Table of Contents
đź“… Today in Jewish History
đź“… The First Descent of the Manna
According to the tradition transmitted in the name of the Vilna Gaon (the Gra), based on Seder Olam and the verses in Shemot Rabbah 25:14–16, the first descent of the manna occurred on Shabbat, counting from the very day of the fifteenth of Iyar. This calculation is discussed in the Jerusalem Talmud (Beitzah 2:1) and in Devarim Rabbah 3:1, where it is apparent that the manna began descending immediately upon Israel’s arrival at the Wilderness of Sin.
On that very occasion, the incident of Datan and Aviram occurred. They deliberately went out to mock Moshe Rabbeinu and sought to discredit him publicly when the manna did not fall on Shabbat, as discussed in Parashat Beshalach. This episode underscores the tension between faith and doubt at the earliest stage of Israel’s miraculous sustenance.
From here emerged the well‑known custom discussed under Parashat Beshalach (Shabbat Shirah) regarding the placing of food for birds. While great care must be taken to avoid prohibited acts on Shabbat, several authorities discuss limited permissibilities when done appropriately and at the correct time, emphasizing that “everything has its proper moment.”
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🏜️ Israel’s Camp at Alush and the Journey from Sinai
In the second year after the Exodus, the Torah records:
“On the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud lifted from the Mishkan of the Testimony” (Bamidbar 10). Only then did Israel finally journey onward, leaving Mount Sinai after having camped there since Rosh Chodesh Sivan of the previous year.
📅 Today’s Yahrzeits
🕯️ Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl (the Maggid of Chernobyl)
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👤Their Background[1]
🕯️ Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl (the Maggid of Chernobyl)
Born: c. 1770, Chernobyl
Passed away: 20 Iyar 5597 (1837)
Buried: Anatevka (Ignatovka), near Kyiv
Rabbi Mordechai ben Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky, known throughout the generations as the Maggid of Chernobyl, was one of the towering figures of early Chassidism and the principal architect of what became the vast Chernobyl dynasty. He was the son and spiritual heir of Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, author of Me’or Einayim, a leading disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch.
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Leadership and legacy
Upon his father’s passing in 1798, Rabbi Mordechai assumed leadership of the Chassidic community of Chernobyl. Unlike his father, who lived in poverty, Rabbi Mordechai conducted his court with outward nobility and material means. Chassidic sources explain that this was intentional: he believed that sanctity could—and must—be revealed even within wealth, elevating it for holy purposes.
He served as maggid meisharim (ethical preacher) in many towns, drawing vast crowds. His influence spread quickly, and within his lifetime he became regarded as a central pillar of Ukrainian Chassidism.
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Founder of dynasties
Rabbi Mordechai’s historical impact is unparalleled in terms of lineage. Seven of his eight sons became Rebbes, founding many of the most prominent Chassidic courts of Eastern Europe, including:
- Chernobyl
- Skver
- Rachmastrivka
- Trisk
- Talne
- Makarov
- Chernobyl offshoots throughout Ukraine
Through them, his spiritual approach shaped multiple generations of Chassidus across Russia and Ukraine.
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Torah teachings
His teachings were compiled in the work Likutei Torah, arranged by parshiyot and festivals. This sefer emphasizes:
- Purity of thought and speech as prerequisites for prayer
- Including all Jewish souls in one’s tefillah—even those distant or sinful—so that they may be elevated and return in teshuvah
- The idea that the tzaddik sustains not only his visible followers, but also the hidden righteous (nistarim) of the generation.
These teachings earned approbations from leading Chassidic masters and became cornerstones of the Chernobyl tradition.
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Spiritual stature
Chassidic tradition relates that Rabbi Mordechai was regarded as being spiritually “above this world” even during his lifetime. Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin famously named a son after him while Rabbi Mordechai was still alive. When questioned about violating Ashkenazic custom, he replied:
“Our uncle from Chernobyl has been above this world for years already, as if he is not in this world.”
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Passing and burial
Rabbi Mordechai passed away on 20 Iyar 5597, during the days following Lag BaOmer, a time associated with inner revelation and Hod. He personally chose his burial place near the village of Anatevka, selecting a secluded location far from churches, so that “the sound of impure bells would not disturb his rest”. His gravesite remains a focus of pilgrimage to this day.
[1] Please not that these historical notes were prepared with the assistance of Copilot Pro, an AI Research Agent, and have not been independently verified.
