The Ger Tzedek of Vilna - ז סיון

Yahrtzeit Yomi #1078!!

ז סיון (Thursday)

The Ger Tzedek of Vilna

Count Valentin Potocki

אברהם בן אברהם גר צדק

(1700 - 1749)

---------------------------------------------------

The inspiring story of אברהם בן אברהם, the גר צדק of Vilna, also known as Count Valentin Potocki, is told in the following audio clip, an excerpt from a shiur that was delivered by Rav Daniel Kalish Shlita, in honor of the occasion of the Ger Tzedek’s 273rd Yahrtzeit, 7 Sivan (2nd day of Shavuos).

The “Ger Tzedek of Vilna”, as he came to be known, was initially a renowned Polish nobleman (szlachta) of the Potocki family. He ultimately converted to Judaism and was burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church because he had renounced Catholicism and had become an observant Jew.

Avraham Potocki was executed in Vilna on the second day of Shavuos. (One Jew, Leiser Zhiskes, succeeded through bribery in securing some of the ashes of the martyr, which were later buried in the Vilna Jewish cemetery.)

Avraham Potocki walked proudly to the execution site, singing a song that was later sung in the Volozhin yeshiva, and subsequently also sung by Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer on Motzei Yom Kippur.

Rav Kalish Shlita masterfully shares the harrowing account of the last encounter between the Gaon of Vilna and the Ger Tzedek on that second day of Yom Tov, moments before the latter’s execution.

The song - אנחנו בני בריתך - which Rav Kalish references in the shiur was preserved by the renowned Tzaddik, Rav Levi Yitzchok Shushan Shlita from Kiryat Sefer, who uses his musical talent to preserve old classical Yiddishe niggunim.

The Ger's Niggun is featured on Rav Shushan’s album called ״שירת התורה״.

חג שמח לכולם!!

---------------------------------------------------

To dedicate or sponsor, please contact 917-841-5059. Sponsorships can be paid by Zelle to the same number. First come, first served.

Monthly sponsorships are $540.

Weekly sponsorships are $180.

Daily sponsorships are as follows:

Dedications (l’Zecher Nishmas, Zechus shidduch/refuah/yeshuah, etc.) are $50.

Sponsorships (fliers, advertising, promotions, additional links, etc.) are $100.

The cost to request and sponsor a specific Tzaddik (unlisted on the Yahrtzeit Yomi schedule) is $180.

MAY THE ZECHUS OF ALL THE TZADDIKIM PROTECT US FROM ALL TZAROS, AND MAY HASHEM GRANT US, AND ALL OF KLAL YISROEL, A MONTH OF YESHUOS, NECHAMOS AND BESUROS TOVOS!!!

---------------------------------------------------

Remaining Sivan Yahrtzeits!!

8. Rav Moshe Blau

9. Kaf Hachaim

10. Rav Gershon Edelstein

11. Minchas Yitzchak

12. Birchas Avraham

13. Moshe ascends

14. Rav Chaim Volozhiner

15. Rav Yitzchak Dov Koppelman

16. Rav Gedalya Nadel

17. Rav Aharon Karliner

18. Rav Yeruchem Levovitz

19.

20. Tach V’Tat

21. Tzara’as Miriam

22. The Korban Ha’Eidah

23. "Purim Sheini"

24. Rav Aharon Shurin

25. Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz

26. Rabi Yonasan ben Uziel/Rabi Yosi ben Kisma

27. Rav Dovid Trenk

28. Rav Gustman

29. Shlichas Meraglim

30. Rav Shlomo Kluger