Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz: The Choizeh of Lublin

Seeing All the Way to Safed

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak HaLevi Horovitz, known as the Choizeh, or the Seer of Lublin, was born in Poland in 5505 (1745). He was the disciple of the holy Rebbe Shmuel Shmelkeh of Nikolsburg (Mikulov) and the holy Maggid of Mezritch. After they passed away, he became the primary disciple of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk (LeŹajsk). He established his chasidic court in the large city of Lublin and the masses flocked to learn Torah from him. The Choizeh was known as a holy genius who had the gift of special spiritual sight. It is told that he received this gift from his Rebbe, Rebbe Elimelech. The Choizeh was deeply engaged in efforts to bring the redemption. He sent his senior students to spread the teachings of Chasidut throughout Poland and Galicia. Among those students were “The Holy Jew” of Parshischa, Rebbe Uri “the Saraf” of Sterlisk, Rebbe Naftali of Ropschitz and many more. On Simchat Torah 5575 (1814) the Choizeh fell from the window of his home under wondrous and mysterious circumstances while he was engaging in spiritual endeavors to bring the redemption. He was severely injured and bedridden for close to a year and passed away on the ninth of Av, 5575 (1815). He was laid to rest in Lublin.

Rabbi Yom Tov Lipman Heller, the father of Rabbi Shmuel Heller of Safed, was closely associated with the Seer of Lublin. The father, son, and grandfather were all esteemed chasidim and rabbis in the Holy Land, and from time to time, they would travel back to Europe to visit the courts of the tzaddikim, especially in Lublin.

On one of these journeys, Rabbi Yom Tov Lipman stayed in Lublin for an extended period. During this time, he did not receive any letters from his family in the Holy Land, and he became very worried. One day, the Choizeh called him, seated him on a chair beside him, and spoke to him as if seeing a vivid vision: “Right now, your wife is leaving the market with a basket of vegetables. In her basket, she has such and such a number of onions and such and such a number of cucumbers, and she is walking home from the market. Your daughter is sitting by the table and drinking a cup of coffee.” The Choizeh continued to describe what each family member in Safed was doing while he was sitting in distant Lublin. Then the Choizeh said to him, “I am revealing this to you not only to reassure you about the well-being of your household, but also so you know: even when you are at home, I see everything you do, and I am watching you wherever you are.”

It is interesting to note that the tzaddik does not suffice with merely seeing but wants his chasid to be aware that he is being observed. This awareness instills a fear of Heaven, as highlighted by a central line in the Tanya, which the Lubavitcher Rebbe chose to include in the “Twelve Pesukim”: “And behold, God stands over him, and the whole earth is full of His glory, and He looks upon him and examines his kidneys and heart to see if he serves Him as is fitting.” A person connected to a tzaddik must know that his teacher is, in this respect, similar to the Almighty, and there is even a reason to fear that he might be less patient than the Master of the Universe... Moreover, because the tzaddik is a flesh-and-blood figure visible to our eyes, we clearly feel that God is also a very real being Who is always watching us.