Climbing the Rungs, Side by Side

The customs associated with a yahrzeit are intended to help elevate the soul of the departed. But how does this apply to the soul of a tzaddik, which achieves continuous spiritual elevation on its own merit?

Although the tzaddik’s soul constantly ascends “from strength to strength”, the yahrzeit – the anniversary of its initial rise to the World of Truth – brings a far greater ascent than any other time. The tzaddik, however, does not want “bread of shame” – it wants to earn and deserve these new levels of G-dliness. And this is where you come in.

When those who are connected to the tzaddik, who were assisted by him during his lifetime or afterwards, continue to grow in the path of Torah and Mitzvos which he taught, this earns his soul additional merit. And because “The body follows the head,” as the head – the tzaddik, rises higher, the body – all the Jews of the generation, rise together with him.