Бердичевский ребе и Йом-Кипур портного דער בארדיטשובער רב און דעם שניידערס יום כיפור

The defender of the Jewish people

When one says "the Berditchever", every Chasid knows who is meant: the holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, author of the "Kedushas Levi". He is called the "sneigor", the defender, of the Jewish people, because he always spoke favourably of Jews before Hashem, and his love for every Jew knew no bounds ^[1].

He was born on 29 Iyar 5500 (1740) to his father Rabbi Meir, head of the rabbinical court of Zamosc. He served as rav in Ryczywół, Żelechów and Pinsk, and in 1784 he settled in Berditchev, where he was rav for the rest of his life ^[1]. He was one of the great disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch and of Reb Shmelke of Nikolsburg. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov called him the "Pe'er", the glory, of Israel ^[1].

The story of the tailor

It is told ^[2] that the Berditchever Rav once asked a simple tailor, who could not read the prayers in the machzor, what he did on Yom Kippur. The tailor was embarrassed, but he told him:

"I spoke to the Master of the World and said: Ribbono shel Olam, my sins are small. Sometimes I kept a scrap of leftover cloth, sometimes I forgot to say a prayer. But such heavy troubles lie on Your Jews: mothers taken from their children, and children from their parents. Let us make a deal: You forgive me, and I will not complain."

"You asked for too little!"

When the Berditchever heard this, he cried out with great feeling: "Oh, tailor, tailor! You let Him off too easily! You should have demanded that Hashem bring the redemption for all Jews!" ^[2]

The whole Berditchever is in this story. He did not look down on the tailor's simplicity. He only wanted every Jew, even the simplest, to know how great his power is, and to ask our Father in Heaven for the greatest thing of all: the complete redemption.

The Kedushas Levi

Besides the stories, the Berditchever left the sefer "Kedushas Levi" on the Torah and the Yamim Tovim, first printed in 1798 and reprinted many times since ^[1]. It is one of the best-loved works of Chasidus today, and he also wrote "Beis Levi" on Pirkei Avos ^[1].

His yahrzeit

The Berditchever Rav passed away on 25 Tishrei 5570 (1809) and is buried in the old cemetery of Berditchev ^[1]. Every year, right after the Yamim Noraim, Jews mark his yahrzeit, and his story of the tailor reminds us that no Jew is too "simple" to speak to Hashem, and that we must never forget to pray for the redemption.