Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch of Ziditchov (Zydaczów) was born in 5563 (1803) to Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac of Safrin in Galicia, a descendant of the author of Tosafot Yom Tov, and brother to the great Chasidic masters Rebbe Moshe of Sambor and Rebbe Alexander Sender of Komarno. He married Rachel Perl from the village of Rudka and was renowned as great in Torah, both revealed and hidden, completing the entire Talmud seven times each year. His primary approach centered on disseminating Kabbalistic teachings combined with Chasidic doctrine. He published his work Ateret Tzvi as a commentary on the Zohar and the book Sur MeRa VeAseh Tov to encourage the study of Kabbalah. Despite opposition from some great Chasidic leaders, he distributed the Zohar and the writings of the Arizal in thousands of copies throughout all the study halls of Eastern Europe, and instituted among his chasidim the custom of wearing white garments on Shabbat, following the practice of the Arizal. So great was his influence and renown that when Galician Jews spoke of ‘the Rebbe,’ they meant the author of Ateret Tzvi. He was also known by the title of the ‘Prince of the House of the Zohar’ due to his vast knowledge and extensive engagement with the holy Zohar. In 5581 (1821), he was saved from death when his brother, Rebbe Yom Tov Lipa of Sambor, donated years of his own life. He died of cholera on the 11th of Tammuz 5591 (1831), and his legacy continued through the Chasidic dynasty he established.
Once, two emissaries from the Land of Israel came to Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch of Ziditchov. The custom was that every emissary who traveled abroad would take something from the Land of Israel with him. The tzaddik asked them: “What have you brought?” They answered that they had brought two stones from the grave of the Rashbi, the holy Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
The Ateret Tzvi of Ziditchov was greatly moved and requested the stones. They told him that they had taken them with them as a segulah for protection on their journey and needed them. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch said to them: “I will give you something equivalent to the stones you took from Rashbi’s grave.” That entire night he sat and wrote a commentary on the Idra (one of the most difficult sections of the holy Zohar authored by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and discussing the deepest mysteries of Kabbalah). Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch’s nephew, Rabbi Isaac of Ziditchov saw that he concluded the writing: “Please send us word if I have indeed provided a true explanation. Your student, Tzvi son of Hinda.” He gave what he wrote to the emissaries and told them: “When you reach Meron, place these writings on the grave of Rashbi and you will see a sign.” It is traditionally known that when the students reached the Rashbi’s grave in Meron and placed the writing on the tomb, a hand of fire emerged and took the writing.
Once, on Lag BaOmer, Rashbi’s traditional day of passing, Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch sat with his students and spoke in praise of Rashbi. Among other things, he said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai has the same numerical value as “Yedid Nefesh Av HaRachman” (Beloved of the soul, merciful father). There was one chasid present who quickly calculated and found that the gematria was not precise: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי) equals 765, while “Yedid Nefesh Av HaRachman” (יְדִיד נֶפֶשׁ אָב הָרַחֲמָן) equals 764, one less.
But before he could say anything, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch turned to him: “You are surely a Torah scholar, and you must know that in most instances in the Talmud, Rashbi’s name is written without an alef in Yochai (יוֹחַי)! According to this detail, the gematria is precise.”
Since Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch is a student of Rashbi, there is certainly great depth in the wondrous gematria he innovated. What is the connection between these two phrases, Rashbi’s name and, “Beloved of the soul, merciful father?”
Let us begin with an explanation according to Kabbalah, as befits Rashbi and Rebbe Tzvi, the Prince of the House of the Zohar. The source of the expression “beloved of the soul, merciful father” is from the liturgical poem sung before the Minchah service of Friday, just before Shabbat, known for its two first words, Yedid Nefesh (some sing it also during Shabbat). This poem was authored by Rabbi Elazar Azkari and appears at the end of his work, Sefer Chareidim. The acrostic formed out of the first letters of the stanzas is God’s essential four-letter Name, Havayah, thus the first stanza beginning the letter yud in “Yedid nefesh” corresponds to the letter yud in God’s Name Havayah and to the sefirah of wisdom. Although Kabbalah associates the Book of the Zohar with the sefirah of understanding (binah), and more specifically with the aspect of understanding known as “the radiance of the supernal mother” (זִיהָרָא דְּאִימָא עִלָּאָה), Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is associated with the intellectual aspect of wisdom, or the intellect of the Father Principle (mochin deAbba) and thus with the yud of Havayah. Shabbat, when this poem is sung or recited, is also associated with wisdom. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s associated with wisdom is hinted to in the Zohar’s relatively well-known comment: “Who is ‘the face of the Master Havayah?’ This is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai” (Zohar 2:38a). The sefirah of wisdom includes the entire Name Havayah, as in the verse, “Havayah is in wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19) and Rashbi is considered the aspect of wisdom known as, “the face of the Master Havayah.”
The Compassion of Rashbi
There is additional depth to this gematria. If we calculate the value of the words in the expression, excluding the word “merciful” (רַחְמָן), we discover that the value of, “Beloved of the soul father the” (יְדִיד נֶפֶשׁ אָב הָ) is “Shimon” (שִׁמְעוֹן), and thus the entire phrase is equivalent to saying “Shimon is merciful” (שִׁמְעוֹן רַחְמָן). This is particularly surprising, considering that the name Shimon is a name of severity and judgment. Yet, we find that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who led the generation that followed the terrible war against the Jewish people and the self-sacrifice required by his teacher, Rabbi Akiva and his generation, bases his bond with his own disciples and with his entire generation on love and endearment. As he said, “We depend on endearment” (Zohar 3:128a), meaning that our survival and our success depend only on love and the connection between our souls.
Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Rashbi was told that, “by means of your composition [i.e., the Zohar] they [the Jewish people] will emerge from exile through compassion” (Ibid. 3:124b). Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s teachings and approach as handed down to us through the Zohar, arouse God's compassion. Divine service that is based on loving-kindness and endearment between souls and between man and God awakens the revelation of God as the “Beloved of the soul” and as “a merciful Father” who wants to redeem us with compassion.
Though the “Beloved of the soul” is God, the compassion that pours out is also that of Rashbi himself. The Sages state[1] that God is called “your friend and your father’s friend.”[2] He is not only a Father or King to whom I relate in awe, but also the beloved of my soul. All these aspects of God are revealed by Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, through the friendship and love he spreads among his followers and throughout the entire Jewish people.
[1]. Sifrei, Beha’alotcha 78. Shemot Rabbah 27:1. Rashi on Shabbat 31a, s.v. De’alach sani.
[2]. Proverbs 27:10.
