RABBI ANSWERS

By Rabbi Asman

Levi Yitzkhak from Berdichev was, indeed, one of the most prominent tzaddiks of the end of the 18-th century and a leader of the Volyn's Hassids of that period. He saw the service to the Almighty not just in praying, but in the everyday actions as well as Baal Shem Tov, his spiritual leader did. According to this doctrine the purport of the faith is in a permanent communication with G-d. This communication is possible only when a person is happy and cheerful. Levi Yitzkhak himself was talking to G-d just in this way. He was applying to the Almighty with his requests and even with claims not praying for himself personally, but for all the Jewish people.

Lots of people were calling him "a defender of Israel" and saying: "When we remember about the Berdichev's Rabbi, the strictness of the Heaven's justice softens." There is the pray, in which the Rabbi challenges G-d directly:
"I, Levi Yitzkhak, the son of Sarah from Berdichev, has come to have a trial with You on behalf of the Israel, Your people. What do You want from the Israel, from Your people?"
Women in some congregations still say the pray before Shabbat, which had been created by Rabbi Levy Yitzkhak: "May the Lord give a power to the everyone exhausted..."
Rabbi Levy Yitzkhak from Berdichev died in 1810 and despite there was no the epitaphy on his grave, everyone knew who had been burried in there. A pilgrimage to the grave of the tzaddik is going on even nowadays.

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