רב משולם זוסיא מאניפאלי ב״ר אליעזר
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Today, 2 Shevat, marks the 223rd Yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Reb Zusha of Anipoli.
Reb Zusha of Anipoli and his renowned brother Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk became prominent disciples of the holy Maggid of Mezhritch; members of his inner circle of students, known as the “Chevraya Kadisha”; together with several other great tzaddikim, who eventually became great Hassidic leaders in their own right.
Aside from being known for his deep emotional approach towards prayer and his great piety, Reb Zusha conducted himself with an extreme measure of humility and self-abnegation; to the degree that the unknowing might have considered improper.
Reb Zusha never referred to himself as “Ich,” the Yiddish word for “I.” Since the Torah repeatedly refers to Hashem in the First Person (אנכי/אני ה׳ אלקיכם), he felt that to refer to himself in the first person would be tantamount to a denial of Hashem’s Sovereignty as The Ultimate Being!!
Rather, he would say “Zusha Fahrshteit Nisht” - “Zusha doesn’t understand” or “Zusha feels badly”, etc.
Once, while walking, he stopped and began to speak to the dirt beneath his feet:
“Ert!! Tayreh ert!! (Dirt! Precious dirt!!) You are greater than Zusha!! So why is Zusha walking upon you?!? Ahhh, ert, daageh nisht, don’t worry - right now Zusha is walking upon you, but very soon you will be on top of Zusha!!”
One can’t help but feel energized by Reb Zusha’s simplistic yet motivational teachings.
He expounded that the word תשובה, (inadequately translated as “return” or “repentance,”) is an acronym/mnemonic for five rudimentary elements in the service of Hashem:
ת - ״תמים תהיה עם ה׳ אלקיך״
ש - ״שויתי ה׳ לנגדי תמיד״
T: Tamim - "Be sincere (תמים) with the Eternal, your G‑d."
Sh: Shivisi - "I have set (שויתי) G‑d before me always."
U: Ve’ahavta - "Love (ואהבת) your fellow as yourself."
V: Bechol - "In all (בכל) your ways, know Him."
H: Hatzne’ah - "Walk discreetly (הצנע) with your G‑d.
What’s so vital about this mnemonic is that it incorporates the most fundamental and basic tenants of עבודת ה׳:
Of course, far more than any one thing he said, Reb Zusha’s teachings were taught in the most effective way possible: through the means of personal example!!
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