Rabbi Dovid Halevi Segal zt"l
Rabbi of Potelych, Poznan, Ostroh, Lemberg
Author: Turei Zahav (Taz), Divrei Dovid
26 Shevat 5427
There was an elderly Jew that lived in Lemberg. He would spend many hours recting Tehillim with great concentration. Every night he would come to the Shul around midnight and would recite Tikun Chatzos (mourning for the Beis Hamikdash) and then say Tehillim.
One night he arrived late and the Shamash had already locked up the Shul as no one was there. The man was devastated. He stood outside not knowing what to do. He decided to do his best and he stood by the entrance to the Shul and started saying Tehillim with his full concentration using the moonlight to read.
During the night he suddenly saw a person who looked a great Tzaddik and the man asked him if he knows where Rabbi Dovid from the new Kloiz (Shul) lives? The man explained to him the directions.
A few minutes later another saintly person asked him if he knows where Rabbi Dovid from the new Kloiz lives? The man explained the man where to go. Then the elderly man started wondering who those people were. He regretted not having asked them. He decided that if anyone else comes he will ask them who they are.
Shortly after another man came limping and asked where the Taz lives. This time the elderly man replied that he isn’t telling him anything until he discloses his identity and the identity of the other people he saw before.
The man replied, “The first person you saw was Eliyahu Hanavi, the second one was the prophet Elisha and I am Gechazi the attendant of Elisha. Since I took the clothing and money from Naaman when he came to Elisha to be healed from his Tzaraas without permission from Elisha I caused a Chillul Hashem and I was punished. But now an order was given in Heaven that Eliyahu Hanavi, Elisha and I should all meet at the home of Rabbi Dovid to rectify my soul. Since Rabbi Dovid, although he is still alive, is a member of the Heavenly Court and therefore he can rectify my soul. And in the merit of you saying Tehillim with such emotion and concentration, it was decided that you merit to see Eliyahu Hanavi and Elisha to ask you where the Taz lives.”
Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Aurbach was giving Shiur in Yeshiva and he quoted a Taz that needed clarification. There was a boy who came up with some answer, but Rav Shlomo Zalman felt that there was some tone of disrespect in the boy’s voice towards the Taz.
Rav Shlomo Zalman said to the boy, “before you tell me your answer I would like to tell you two stories about the greatness of the Taz.”
The first story, In the Taz’s older age his Tallis was very worn out and some members of the community wanted to buy him a new Tallis. But the Taz refused. He explained that the custom is that one puts a Tallis on a person that dies for burial. The Taz said that he would like that this Tallis should be used to cover him for burial as this Tallis can be a witness that he never uttered, not even a single word of prayer without concentration.
The second story, The Taz was the son in law of Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, The Bach. The Bach had undertaken to provide his son in law with a meaty dinner every day as support for his son in law.
One day the Taz was given a dish with the lungs of an animal instead of regular meat. The next day the Taz summoned his father in law to a Din Torah by the local Beis Din. The Dayanim paskened (decided) that lungs is considered meat and the Taz has no claim against his father in law.
The Taz later explained the reason for his behaivior. “I have a very sensitive stomach (Istenis) and when I ate the lungs that day I felt a certain weakness and couldn’t learn properly. This caused an uproar in Heaven against my father in law the Bach. So I summoned him to Beis Din hoping the Dayanim would rule like they did, that the lungs is also meat and the reason for the weakness is my fault because I am over sensitive and take away anything against my father in law.”
When finishing the stories Rav Shlomo Zalman turned to his young Talmid (student) and said, “now that you have a glimpse in to the greatness of the Taz you can say your anwer.”
The Taz was particular to always say Kiddush every Shabbos from a Siddur and not by heart. The Taz explained the reason for his behavior. “Klal Yisrael are descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov and are used to inviting guests into their home. It may happen that I have a guest who isn’t learned and doesn’t know Kiddush by heart and if he sees me saying Kiddush by heart he may feel embarrassed. Therefore I always say Kiddush from a Siddur to avoid such a scenario.”
