Tov Ben-Gualid11 Adar – Rabbi Chaim Yosef David ben Raphael Yitzchak Zerachiah Azulai – the Chida
12 Adar – the Gaon of Rogatchov
12 Adar – Rabbi Moshe Feinstein 13 Adar – Rabbi Judah he-Hasid 15 Adar – Rabbi Shimon bar Tzemach Duran (Rashbatz) 15 Adar – Rabbi Tzvi-Hirsch bar Aharon-Shmuel Kaidanover, "Kav HaYashar" 16 Adar – Rabbi Yitzchak ben Moshe Abulafia 17 Adar – Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman (Pachad Yitzchak) 18 Adar – Rabbi Chanokh-Henech bar Pinchas-Yaakov HaKohen 19 Adar – Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld 20 Adar – Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach 20 Adar – Rabbi Yoel ben Shmuel Sirkis 20 Adar – the yahrzeit/hilula of Rabbi Eliyahu Mishan of Aram Tzova – "Sfat Emet"21 Adar – Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
23 Adar – Rabbi Yitzchak Meir ben Yisrael Alter Rothenberg – Chiddushei HaRim
25 Adar – Rabbi Gershon Kutover
25 Adar – Rabbi Yitzchak ben Massoud Abuhatzeira – Baba Haki
27 Adar – Rabbi Chaim Siluani – kabbalist 27 Adar – Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv – Baal HaLeshem 29 Adar – Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen Rabinovich of Radomsk – Tiferet Shlomo 29 Adar – Rabbi Yaakov KamenetskyWhy Is It So Important to Light a Ner Neshamah?
"Ner Neshamah" in Hebrew means a soul candle, or a memorial candle. In Hebrew, instead of "for the repose of the soul", the term Le'ilui is used, meaning the elevation of the soul. Lighting a candle Le'ilui Nishmat the deceased is mentioned in several sources.
«It is known that the soul derives pleasure from the lighting of candles; it moves amid the splendor of Heaven, joy spreads from the source of light, and it yearns for that light, even though the light of the candle's flame is material, while the light of the soul is spiritual, pure, and simple.»
(Rabbeinu Bachya, Terumah, "Offerings"
- "הרי לך שהנשמה יש לה הנאה מןהאור" - «There the souls delight in the light, and one should not be surprised that even fragrance is pleasing to the soul when it is in the body.»
The Ben Ish Chai teaches that the soul of a righteous person rejoices when a memorial candle is lit for him, and his soul ascends to Hashem and intercedes on behalf of the person who lit the Ner Neshamah in his honor.
(Ben Ish Chai, Torah Lishmah, 520)
The origin of this custom is associated with Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, the compiler of the Mishnah, who instructed his family:
«נריהיה דלוק במקומו» - «A candle shall be lit in his place», - expressing respect for the deceased.
"The Name of the Almighty is contained in the name of a righteous person. It is 'clothed' in him; from this we learn that when the name of a righteous person is exalted, the Name of the Blessed One is exalted. The greater the name of the righteous person, the greater the Name of the Almighty, because the Name of the Almighty is joined with the name of the righteous person." (Chazal)
A twenty-four-hour candle or an oil lamp is used to light a candle Le'ilui Nishmat. Before lighting the candle, money is set aside for a Kupat Tzedakah.
The candle is lit with the words: «Hareini madlik ner le'ilui nishmat Rabbi... Ribono shel Olam, bizchut tzadik Rabbi"... (personal requests)
(Sila Tehillim website)
