Week 38 (Book 4): Strength and Long Life

STORY OF CHANNAH: 10. Those who strive with the Lord will be broken; Upon him will He thunder in Heaven; The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. And He will grant strength to His King, And raise the horn of His anointed one.      

PIRKEI AVOT ON THE GREATNESS OF TORAH: And it says (3:16): "Long days in her right hand; in her left, wealth and honor."

ECCLESIASTES:  Chapter 7

TZADIKKIM: Rebbe Yisrael Dan of Modzitz (20th of Sivan), Rebbe Shlomo Shapira of Munkatch (21st of Sivan) and Rabbi Mordechai-Tzemach Eliyahu.  

Week 38 is the last week of Sivan. In the verse from the story of Channah, she sings of how those that strive with Hashem are broken to pieces. The verse speaks of judgement, but also of how Hashem exalts and gives strength to the king of Israel.

The quotation in Pirkei Avot regarding the greatness of the Torah for this week also speaks of how the Torah exalting those that are close to it. It gives long days, wealth and honor.

Chapter 7 of Ecclesiastes speaks of the exaltation and length of days brought by wisdom:

17. Be not overly wicked, and be not a fool; why should you die before your time?

18. It is good that you should take hold of this, and also from this you shall not withdraw your hand, for he who fears God will discharge himself of them all.

19. Wisdom affords strength to the wise more than ten rulers who were in the city.

This week includes the yahrzeits of Rebbe Yisrael Dan of Modzitz (20^th of Sivan), Rebbe Shlomo Shapira of Munkatch (21^st of Sivan) and Rabbi Mordechai-Tzemach Eliyahu (25^th of  Sivan 2010).

From Modzitz.org:

Reb Israel Dan was born in the year 5688 (1928) in the city of Warsaw capital of Poland. In the year 5696 (1936) as a child of 7 Made Aliya to Eretz Yisrael with his parents. In 5710 he married Rachel, the daughter of HaRav Shmuel Aharon Shadrovitzki zt'l, from Byalistok a great talmud chacham and Yiras Shamaim who was among the heads of Agudas Yisrael in Poland as well as Sgan Yoshev Rosh of the Agudah in Eretz Yisroel.

He was chosen to replace Maran H'Imrei Aish zt'l upon his passing.

His deep knowledge of the Torah became evident by many when he became the Admor upon the death of his father. When at his Tishim they would hear many beautiful Divre Torah that were pleasant to the ear.

For a number of years he headed the Chasidim in the city of Tel-Aviv where his father had lived. On Lag Ba'omer 5755 (May 18, 1995) he moved to a new building that was built by the Chasidim, in Bnei Brak.

Like his fathers he also composes Nigunnim and many of them have are already sung regularly in the houses of Israel.

The Rebbe [was] very active in the public interest, and [was] a member of The Moetzet G'Dolei Hatorah where his opinions [were] looked up to and very well received.

Adapted from Geni.org:

Rabbi Shlomo Shapira, author of “Shem Shlomoh” was the first Rebbe of Chassidut Munkach. He was the son of Rabbi Elazar Shapira and the grandson of Rabbi Zvi Elimelech Shapira of Dynow, the “Bnei Yissachar.” He was also the rabbi of the town of Munkatch. His biography is written down in a work by David Kahane entitled “Beit Shlomoh.”

From Ascent.org:

Rabbi Mordechai-Tzemach (ben Suliman) Eliyahu (1929-25 Sivan 2010), the former Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, was born in Iraq. A noted sage in all areas of Torah study, as well as a significant kabbalist, he was considered to be one of the leading authorities on Jewish law in Israel. His son, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, is currently the Chief Rabbi of Tsfat.