Weekly Story: Reb Leib Sarah’s

by Rabbi Sholom Dovber Avtzon

Around two years ago, I published a book on the Shpoler Zeide. I noted that being that the Rebbe mentioned that the Shpoler Zeide and Reb Leib Sarah’s are the same person, I would like to publish the stories that are credited to Reb Leib Sarah’s.

Recently someone showed me a few pages of Sefer Hadoros HaChudush, that speak about Reb Leib Sarah’s, so I decided to note a few things from it.

As always, your feedback and comments are always welcomed and appreciated. It would especially be so if you could guide me to additional stories about him, particularly those stories that have a source to them.

This week’s column is in the zechus of Yehoshua ben Freida and Shmuel ben Shulamis that they both have a speedy and complete refuah shleima.

In Praise of Reb Leib Sarah’s

Reb Menachem Mendel of Primishalan, writes towards the end of his sefer, Hanhugos Yishuros, that the Maggid of Mezeritch writes the following letter, attesting to Reb Leib Sarah’s greatness.

I am attesting about [the bearer of this letter] the one who is known as Reb Leib Sarah’s, who is involved in the most important mitzvos, as he will inform you of, that you should come to his assistance, and to help and support him. there is no falsehood about him, and he will never utter a lie. He is known to all to be have tremendous fear of Hashem, and there is no greater mitzvah than to assist him in his endeavors.

In that letter the Maggiid does not mention what those endeavors were, but the author of Seder Hadoros hachudush notes that it was known that he was constantly involved in redeeming Jews who were imprisoned by the landowners when they were behind in rent, or on some trumped up charges. He adds that not only was he involved in freeing them from this bondage, but he also traveled extensively to free them from their bondage to the evil inclination and bring them back to serving Hashem.

However, he did not limit himself to only helping the living, he also traveled extensively to help those who departed from this world, but for whatever reason their Neshomos couldn’t find rest, [and they were reincarnated into fish or other living animals, or in inanimate objects].

One of Reb Leib Sarah’s outstanding students was Rabbi Yitzchok of Levov. He related that he himself heard from the tzaddik, that it is around 1500 years since his Neshoma was in this world. The reason why his Neshoma came down once again was in order to fix certain things which only he himself knows of, and Reb Yitzchok continued and said on his own, and it is something that he never revealed to anyone. 

[Compiler’s note: Perhaps this explains why he traveled extensively, visiting hundreds or perhaps thousands of Jewish towns and hamlets without any publicity.]

His student Reb Yitzchok once received a message from Reb Leib Sarah’s that he should come to him to the city of Brod. Although it was a few days before Pesach, and he knew that there is a strong possibility that he would not be home for Pesach, he immediately set out and walked to Brod. When he arrived, Reb Leib Sarah’s instructed him to stay in his room, and he himself left the city. He returned during  chol hamoed and began discussing lofty concepts with his student. His custom was that when he would be discussing concepts such as these, he would stand in one place and face the other person who would also be standing and discussing or teacingh it to them for even 8 to 10 hours without moving his feet at all. 

After some hours, they heard a loud cry and shriek in the house. One of the daughters of their host was gravely ill and the doctors just had informed them that there was nothing more that they can do to heal her. Although until now the host was careful that no one disturbs the tzaddik, but now he had no choice, he has to save his daughter. He knew for a fact that if the tzaddik would give her a brocha, she would be healed. As our sages say, when a tzaddik decrees Hashem fulfills the tzaddik’s words.

So he went to Reb Leib Sarah and poured out his troubled heart.

Reb Leib replied that he should go to the tzaddik of the city Reb Shmuel, as his brocha will be fulfilled. 

The host immediately ran over to Reb Shmuel who readily gave a brocha and the host hurriedly ran home a happy person. But his shock and horror intensified, for as he entered the house, he noticed that his daughter’s situation had severely deteriorated. Feeling that he had no choice he once again knocked on the tzaddik’s door and painfully poured out his heart. 

Reb Leib Sarah’s was perturbed and lifted his head heavenward and cried out, Master of the world, did I come to the city of Brod to hear the cries of this family? What am I to say to them that their cries would cease?! 

The Host heard these words, and he understood that the tzaddik already gave him a blessing and he ran over to his daughter and immediately recognized some of her improvements, as she was getting stronger and stronger from moment to moment. 

The following day, when she was completely healed, the tzaddik got up and  prepared to leave  Brod.

Reb Yitzchok desired to assist his Rebbe, so he went over to pick up his valise. However, it was to heavy for him and he couldn’t lift it.

Reb Leib Sarah’s walked over and easily picked it up and began carrying it. Seeing the surprised expression on his student’s face, he said [Dovid Hamelech says in Tehillim 103:20, His powerful angels who fulfill His words, bless Him,] those words can be translated to mean, Those who do fulfill His words properly, have the strength of strong people.

As noted above, one of Reb Leib Sarah’s primary activities was freeing individuals from their imprisonment. However, it wasn’t only from a physical imprisonment, but also from a mental perspective one as well.

Once when he arrived in a town, he stopped off by a wealthy man’s house and asked the attendant if he could have a private room to stay in while he is in town. The attendant asked his employer, who responded, what do I have with the person at the door that I should supply him with the comforts of a private room?! Hearing this, Reb Leib Sarah’s began walking away

However, a few moments later the wealthy homeowner heard through the window people in the street saying that the tremendous tzaddik Reb Leib Sarah’s is in town. Realizing that this person he sent away is probably the tzaddik, he went over to him and after prosuly apologizing to him invited him in.

