Weekly Chasidic Story #1430 (5785-32) 7 Iyar 5785 (May 5, 2025)

"The Perpetually Burning Flame For Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai"

The Rebbe of Chortkov would send money from Eastern Europe to his followers in the holy city of Safed, to be distributed to the poor and to purchase oil for the ner tamid fire that burned continuously at the tombsite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.

Why This Week? Clearly there is a connection to Meron (and Lag B'Omer), which falls towards the end of next week [so save it!], but the connection to this week and this month is also strong, as the Jewish month of IYAR as known as the "Month of Healing" (for several reasons).

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The Perpetually Burning Flame For Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

A tangible hush swept through the study hall. It was Lag BaOmer, 1926. Morning prayers had just ended, and the air still shimmered with echoes of devotion. The chasidim gathered around their Rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael of Chortkov, cups of l'chaim in hand, drawn close by their strong feelings of reverence and love.

Everyone knew of the deep, mystic bond between the Chortkov dynasty and the heavenly sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, dating back to the Rebbe's great-grandfather,the renowned Rabbi Yisrael of Rhizin, for whom he was named. His grandfather, son of the heiliger ['holy'] Rhiziner and first of the Chortkov dynasty, the saintly Rabbi David Moshe, had a soul-connection with the tzaddik of Meron that defied words.

He was the one who established the lighting of the ner tamid-the perpetual flame-at Rabbi Shimon's tomb in Meron. He sent money from Eastern Europe to his followers in the holy city of Safed, to be distributed to the poor and to purchase oil for the ner tamid that it will forever be burning continuously at the gravesite.

Rabbi Yisrael followed in his father's footsteps (and after him, his son, Rabbi Nachum Mordechai). Lag BaOmer was celebrated with particular festivity in the study hall of Rabbi Yisrael.

During World War I, the Rebbe had fled to Vienna, where he settled and soon became a beacon to Jews of every stripe-chasidim, secular, learned, and many of those who had not previously been exposed to chasidic ways. All found in him a listening ear, and many came to partake of his radiant presence and to be uplifted by his love for every Jew. Especially on Lag BaOmer, his court overflowed.

"L'chaim! To life!" the Rebbe's voice rang out, rich with joy and yearning.

The crowd responded with a hearty chorus that reverberated through the hall. Then silence dominated again, and in that stillness the Rebbe's voice rang out.

"The word spread about my father," he began, "that he carried the soul of Rabbi Shimon within him. Indeed, their connection was wondrous. For years, Jews have been flocking to Meron to pray at Rabbi Shimon's gravesite, especially on Lag BaOmer, the day of his passing. Yet for some reason, no one ever lit a flame there that would be maintained without pause, until my father established this sacred practice." The Rebbe then blessed the crowd, praying that the merit of the divine sage would stand in their defense.

After a brief pause he continued to speak, at the same time his eyes scanning the sea of faces. "I want to tell you of a miracle I witnessed myself. A wonder born of that continually burning flame at Rabbi Shimon's tomb."

"It happened not long ago," the Rebbe said. "A man knocked on my door, a religious Jew who had come all the way from the city of Cologne, Germany. In his arms, he carried his little daughter, as limp and motionless as a rag doll. Her eyes were blank. Her lips silent. She made no sound. All she did was stare with a blank, expressionless gaze.

"The man burst into tears. 'Please, Rebbe. Help us!' he begged. 'My daughter was perfectly healthy. Then, one day, suddenly she became paralyzed. She stopped speaking; stopped hearing; stopped moving.

"'I took her to the best doctors-in Cologne, Berlin, throughout the region -but not one of them could diagnose the cause of her losses or find a cure. So I came to Vienna, my last hope. But even here…the expert doctors each told me there's no hope.'"

The Rebbe's voice softened. "I looked into his face, and I saw a soul unraveling. My heart ached for him. I tried to encourage him and strengthen his faith. I also told him: Doctors have permission to heal, but not to despair.

"He wept harder. 'Rebbe,' he whispered, 'I believe you have the power to save her.'

"I answered that I'm no miracle worker, so the best I could do was pray for mercy on her behalf. Only the Holy One Above heals the sick.

"But I did refer him to a specialist who was famous throughout Europe. Perhaps he would be G-d's agent to bring healing. The man left, a flicker of hope rekindled within him. He went straight to the famous doctor. Given the urgency, the doctor agreed to see the girl immediately.

"But the next day he returned, crushed and despairing. The renowned specialist also saw no possibility for a cure. His last hope had evaporated.

"As he turned to leave, the child in his arms like a silent stone, a sudden thought flashed through my mind. I remembered I had a small vial of oil from the ner tamid in Meron-sent to me from the tomb of Rabbi Shimon!

"'Wait,' I called him back. I handed him the vial. 'This is oil from the perpetually burning flame at Rabbi Shimon's tomb in Meron. Anoint your daughter with it. May the tzaddik's merit stand for you in this hour of need, and may your daughter experience a swift salvation.'"

"He did as I instructed. Within just a few days, she began to move. Two weeks later, she walked into my room with her father on her own two feet. Whole again. she could walk, hear, and speak as though she had never been ill.

"Her father broke into a dance like King David before the Ark, right there in my study, overwhelmed by the miracle and unable to contain himself. I sent him straight back to the great doctor who had given up on her so that he could see the wonder for himself.

"Later, the man reported back to me how the astonished doctor had placed his hands on his chest in disbelief, and exclaimed: 'This… this is unbelievable,' he exclaimed. 'A miracle.'. 'A genuine divine miracle!'"

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Source: Heavily revised by Yerachmiel Tilles from a "ChatGPT" translation of an article in an issue of the Israeli Hebrew weekly Sichat HaShavua for Lag b'Omer, 2017, based on the book, "Doresh Tov" by R' David Spiegel, who was present in Chortkov at the time of the event.

Why This Week? Clearly there is a connection to Meron (and Lag B'Omer), which falls towards the end of next week [so save it!], but the connection to this week and this month is also strong, as the Jewish month of IYAR as known as the "Month of Healing" (for several reasons).

Biographical notes (in order of appearance):
Rabbi Yisroel Friedman (10 Iyar 1854 - 13 Kislev 1934), the second Chortkover Rebbe, had chasidim numbering in the tens of thousands. These included quite a few famous Rebbes and Rabbonim. When World War I broke out he moved to Vienna, where he lived for the rest of his life. In the first international convention ('Knessia Hagedola') of Agudas Yisroel in 1923, he was elected to be the head, along with the Chafetz Chaim and the Gerer Rebbe, both of whom deferred to him. His books, Tiferes Yisroel, Yismach Yisroel, and Ginzei Yisroel, are considered classic works.

Rabbi David-Moshe Friedman (20 Cheshvan 1828-21 Tishrei1903), the first Chortkover Rebbe, was the fifth of the holy six sons of the famed R. Yisrael of Rhyzhin (1797-1850), who attracted a large following after the death of his father. He is the author of Divrei Dovid.

Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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