Likewise, the Bas Ayin considered himself a talmid of Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov, mechaber of Kedushas Levi. He describes Rav Levi Yitzchok’s stature and honors him with many titles and accolades, as he cites some of his Torah discourses numerous times throughout the sefer Bas Ayin. People described the Bas Ayin’s ways of davening as similar to the fiery manner of the Berditchever Rav’s tefillos, and it is said that the entire area shook and rocked when he davened.
The Bas Ayin also enjoyed a close, warm relationship with the Rebbe Rav Zusha of Anipoli; the holy Rebbe of Ruzhin; the holy Tzaddik the Apta Rav, mechaber of Ohev Yisrael; Rav Moshe Chaim Efraim of Sudilkov, mechaber of Degel Machaneh Efraim and grandson of the Ba’al Shem Tov; and with Rav Aharon of Zhitomir. Rav Avrohom Dov would travel to and spend time with them and he cites their Divrei Torah in his sefer Bas Ayin.
Departure for Eretz Yisrael
In his later years, Rav Avrohom Dov made the decision to fulfill his heart’s desire and move to the Holy Land. In preparation for this move, he began to take leave of many of the great Tzaddikim and leaders of the generation. He met with these mentors, colleagues and friends to receive their approval, their blessings and good wishes. Of course, at the top of the list was the Czernobyler Maggid, and he received the Rebbe’s approval and berocha.
Rav Avrohom Dov took his leave from his Chassidim and followers as well, as described in the introduction to his sefer Bas Ayin composed by his nephew:
One of the Chassidim approached my uncle before his departure to Eretz Yisrael and asked him, “Whom should we draw close to from now on? To whom do we go from now on as our Rebbe?”
My uncle, the Rebbe, answered them, “It says in the Torah uvo sidbak –you should attach yourselves to Hashem. Chazal ask how we can attach ourselves to Hashem. They answer that we should attach ourselves to His attributes and emulate them. Just as He is merciful and kind, so should you be merciful and kind.
“This teaches us that to emulate the ways and character of another is to be truly attached to that person.
“I have been careful with myself and my middos – character traits – since the days of my youth until this very day. So too you should see to it to emulate and copy my attributes and character. This will be like you are truly connected with me face to face.
“These are the three attributes that I have been carefully safeguarding against my entire life: loshon hora – slander, sheker – lies and falsehood, gasus ruach – arrogance and vanity. Therefore see to it that you also accustom yourselves to safeguard and attach yourself to my middos and then you too will be attached to me and connected with me truly, face to face.”
His sefer contains discourses that discuss the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael and her inhabitants and citizens. Even the title of his sefer – Bas Ayin – reflects this, his desire of many long years, because although most of the discourses themselves were taught in Chutz Lo’oretz (the Diaspora), he still named the work Bas Ayin “because I instilled into these writings the kedusha and sanctity of Eretz Yisrael on which G-d’s eyes gaze always.” (Bas Ayin means the pupil of the eye and refers to the equivalent saying in English about something precious: the apple of my eye. Since Hashem’s eyes are always on Eretz Yisrael, He calls it Bas Ayin – the apple of His eye.)
When Rav Avrohom Dov finally did arrive, his joy was boundless. Although he was busy with his spiritual and physical duties caring for the citizens of Tzefas, his heart dwelled on his primary focus – the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael.
Rav Avrohom Dov called his attendant, Reb Zalman, and instructed him to pen the following letter to Rav Mordechai of Czernobyl. This is what he wrote:
The first three years after my arrival here in Eretz Yisrael I didn’t really feel anything different and I even regretted my decision to come and settle here. These three years were to me like the three years of Orla, when a tree’s first fruits are forbidden by Torah law. Today, however, when I recited the kedushas kesser during Mussaf, I finally felt that spiritual feeling I have been missing and I now regret all those years that I did not arrive and settle here sooner!