Reb Leib Sarah’s asked him a question, “Why do we identify Avrohom Avinu with the mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim (inviting guests into your house)? By his nephew Lot, not only did he give them a meal and bake matzos specifically for them, but we also see that he pleaded with them to please come and rest in his house. That is something we don’t see that Avrohom did. So we should learn how far one should go to hosting guests from Lot!

“But the explanation is, Lot didn’t care to have guests. But when he saw angels, he jumped at the opportunity to host ANGELS. However, Avrohom Avinu saw them as regular people, and he ran over and requested them to be his guests. When you open your house to a complete stranger, someone who may not be important, that is true Hachnosas Orchim.”

A Taste of Chassidus  B’etzem Hayom Hazeh Torah Ohr 13b

The Alter Rebbe begins this maamar with the known question of why didn’t Avrohom Avinu circumcise himself until Hashem commanded him to do so. This question is based on what our sages tell us, that all of the Avos (forefathers) fulfilled the entire Torah, (even the seven Mitzvos that are of Rabbinical origin) before they were given. So, if he fulfilled every mitzvah, for sure he would have fulfilled the Cardinal mitzvah of circumcising himself. 

Concerning the mitzvah of circumcising ourselves, there are two pesukim; one states, “You shall circumcise the stubbornness of your heart, while a second possuk states, And Hashem will circumcise your heart. 

So the question is, who is doing the circumcision, us or Hashem?

 The Alter Rebbe explains that there are two levels of circumcision. The first level is that we circumcise our children (and/ or ourselves). The second possuk is informing us that there is a higher level of circumcision, and that level of circumcision cannot be accomplished through our own actions, and therefore Hashem will do the higher level of circumcision/ a person cannot achieve on their own rather they need Hashem to successfully achieve it. 

The first level of circumcision is understood, as the possuk clearly states that each one of us is supposed to remove the stubbornness of our hearts, which means we should strive to come closer to Hashem. In essence this is the mitzvah of Teshuva (which means returning to Hashem). And as our sages teach us, in the merit of doing Teshuva, we will merit the final and complete redemption. At that time, we will merit to attain this second level of milah.

We see this concept in the possuk that states that the Torah is not in the heavens, for one to say מי יעלה לנו השמימה – who will elevate us to the heavens to obtain it. When one looks at the first letter of these four words you have the word מילה – circumcision. While the final letter of those same words spell out the name of Hashem. 

Being that Milah is written as the first letter of these words and Hashem’s name is written as their final letter, that signifies that Milah is greater than Hashem’s name. So the question becomes, how or in what aspect is Milah greater?

As is known the four letters of Hashem’s name represent the four worlds of Atzilus, B’riah, Yetzira and Asiah, as well as Chochmah, Bina, the six middos (attributes) and malchus; which in simple words is seder hishtalshilus. While this higher level of Milah is above / higher than seder hishtalshilus.

So the mitzvos of the Torah, which as noted, the Torah is not in the heavens, which means it is not higher than seder hishtalshilus, Avrohom Avinu fulfilled. Therefore, when the possuk notes that Avrohom circumcised his son Yishmael, as well as the slaves he acquired, that is referring to the lower level of Milah, which is our effort to come closer to Hashem. So he himself circumcised them. However, when it came for him  himself to be circumcised, he desired to attain the highest level of milah which as noted is higher than a person can attain on their own through their own avodah, so therefore he did not circumcise himself until Hashem instructed him to do so.

But even then, the possuk doesn’t write that Avrohom circumcised himself, the possuk points out that Avrohom was circumcised. Because Hashem did the circumcision [with him]. 

This level of milah is going to be granted to every Jew when Moshiach comes, as that possuk that Hashem will circumcise our hearts comes immediately after the possuk states that Hashem will bring back the Jewish people from their captivity in exile.

To emphasize this the possuk in our parsha points out, “B’etzem hayom hazah – in the essence of this day, Avrohom was circumcised. And as it is known, the essence of everything will only be revealed whenever Moshiach comes.

So Avrohom refrained from circumcising himself with the aspiration that Hashem will grant him this higher level of circumcision, one that a person cannot attain on their own. And as we see he succeeded, as the possuk attests that he was circumcised by Hashem.

The Alter Rebbe also points out, Moshe Rabbeinu also made a covenant (bris) between the Jewish people and Hashem, that we will always be faithful to the Torah. But the covenant with the Torah is only mentioned three times, while the covenant of the Milah is mentioned thirteen times. This also demonstrates the tremendous level of the Bris Milah that Avrohom wished and succeeded to attain.

Reb Hillel Paritcher summarizes the Alter Rebbe’s explanation as follows Hashem’s name as great as it is, [as it is the holiest of all His names, nevertheless, it is still a name. Chassidus explains that a name is used for someone else to call you, but when the person is alone there is no need for the name. 

Essentially that is saying that any name as lofty as it may be is a revelation of something. However, the purpose of circumcision is to remove the foreskin in its entirety until the member is completely revealed. In other words, its essence is no longer concealed.

Therefore, Milah is much higher than Hashem’s name.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com.