Week 34 (Book 4a): The Tree of Life

STORY OF CHANNAH: 6. The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up.

PIRKEI AVOT ON THE GREATNESS OF TORAH: And it says (3:18): "She is a tree of life for those who hold fast to her, and happy are those who support her."

ECCLESIASTES: Chapter 3

TZADIKKIM: Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosov and Rabbi David of Zubeltov, sons of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager of Kosov (26^th of Iyar)

Week 34 is the last week of the month of Iyar. The story of Hannah speaks of Hashem as the one who brings life as well as death, which is the ultimate difference between those that are healed by Him and those that are not.  

The quotation of in Pirkei Avot for regarding greatness of the Torah for this week also is about life, describing the Torah as the “Tree of Life.”

Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes begins with the same contrast of life and death:

1. Everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter under the heaven.   

2. A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot that which is planted.         

3. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break and a time to build.

It is very interesting that the third verse draws a contrast between “killing” and “healing.” As mentioned above, healing is ultimately about sparing life itself.

This week also includes two prominent yahrzeits from the Chassidic line of Kosov: Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosov and Rabbi David of Zubeltov, sons of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager of Kosov. The two brothers passed away on the same date, the 25^th of Iyar.

From Ascent:

Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosov (1768 - 25 Iyar 1854) succeeded his father, R. Menachem Mendel, as Rav and Rebbe in Kossov in 1827. He is the author of Toras Chayim. A prominent synagogue in Tsfat is named after him. His son, Menachem Mendel, became the first Rebbe in Vishnitz.

Rabbi David of Zubeltov (1797 - 25 Iyar 1846) was the son of Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kosov and the son-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov. He became a rebbe in his own right at the young age of 29. He was held in great respect for his wisdom, even by the other rebbes of his generation.

Other yahrzeits this week include Rabbi Mordechai Shraga of Husyatin (22^nd of Iyar), Rabbi Shlomo-Eliezer Alfandri (22^nd of Iyar), Rabbi Benyamin Mendelson (24^th of Iyar), Rabbi Yitzchak-Isaac of Homil (26^th of Iyar), Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu of Zvolin ( son of Rabbi Yecheskel of Kuzmir and father of the first Modzhitzer Rebbe, 26^th of Iyar) and Rabbi Shlomo (Shlom'ke) of Zivhil (26^th of Iyar)