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Rabbi Hillel HaLevi of Paritch (also known as Hillel Paritcher or Hillel of Alysov) (1795-1864) was one of the greatest Chabad Hasidic mentors (mashpi'im) of all time. He was a follower of the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, and the Tzemach Tzedek. | Rabbi Hillel HaLevi of Paritch (also known as Hillel Paritcher or Hillel of Alysov) (1795-1864) was one of the greatest Chabad Hasidic mentors (mashpi'im) of all time. He was a follower of [[the Alter Rebbe]], [[the Mitteler Rebbe]], and [[the Tzemach Tzedek]]. | ||
== Early Years == | == Early Years == | ||
Born to Rabbi Meir HaLevi of Alysov in 1795 in the Russian town of Hometz. From childhood, he devoted himself to Torah study and was known as "the prodigy of Hometz." He studied under the author of "Bat Ayin." According to Hasidic stories, Rabbi Hillel married before his bar mitzvah at age 11, earning him the nickname "the Chol HaMoed'nik" since he had a tallit before tefillin. By age 13, he was proficient in the entire Talmud and Jewish law, studied Kabbalah, mastered all the writings of the Arizal, and prayed with his kavvanot (mystical intentions). Following the custom of Kabbalists, he lived ascetically and engaged in fasting and self-mortification. Later, following his father's example, he traveled to the holy Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl and began following the path of Hasidism. | Born to Rabbi Meir HaLevi of Alysov in 1795 in the Russian town of Hometz. From childhood, he devoted himself to Torah study and was known as "the prodigy of Hometz." He studied under the author of "Bat Ayin." According to Hasidic stories, Rabbi Hillel married before his bar mitzvah at age 11, earning him the nickname "the Chol HaMoed'nik" since he had a tallit before tefillin. By age 13, he was proficient in the entire Talmud and Jewish law, studied [[Kabbalah]], mastered all the writings of the [[The Arizal|Arizal]], and prayed with his kavvanot (mystical intentions). Following the custom of Kabbalists, he lived ascetically and engaged in fasting and self-mortification. Later, following his father's example, he traveled to the holy Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl and began following the path of Hasidism. | ||
== Drawing Close to the Alter Rebbe == | == Drawing Close to the Alter Rebbe == | ||
Reb Hillel was a Chernobyl chassid, until one day he heard a review of a Chassidic discourse from the Alter Rebbe delivered by Rabbi Zalman Zezmer, and it captivated him deeply. Fearing his Rebbe's reaction, which indeed later proved to be harsh and severe, he fled from Chernobyl and would travel from town to town where the Alter Rebbe was expected to visit during his travels. However, in every town he reached, the Alter Rebbe had already preceded him and left the city. Because of this, they never met face to face. On one occasion, Rabbi Hillel decided to be clever and arrived at a planned town before the Alter Rebbe's arrival, and hid under the table where the Alter Rebbe was expected to deliver his Chassidic discourse. He had prepared a difficult question about [[Mesechtas Arachin|Tractate Arachin]] that he wanted resolved. When the Alter Rebbe entered, he heard him say in his holy tune, "The young man who has a question in Tractate Arachin should first evaluate himself, and only afterward come and ask." When Rabbi Hillel heard this, he fainted on the spot under the table, and only regained consciousness after the Alter Rebbe had finished his profound Chassidic discourse and had already left the city. | |||
Rabbi Hillel never met the Alter Rebbe but only heard the echo of his voice. | |||
Therefore, Rabbi Hillel merited to connect only with the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, while Rabbi Zalman Zezmer remained his primary mashpia (spiritual mentor). Regarding his question about the resentment of the Rebbe of Chernobyl, the Mitteler Rebbe answered him that if he (the Rebbe of Chernobyl) is truly a Rebbe, then he certainly does not hold a grudge. He began studying the Tanya of the Alter Rebbe and decided to learn and teach the Chabad Chassidic teachings. He was fortunate and made swift progress, becoming one of the greatest Chabad mashpiim (mentors) for generations. He recorded many discourses of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek with his illuminating explanations and interpretations, in the tradition of mashpiim whose purpose was to elaborate on the words of their Rebbes extensively and in logical order. | |||
== With the Mitteler Rebbe == | == With the Mitteler Rebbe == | ||
He | He worked for 3 years to reach the level of "truly good" and after this preparation, he traveled for the first time in the month of Elul to Lubavitch to the Mitteler Rebbe [clarification needed] and remained close to him. | ||
From the year 5578 (1818), he began to wander in small settlements in order to collect funds for the redemption of captives and to support Jewish soldiers (Cantonists) with kosher food, according to the instructions of the Mitteler Rebbe. In the colonies he would visit in the Kherson region, he would share Chassidus in every place, even before simple Jews who couldn't read or write, since even the soul understands. | |||
