הרב צבי הירש מזידיטשוב

Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch Eichenstein of Zidichov (5523/1763–11 Tammuz 5591/1831), known as the Ateret Tzvi after his commentary on the Zohar, founded the Zidichov dynasty and made Galicia a land of Zohar study. Born in Sambor to Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac of Safrin, a descendant of the Tosafot Yom Tov, he was the eldest of a family of brothers who themselves became leaders, among them Rabbi Moshe of Sambor. His foremost rebbes were Rebbe Boruch of Mezhibuzh and the Chozeh of Lublin, and he sat as well at the feet of the Maggid of Koznitz, Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, Rebbe Moshe Leib of Sassov and the Ohev Yisrael of Apta.

His life’s banner was the hidden Torah: he labored to spread the study of the Zohar and the Kitvei Ari among the lomdim of Galicia, and with his talmidim brought the study of kabbalah into yeshivot there, binding the light of the Baal Shem Tov‘s derech to the kabbalah of the Arizal. His sefarim carry that program: Ateret Tzvi on the Zohar, Sur MeiRa VaAsei Tov — his ladder for spiritual growth through the study of Zohar and Kitvei Ari — Beit Yisrael, Pri Kodesh Hilulim, and Tzvi LaTzaddik on Tikkunei Zohar.

After the petirah of Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz he was regarded as the greatest of the rebbes of Galicia; his talmid Rebbe Chaim of Sanz said that when Galicia says simply “the Rebbe,” it means the Ateret Tzvi. His talmidim included Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, the Bnei Yissaschar; his nephews Rebbe Yitzchak Isaac of Komarna and Rebbe Yitzchak Isaac of Zidichov, who continued the dynasty; and the Malbim, who learned from him as well. He was niftar in the cholera epidemic on 11 Tammuz 5591, and Rav Shlomo Kluger was among his eulogizers; chassidim likened the journey to Zidichov on his hilula to the journey to the Rashbi at Meron on Lag BaOmer.

Parenthetically, this author’s parents were buried in the Zidichov plot in Chicago. My grandfather was named Tzvi Arye and in English was called Hirsch Leib (which is actually the Yiddish translation of his Hebrew name).