Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717–1787): biography and Noam Elimelech
Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk (אלימלך מליז׳ענסק) was one of the great masters of Hasidism and the author of the Noam Elimelech. He was born around 1717 and died in Leżajsk (Lizhensk in Yiddish) on the 21st of Adar 5547 (March 11, 1787); some sources give 1786 as the year of his death.
Quick facts
| Name | Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum, of Lizhensk |
| Born | Around 1717. The source names Tykocin, relying on a single reference |
| Died | 21 Adar 5547 (March 11, 1787), in Leżajsk |
| Teacher | The Maggid of Mezritch |
| Brother | Rabbi Meshulam Zusha of Anipoli |
| Work | Noam Elimelech |
Family
He first married Sprinza, daughter of Rabbi Aharon Rokeach Margoliot, and after her death Gitel, daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Margoliot. The source says he had five children; the fact sheet names Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Eliezer Lipa, Rabbi Yaakov, Mirish and Esther Etel.
Disciple of the Maggid
He studied with the Maggid of Mezritch, as did his brother Rabbi Zusha. The source contrasts them: Elimelech as an ascetic scholar and Zusha as a charismatic figure who gave the impression of a “naive saint.” One source tells that both accepted three years of exile, wandering and spreading the teachings of their master.
Lizhensk
After the Maggid’s death, in 1772, Hasidism no longer had a single central leader. Elimelech settled in Lizhensk, which became a center from which the movement spread to Galicia and Poland. The source credits him with the beginning of the expansion of Hasidism in Poland, a claim that carries a “citation needed” mark.
His works
- Noam Elimelech: a commentary on the Torah. He did not write it himself: his Shabbat discourses were gathered by his disciples and compiled by his son Elazar, and it was published in Lemberg in 1788, a year after his death. It develops a doctrine of the tzaddik that the source calls “practical tzaddikism.” The printed editions preserve some unexplained stars, which tradition regards as carrying a hidden meaning.
- Tzetel Katan: a short guide of seventeen points of good conduct.
- Hanhagot HaAdam: a list of customs.
Disciples
Among his disciples, the source names the Seer of Lublin, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, the Maggid of Kozhnitz, the Rabbi of Apt and Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Epstein.
His burial
He is buried in Leżajsk, where his grave receives numerous pilgrims, especially on the anniversary of his passing: the source gives some six thousand visitors in 2012. In most Hasidic minyanim, Tachanun is not recited on his yahrtzeit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Noam Elimelech?
A Hasidic commentary on the Torah, published in Lemberg in 1788.
What was his relationship with Rabbi Zusha?
He was his brother; both were disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch.
Where is his grave?
In Leżajsk, in Poland.
Sources
- Elimelech of Lizhensk, reference article (English Wikipedia) and the sources it cites
- Cross-checking of dates and of the edition of the Noam Elimelech: Chabad.org, JewishGen (Lezajsk Yizkor), Sefaria
