The Most Significant Chassidic Ritual Item: Straw from the Noam Elimelech's Bed

The Most Significant Chassidic Ritual Item: Straw from the Noam Elimelech's Bed

"I am writing word for word what I was told by our father, shlit"a [the gaon Rabbi E. Sh. Shmerler ztz"l, rosh yeshivahs of Sanz], on chol hamoed Sukkot 2012, as follows: My father, may he rest in peace, inherited a bundle of straw that was in the bed of our ancestor, the Rebbe Rabbi Elimelech ... and this is what my father said: After the passing of the sacred Rebbe of Lizhensk, his daughter remained on her own. This was none other than our grandmother, Mirish. She had no one to support her - a widow with five orphans. The sacred Rabbi Mendel of Rimanov took responsibility for her, and she went to live in Rimanov. To feed her children, she took her father's R' Elimelech's straw mattress and sold the straw to many Chassidim who wanted a part of the sacred tzaddik's bed. Some of it stayed with the family. Signed, Yitzchak Pesach ... Shmerler, grandson and great-grandson of the sacred Rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk ..." (confirmation included)

This is a sacred Chassidic item of the highest order, almost impossible to describe on paper - part of the bed slept on every night by the sacred leader of the generations, the Rebbe Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk. The Shechinah itself, as it were, hovers above the bed of the tzaddik hador, as Rash"i explains the verse "as you desecrated my bed (Bereishit  49:4), and the Likkutei Ein Ya'akov (Berachot 60b), brings in the name of the Tiferet HaGri"z: "The Shechinah hovers over the tzaddik's bed."

This straw was passed down from generation to generation through Rebbe Elimelech's descendants, beginning with his daughter Mirish, her sons and grandsons, reaching the Schmerler family, one of the most prominent and distinguished Jewish families. The order of the heirs is as follows: The sacred Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, author of Noam Elimelech, his daughter Rebbetzin Mirish, wife of Rabbi Eliyahu Elowitz of Sde Lavan, their son, Rabbi Pinchas Elimelech, his son Rabbi Eliezer Lipa of Zbarov, his son-in-law Rabbi Naftali Ber Merilus of Litovisk, his son-in-law Rabbi Moshe Meir Shmerler, his son, Rabbi Ya'akov Yisrael, his son, Rabbi Eliyahu Shmuel Schmerler, rosh yeshivah of the Sanz yeshivahs, his son Rabbi Yitzchak Pesach Schmerler, who signed on the included confirmation. We will point out that the Admo"r Rabbi Leibush of Pshevorsk, grandson of the Rebbe Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, recommends this segulah for protection, blessing and success.

Refer also to HaMevaser (Adar 2022 issue) about the segulah of this straw (photocopy included): "While I was organizing myself and gathering my thoughts, two reckless Ukrainian military vehicles ... approached. They suddenly noticed me hiding from them and fell upon me, screaming. I didn't understand what they were saying. They began to drag me to their car. I tried to answer them in English, which I speak fluently, 'I'm a journalist.' One was a bit deterred, and yelled to me 'Documents, please!' I felt around in my pockets and found what I had taken with me for protection along the dangerous journey. It was a tiny piece of straw attributed to the sacred Rebbe, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, which had been in the possession of the gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Shmuel Schmerler, rosh yeshivah of Sanz, wrapped in a plastic covering like an ID card. I received it from his son, my dear friend, Rabbi Yitzchak Pesach Schmerler, with whom I pray each day, and I knew he had this amulet in his possession. I told him that I needed it urgently for several days. In the goodness of his heart, he gave it to me. I don't know what went through the Ukrainian's mind at that moment. Perhaps he thought it was a press ID? But the second miracle took place right in front of my eyes ..."

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a discussion of the segulah of items used by tzaddikim.

Piece of straw in a hermetically sealed laminated case. With confirmation of authenticity.

Very fine condition.