The 18th of Elul.
The 18th of Elul is the birthday of two historic figures of Hasidic Judaism, Rabbi Israel Baal-Shem-Tov and Rabbi Shneur-Zalman of Leadi (Altar Rabbi). The Kishinev synagogue held a celebration in their honor and invited many important visitors. Kishinev and Moldova’s Chief Rabbi Zalman Abelsky, used this important event to discuss Jewish traditions and the fundamental ideas of Hasidism.
There is an interesting story of the relationship between these two leaders born on the same date: On Elul 5504 (1744), Rabbi Boruch, one of the disciples of Rabbi Israel Baal-Shem-Tov, went with his wife to Medjibut to receive blessing from the Rabbi in the hope of having a child. “G-d will help you and you will have a child exactly in a year,” said the Rebbe. “If it is true, if a boy is born, I’ll do my best to make him devote his life to Torah and Hasidism”, answered Rabbi Boruch’s wife, who was named Rivka.
Next year on 18th of Elul a boy named Shneur-Zalman was born on the same day of the Baal-Shem-Tov’s birthday, leading the Rebbe to declare, “Today is Wednesday, the day the Creator placed stars in the sky. And this day a boy with a special soul appeared. His destiny is to discover many new things and to bring forth the light of Torah. This boy will show the power of Hasidism to the world.”
Rabbi Baal-Shem-Tov included the boy in his daily prayers, asking G-d to take care of him. He told the boy’s father, Rabbi Boruch, to keep the son’s extraordinary talents a secret and gave him instructions on how to bring up the boy correctly.
When the boy reached the age of three, Rabbi Boruch asked Baal-Shem-Tov to become the first teacher of the boy, but he refused. “This boy shouldn’t be my disciple,” he said. “His name- Shneur- means ‘two lights.’ He will illuminate the world with Torah’s light and discover many new things in this marvelous book, but he shouldn’t follow me. He should follow his own path.”
Many years passed, and the became the founder of a new branch of Hasidism called CHABAD, and his study did bring the light of Torah to the world. Never before has the Jewish world seen such brilliant wisdom, embodied in his greatest work, the book “Tania,” published in 5557 (1797).
After discussing the history of Schneur-Zalman and Baal-Shem-Tov before those gathered at the synagogue, Rabbi Abelsky focused on current situation in Kishinev synagogue and its chalanges. He noted the large number of contributions to fund the synagogue and its reconstruction. Thanks to the efforts of those in charge of fundraising– Mr. Semion [Simcha] Vainberg, Mr. Leonid Volneansky, Mr. Leonid Shapochnik, Mr. Evgenii Kleinerman, Mr. Alexander Pinchevsky, and Yurii Nisenblat—the synagogue’s interior was renovated in time for Rosh Hashanah. The celebration ended with the presentation of the holy book “Tania” to certain members in recognition of their contributions to the community.
Riva Rozner.