He settled in the town of Paritsch, and the people of the nearby Bobruisk community accepted Reb Hillel as their Rav and Av Beis Din. | |||
The Mitteler Rebbe appointed him as a Mashpia and sent young men to him to guide them in the path of Chassidus, and so did the Tzemach Tzedek. He merited to be called until today "the greatest of Chabad's Mashpi'im." | |||
The Mitteler Rebbe appointed him as his emissary to the Jewish settlements in the Kherson province, and he passed away during one of his journeys there. | |||
== With the Tzemach Tzedek == | == With the Tzemach Tzedek == | ||
Rabbi Abraham David Lavut (the Rebbe's great-great-grandfather) | Rabbi Abraham David Lavut (the Rebbe's great-great-grandfather) persuaded the Tzemach Tzedek Rebbe to send Rabbi Hillel to travel throughout Russian cities annually to strengthen Torah and Judaism and to spread Chabad teachings. Rabbi Hillel was very fond of him. | ||
Rabbi Hillel would share stories about the lives and conduct of elder Chassidim with his students, interspersing his teachings with niggunim. He composed a tune for the piyut "Azamer Bishvachin" written by the holy Arizal. | |||
He recorded everything he heard from his teachers and added his own explanations. He conducted himself with complete humility and self-effacement, and was willing to sacrifice himself even for the slightest detail of rabbinic law or for good practices he had adopted. Until approximately midday, he would engage in Torah study and prayer. Afterward, he would open his doors to anyone seeking help, making special efforts to assist and benefit the poor. | |||
Rabbi Hillel developed the ability to control his physical state. On Friday nights, following the custom of our Rebbes to sleep because that time is considered a time of sleep in the supernal realms, Rabbi Hillel could make himself fall asleep precisely when that time arrived. Another example: Rabbi Hillel had a practice of not crossing bridges in a wagon while sleeping. Whenever they would approach a bridge, Rabbi Hillel would wake up on his own. | |||
He was extremely meticulous and self-sacrificing about every detail and letter of Jewish law, and even adopted additional stringencies. For example, he would not travel on roads built by the Czar, and he would fast frequently. | |||
In his later years, when the moon was not visible for Kiddush Levanah (sanctification of the moon), Rabbi Hillel sent a pidyon nefesh (redemption note) to the Tzemach Tzedek. In response, the Tzemach Tzedek promised him that the moon would appear. Later, when the moon became visible, Rabbi Hillel said he didn't know if, at his age, he would have had the strength to endure a situation where the moon remained invisible. | |||
About a Chassid who once claimed to follow a certain stringency because he was a student of Rabbi Hillel, the Maharash Rebbe commented: "Rabbi Hillel refined his nature over twenty-eight years." Similarly, when a Chassid remarked to the Rebbe that Rabbi Nissan Nemenov resembled Rabbi Hillel, the Rebbe responded with astonishment, "Rabbi Hillel?!" | |||
One of the well-known sayings about Rabbi Hillel is that the Tzemach Tzedek had "two and a half Chassidim," with the "half" referring to Rabbi Hillel, who was "half a Rebbe." | |||
== As Emissary to Jewish Settlements in Kherson Province == | == As Emissary to Jewish Settlements in Kherson Province == | ||
The | <nowiki>**</nowiki>Extended Jewish Settlements in the Kherson Province** | ||
the Mitteler Rebbe promised the Jews who worked the land in the Kherson province that he would come visit them. The Rebbe visited them once, and afterward appointed Rabbi Hillel as his representative. | |||
Every year, Rabbi Hillel would travel to the Kherson province and inspire Jews to serve Hashem. Among them were very simple Jews who were not capable of understanding the Chassidic teachings that Rabbi Hillel would share. | |||
Many stories are connected to his travels. For example, he would take along a minyan so he could always daven with a minyan, and among them was a Kohen, since he wanted that every time a Kohen, Levi, and Yisrael would be called up to the Torah. | |||
His influence grew tremendously over the Jews of the settlements as well as the Jews in the surrounding cities such as the city of Nikolayev, and others. | |||
== His Passing == | == His Passing == | ||
In 1864, the Ninth of Av fell on Thursday. | In 5624 (1864), the Ninth of Av fell on Thursday. Reb Hillel was in the city of Nikolayev and felt weak. After the fast, he asked: "Where were the rabbis?" (who did not forbid him from fasting) and requested to be quickly transported to the city of Kherson, as he had a custom not to begin traveling on Friday. Before midday on Friday, he arrived in Kherson, and on Shabbat, the 11th of Menachem Av 5624 (1864), he returned his soul to his Creator. He is buried in the city of Kherson. | ||
The Rebbe wrote the main chapters of his biography, which were printed at the beginning of his books - Pelach Harimon on the books of Bereishit and Shemot - published by [[Kehos|Kehot]]. | |||
== With Rabbi Isaac of Homil == | == With Rabbi Isaac of Homil == | ||