17 Shevat – Reb Yechezkel of Kuzhmir1 min read

17 Shevat is the yahrzeit of Reb Yechezkel (ben Tzvi Hirsch) Taub of Kuzhmir zy”a, a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. The first Modzitzer Rebbe was his grandson.

There are numerous beautiful heartwarming stories involving Reb Yechezkel, many of which highlight his great dedication towards the honor of Shabbos.

Nusach Sefard recites Ha’Aderes V’ha’Emuna, which are praises of the Malachim, on Shabbos and Yom Tov before Baruch She’Amar (Nusach Ashkenaz says this only once a year, in the Chazan’s repetition of Shemoneh Esrei during Shacharis of Yom Kippur). 

In this piyyut, we say הצבי והצדק לחי עולמים.

The letters of הצבי are the initials of יחזקאל בן צבי הירש.

The last letters of הצבי והצדק are the initials of יחזקאל קוזמירער. 

The stanza continues, לחי which can be seen as a direction to add חי, the value of 18, to the words הצבי והצדק, which then totals the numerical value of Reb Yechezkel’s passing, י“ז ב‘שבט. 

The words לחי עולמים hint that on this day, the tzaddik ascended to the eternal world.

The first letters of הצבי והצדק לחי עולמים spell the word עולה, which means “ascending”. 

The holy Kuzhmirer passed away between Beshalach and Yisro in the year תרט״ז, which is equal in gematriya to יתרו, the parsha that contains the Aseres Hadibros. The Gemara (Bava Kama 55a) teaches that the first luchos did not contain the letter ט, which represents טוב, so that the concept of “good” would not be destroyed. Reb Yechezkel’s last name, טויב, may be seen as an allusion to his passing in the week of Yisro. He also passed away on the 17^th day of the month, the numerical value of טוב.

The tzaddik’s last name, טויב, is equal to 27, and Seforim teach that 27 times Hashem’s essential Name, יקוק, is equal to the gematriya of שבת (Bas Ayin, Yisro; Bnei Yisaschar, Shabbos 1).

Zechuso Yagein Aleinu!