Send a Prayer to the grave of R' Chaim of Chernovitz

Born in 1760 near Butchatch, Galicia (now Poland). Passed away in 1816 in Safed, Eretz Yisrael, on the 27th of Kislev. Rabbi Chaim of Chernovitz, or, better known as the Be'er Mayim Chayim, the title of his book of commentary on the Torah. In his early years he was greatly influenced by Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov, who intruduced him to Chassidut. Then he studied under Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg and the Maggid of Mezritch. Later, he spread the teachings of Chassidut throughout Moldavia, a province in northeast Romania. An eminent Torah scholar, he served as rabbi in many of the communities in Bukovina. He was much admired for the kindness and love with which he dedicated himself to winning alienated Jews back to God and the Torah. Towards the end of his life he moved to Eretz Yisrael. So great was the esteem in which he was held that for many years after his departure, the Jews of Chernovitz refused to choose a new rabbi. In the early 1800's Rabbi Chaim of Chernovitz moved to the Land of Israel, to Safed, the city of kabbalists, in which many rebbes and chasidim settled. His faithful disciple, Hershel, accompanied him. [Hershel had been the town clown but through a blessing he received by R’ Chaim, he became a very righteous man – the full story can be read in the chasidic story section on the Ascent website: http://www.ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=246-42] Today, nearly two centuries later, their burial place is still well known.