Hasidic Jews flock to pray in southeastern Poland - to pray at the grave of Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum

Radio Poland ^ | 02.22.22 | Darek Delmanowicz

[Cronos]

Some 2,000 Hasidic Jews from across Europe, the United States and elsewhere are expected to arrive in Leżajsk, southeastern Poland, this week to pray at the grave of Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum, one of the founders of a religious movement whose aim was to revive Judaism in the 18th century.

Pilgrims pray in Leżajsk on Tuesday.Photo: PAP/Darek Delmanowicz

A group of more than 1,000 Jews who took part in the prayers on Tuesday have left the site to make room for new groups, the last of which is scheduled to leave Leżajsk by Friday noon, before the start of the Sabbath.

Hasidic Jews believe that a person's soul returns to the place of his or her burial on the anniversary of their death.

This year marks the 235th anniversary of Elimelech’s death. Jews visit his grave in Leżajsk to ask his spirit to help them with important life issues, such as health and prosperity in business and family.

After the prayers, which last up to three hours, participants have a kosher meal consisting of beef, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit.

Elimelech died on March 11, 1787. The anniversary of his death is a movable feast for Jews, who come to Leżajsk on the 21st day of the month of Adar in the Jewish calendar, which falls in the second half of February or the beginning of March.

Before World War II, Leżajsk had a sizeable Jewish population and was among the most important centres of the Hasidic movement in Poland. The tradition of the annual prayers at Elimelech's tomb was revived in the mid-1970s.

(mk/gs)

[Cronos]

[maro]

A strict interpretation of the Old Testament would appear to make this tradition questionable.

[packrat35]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimelech_of_Lizhensk

[Hieronymus]

A strict interpretation of the Old Testament would appear to make this tradition questionable.

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You mean your interpretation of the Old Testament.

Devotion among Jews has generally varied both at any given time as well as through time (the Jewish priests weren’t exactly behaving in a Kosher manner at the time the prophet Samuel was called, and not quite everyone was following a strict interpretation of things when Elijah began).

Praying to and for the dead is documented well enough before Christ. The Sadducees weren’t into it because they didn’t believe in an afterlife. I don’t think you will find anyone making noise about people doing this until some of the protestants decided it was incompatible with their “strict interpretation.” I think a better word would be “novel.”

[jjotto]

There is certainly opposition to the practice among some religious Jews. But it’s also true that honoring the memory of righteous people is considered a mitzvah.

Rebbe Elimelech was the brother of Rebbe Zushya of Anipoli, a great leader in his own right. Both students of the famed Maggid (Preacher) of Mezritch.

[jjotto]

Not just Jews pray at gravesites of famous rabbis:

https://matzav.com/russian-generals-pray-for-peace-at-kevorim-of-chabad-rebbes/