The great Tzaddik of Berdichev, Reb Levi Yitzchak, is renowned as the great defender of Klal Yisrael. In the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur he would walk the streets of his village and find ways to point out Klal Yisrael’s good deeds to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
There lived in his time a Ukrainian Jew who had strayed from the path of Torah. Like so many Jews who were once observant, he was subconsciously guilt-ridden and tried to rationalize his conduct by attacking and scoffing at Yiddishkeit. He would go from town to town and argue with rabbanim and others about ikarei emunah, the foundations of our faith. One day he arrived in Berdichev.
He immediately sought out the great Reb Levi Yitzchak and attempted to draw him into a debate. Reb Levi Yitzchak, however, stopped him and gently said:
“My son, I know that you have argued many times with rabbanim far greater than myself. If they have been unable to convince you, how shall I? I realize and you realize, too, that it is impossible for me to show you direct proof of the basic principles of our faith. On the other hand, you must admit that it is just as impossible for you to bring direct proof for your arguments as well. But ponder for a moment: What if there really is a Judge and judgment? What if there really is reward and punishment? What will you say and answer on that day?”
In this way, through soft and gentle answers, Reb Levi Yitzchak attempted both to refute and bring back to the fold this lost sheep of Israel.
Seventy Years Of Battle
Yet another time, the town of Berdichev was rocked with the news that a 70-year-old Jew had converted. While others bitterly condemned the man, Reb Levi Yitzchak shook his head and exclaimed:
“Come and see how even the lowest in Israel nevertheless possess a spark of holiness. Even this man, who eventually forsook the faith of his fathers, battled his evil inclination for 70 years before giving in.”
Levi Yitzchak’s Enemies
Unbelievable as it may sound, this gentle and merciful man had his enemies. Reb Levi Yitzchak was, of course, a chassid and in those times the battle between extremists elements in both the camp of the chassidim and that of their opponents, the misnagdim, was intense.
Indeed, opposition on the part of the misnagdim was so intense that Reb Levi Yitzchak was forced to leave the city of Pinsk, where he served as rav before coming to Berdichev.
In a way, of course, it was even surprising that he had been accepted as the rav of the Lithuanian city in the first place, but Pinsk had been greatly influenced by the nearby town of Karlin and its rav, Rav Aharon Karliner. He, too, was a chassid, but seeing the saintly qualities that permeated him, even the misnagdim came to love him and admit that there were chassidim of virtue.
An Insult
Despite the influence of Rav Aharon and the wondrous traits of Reb Levi Yitzchak, certain extremist elements in Berdichev made life unbearable for the tzaddik. One day, as he was walking in the street, the wife of one of his opponents threw a pail of water on him and began to berate and insult him.
Instead of responding angrily, Reb Levi Yitzchak raised his eyes to Heaven and said: “O Merciful and Forgiving G-d! Please do not punish this woman for she is truly a righteous and G-d-fearing person. After all, does it not clearly say in Shulchan Aruch (Even Haezer 69) that there is none more worthy among women than the one who does the will of her husband?”