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Elimelekh Weisblum of Lizhensk
Rabbi Elimelekh Weisblum of Lizhensk (1717–March 11, 1787), one of the great founding Rebbes of the Ḥasidic movement, was known after his hometown, Leżajsk (Yiddish: ליזשענסק-Lizhensk) near Rzeszów in Poland. He was part of the inner "Chevraya Kadisha" (Holy Society) school of the Maggid Rebbe Dov Ber of Mezeritch (the pre-eminent student of the Baal Shem Tov and founder of the Ḥasidic movement). He became part of the third generation of leadership after the passing of Rebbe Dov Ber in 1772. Their spread to new areas of Eastern Europe led to the movement's rapid expansion. Rebbe Elimelekh authored the classic work Noam Elimelekh. The work developed the Hasidic theory of the Tsaddik into the full doctrine of so-called "Practical/Popular Tsaddikism". This shaped the social role of mystical leadership, characteristic of the "Mainstream Ḥasidic" path. As the founder of Ḥasidism in Poland-Galicia, his influence led to the emergence of numerous other leaders and dynasties out of the ranks of his disciples through the early 19th century. Among them, the Ḥozeh of Lublin, the Maggid of Koznitz, and Menachem Mendel of Rimanov (the three "Fathers of Polish Hasidism") furthered the spread of Tsaddikism in Poland. Because of this, Rebbi Elimelekh is venerated by the "Mainstream" path in Hasidism, especially among the Ḥassidim in Poland who descend from his influence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimelech_of_Lizhenskתפילה קודם התפילה מרבי אלימלך מליזשענסק | Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk’s prayer to be able to pray (interpretive translation by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed on: 24 Jul 2017 by ❧
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his translation of “Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk’s prayer to be able to pray” in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). To the best of my ability, I have set his translation side-by-side with a transcription of the vocalized text of the prayer. Reb Zalman may have made his translation to a slightly different edition of this prayer as indicated in several places. If you can determine which edition of Rabbi Elimelekh’s prayer was translated by Reb Zalman, please contact us or share your knowledge in the comments. . . .
