Noach Yafeh of Lechovitch
The second Rebbe of Lechovitch, who led a growing Chassidus and championed tzedakah for Eretz Yisroel; his teachings are collected in Toras Avos.
Biography
Early years
Rav Noach of Lechovitch zy"a, the second Rebbe of Lechovitch, was the son of the founder of the dynasty, Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch. He was born in 5534 (1774) and became a talmid of Rav Baruch of Mezibuzh.
Torah and leadership
When his father passed away in 5570, the chassidim unanimously agreed that Rav Noach should take his place as Rebbe, even though he was only thirty-six years old.
Rav Noach himself felt that his father's talmid, Rav Michel of Bichov, should be the next leader. "The Torah begins with Bereishis," he said, "and Rav Michel is that Bereishis: the head, the first and foremost of my father's talmidim." The chassidim who came to crown Rav Noach would not accept this. Rav Michel himself answered, "Many chumashim are torn and missing pages. The beginning is gone, and so they begin with Noach."
Rav Noach was very successful as Rebbe. The Chassidus grew, and his followers supported him all across Polesia.
He also succeeded his father as nasi (head) of the Eretz Yisroel fund, raising tzedakah to support the yishuv in the Holy Land. After the rift between Rav Avrohom Kalisker and Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Rav Avrohom had appointed Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch to oversee these funds as nasi, and the role now passed to Rav Noach as his son and successor. He wrote to his chassidim urging them to strengthen this fund, which his father had worked so hard to build.
Teachings and seforim
Rav Noach did not write any seforim. His teachings were repeated orally and recorded, scattered through the seforim of his physical and spiritual descendants in the dynasties of Lechovitch, Koidanov, Kobrin and Slonim. They were later gathered and published by Rav Sholom Noach Brozovski of Slonim, the Nesivos Sholom, in a volume called Toras Avos.
Later years and passing
Rav Noach had no sons. After his passing, most of the chassidim went to Rav Moshe of Kobrin. A few remained with Rav Mordechai, Rav Noach's son-in-law, and another group followed Rav Shlomo Chaim of Koidanov, a grandson of Rav Mordechai of Lechovitch.
Rav Noach passed away in Tishrei 5593.
Stories
The Brokenhearted Sinner
Once, when Rav Noach was together with his father's talmid, Rav Michel, someone asked a question. Who is better: a man who actually sins but is brokenhearted inside over his misdeeds, knowing how low he has fallen, or a man who does not actually sin, but whose mind is full of bad thoughts while he considers himself a tzaddik?
They discussed the question and agreed that the brokenhearted sinner is preferable. In the end he will decide to do teshuvah, while the one who fools himself never will.
The Harvest of the Heart
Someone once asked Rav Noach, "Tefillah is how we praise the King for all the great things He does, or ask Him to fill our needs. Why does the Gemara call it avodah, a service, of the heart?"
Rav Noach answered, "The heart is like a field. Only after a field has been worked well can one plant in it and look forward to a good harvest. Before it is worked, it does not deserve to be called a field; it is just a desolate plot of land. The heart is the same. Tefillah works the heart through and through, and gives us the ability to connect to Hashem and to feel the way a Yid should."
Teachings
The Mission of the Baal Shem Tov
Rav Noach taught that the Baal Shem Tov came down to this world to replace depression, sadness and empty frivolity by planting the roots of sincere humility and true simchah in the hearts of Bnei Yisroel.
Toras Avos #11
Tzedakah for Eretz Yisroel
In a letter to his chassidim, Rav Noach wrote: "Even one without a penny to his name should make this tzedakah a priority, even before kiddush on Shabbos. We heard much from my father about the hidden secrets of Torah contained in this mitzvah. We also heard from my master Rav Shlomo HaLevi of Karlin and the holy master Rav Baruch of Mezibuzh how important this great mitzvah is. They made it their practice to support the tzedakah of Eretz Yisroel, so that the poor of the Holy Land would have their needs well provided for, especially the holy chevrah kadishah of the kollel. Therefore, my beloved friends and brothers, do not neglect this mitzvah; treat it as my father did, like the apple of his eye. No one should reduce the established donations. I have heard some murmuring among you that this may have mattered in the past, when the poor were of loftier stature, but that in this generation they are less worthy of our support. Such words are nothing but hot air. We too have descended and are no longer on the level we once were. Therefore, my brothers and friends, please have mercy on your own bodies and souls and strengthen yourselves in this mitzvah, for it includes several other mitzvos: tzedakah, supporting talmidei chachamim, and the love of Eretz Yisroel."
Letter to his chassidim
Seforim
- Toras Avos: His oral teachings, gathered from the seforim of Lechovitch, Koidanov, Kobrin and Slonim and published by Rav Sholom Noach Brozovski of Slonim, the Nesivos Sholom.
Family & talmidim
Teachers: Rav Baruch of Mezibuzh, Rav Shlomo HaLevi of Karlin
Children: A daughter, wife of Rav Mordechai (his son-in-law)
Also on 7 Tishrei
All hilulos on 7 Tishrei ›Historical sources
- Toras Avos