LIVED
1730–1797
229th yahrtzeit
11 Cheshvan
BURIED
Chernobyl, Ukraine
Rav Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, also known as the “Meor Einayim” after the sefer he wrote, was the first Rebbe of the famous Chernobyl dynasty of Rebbes. He was among the younger talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov and later became a talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch. The ideas he teaches in the Meor Einayim have become central ideas amongst all chassidim and his style of writing is known as unique and powerful. Rav Menachem Nachum was also famous for collecting money to redeem Yidden who had been thrown into prison by antisemitic leaders, for no good reason, just because they were Yidden.
Rav Menachem Nachum would often travel to faraway towns where the Yidden knew very little about Yiddishkeit, in order to teach them the basics, and inspire them with a fiery desire for more. He once heard about a distant town situated high in the mountains, where many very simple Yidden lived. The journey would be very difficult, but he was determined to go, and with great effort, he made his way up the mountain and arrived in the simple town.
When he arrived, he asked for directions to the mikvah. The locals were embarrassed, but had to admit that there was no mikvah in the entire town! They explained that because they lived high in the mountains, building a mikvah would be extremely expensive. It would cost 300 gold coins, and the townspeople simply could not afford it. The Rebbe was horrified that a Jewish town did not have a mikvah.
He asked his host to tell every member of the community to gather in shul for Shacharis the next day. Everyone had to be there, without exception! Although these Yidden had never heard of the Rav Menachem Nachum or his sefer, they knew he was a tzaddik, and they had strong emunas chachamim. Therefore, as requested, they all showed up. After Shacharis, Rav Menachem Nachum stood at the bimah and, to everyone’s surprise, began speaking about his own greatness. For some time, he described what a great tzaddik he was. The townspeople were completely puzzled by this behavior.
Rav Menachem Nachum then announced, “I am ready to sell all the reward that I will get for these great deeds for cash.” The room became silent. From the back, a voice called out, “One hundred gold coins!” The offer came from the wealthiest man in town (although even he was far from wealthy). “No,” said Rav Menachem Nachum, “I won’t take less than three hundred gold coins!” “But that is all of my savings!” the wealthy man exclaimed. “Well,” replied the Rebbe, “this is all of my ruchniyus savings as well.”
In the end, the Yid agreed to the deal, and with the money, Rav Menachem Nachum built a mikvah for the town. Tzaddikim later said that through this incredible mesirus nefesh, Rav Menachem Nachum earned a whole new olam haba which was greater than everything he had earned until then.
I WANNA BE LIKE …
The Meor Einayim
The Meor Einayim was willing to give up even all of his reward to help Yidden. What can we give to help another Yid?
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 102.