Rebbe Meir Segal HaLevi Rottenberg of Apta

Early years

Rav Meir Segal HaLevi Rottenberg of Apta zy"a, known as the Ohr LaShamayim after his sefer, was the son of Rav Shmuel Segal Rottenberg. He was born in Opatów (Apta), Poland, in 5527 (1767). His life was one of almost constant hardship and poverty, yet one of total devotion to Hashem.

He was orphaned of his father as a child and was raised by his mother. It is told that one early morning, before daylight, he felt his mother gently waking him to rise for davening and learning. Seeing that it was much earlier than usual, he turned over to sleep a little longer, but a few minutes later he felt the same nudge again. This time he rose, and found his mother still fast asleep. He understood that Heaven itself had woken him to serve his Master, and from that day he decided to devote his entire existence to avodas Hashem.

He learned under Rav Yitzchok Avrohom Katz, the Av Beis Din of Pintshuv and author of Kesser Kehunah.

Torah and leadership

Rav Meir became Rav of Stavnitz while still young, and afterwards took the rabbinate of Apta. He settled there once the Ohev Yisroel had left the town for Mezhibuz.

His older brother, Rav Mordechai of Stavnitz, drew him to the study of Chassidus. He began to frequent the beis medrash of the Chozeh of Lublin, learning from him the ways of Torah and avodah. The Chozeh said of him, “He is a Levi who can be traced back to Levi ben Yaakov.” When the Chozeh honored Rav Meir and his brother to lead the zemiros on Shabbos, he said that they sang just like the Leviim in the Beis Hamikdash.

After the Chozeh’s passing, many of his talmidim flocked to Rav Meir, and he became the Chozeh’s chief successor.

Rav Meir held firmly to the path he had received and introduced few new directions. He did not accept the teachings introduced by the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa and his school. He gave great weight to the central role of the tzaddik, and stressed piety, reverence, quiet and unostentatious performance of mitzvos, and close unity among chassidim, which he regarded as the most important elements of Chassidus.

Teachings and seforim

Rav Meir’s teachings appear in his sefer Ohr LaShamayim, which was published in 1850 and from which he took the name by which he is known.

Later years and passing

Rav Meir passed away on 25 Tammuz 5591 (1831) in Apta. He was succeeded by his son, Rav Pinchas, who passed away in 1837. Rav Pinchas’s son, Rav Yitzchok Menachem of Volbrom, headed a large chassidic following, and he was succeeded by his own son, Rav Alter Meir Dovid, who passed away in 1911.

Legacy

The 25th of Tammuz is the yahrzeit of the Ohr LaShamayim. He asked that on the day of his yahrzeit one light a candle and give tzedakah on his behalf, mentioning his name, Reb Meir ben Reb Shmuel HaLevi.

The Krula Rebbe adds, in the name of the Tiferes Shlomo, Rav Shlomo of Radomsk, that it is praiseworthy to say the special tefillah for parnassah that the Ohr LaShamayim composed. The Tiferes Shlomo himself was accustomed to say it every evening and morning, and described it as a wondrous segulah for parnassah and success.