166 Years Since His Passing: 25 Sharp Quotes from the Kotzker Rebbe

Today (Thursday), the 22nd of Shevat, marks the 166th anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgensztern of Kotzk (1787 - January 27, 1859). Rabbi Menachem Mendel was the founder of the Kotzk Hasidic dynasty, renowned for his acerbic wit, incisive sayings, and unconventional leadership. He was a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin, the Holy Jew, and Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk was known for his sharp sayings - each brief sentence held profound depth and insight that pierced deeply into the heart. In honor of the anniversary of his passing, here is a selection of his sayings:

1. "There is nothing like a river of water for purification, but when it freezes, an image can be carved on it."

2. "Under no circumstances would I want to worship a G-d whose ways are understood by every mortal mind."

3. "Perhaps I too could revive the dead, but I preferred to revive the living."

4. "'And you shall be holy people to me' - let your holiness be human, reasonable, and acceptable to others."

5. "Silence - the most beautiful of sounds."

5. "'On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life' (Genesis 3:14) - Is this a curse? Isn't it a blessing: there is no need to search for food! Rather, the curse was when Hashem told him: 'Eat and degrade yourself, but I shall not hear your voice!'"

6. "Words that come from the heart, enter the heart. Even the heart from which the words came."

7. "Remember this rule: one who does not see Hashem everywhere does not see Him anywhere."

8. "It is enough for a person to open a tiny opening of repentance in their heart, like the eye of a needle, provided they feel a prick in the heart, like a burn in live flesh and not like a needle in dead flesh."

9. "When a Jew opens their eyes in the morning and says 'I thank You before You,' they should pause for a moment to consider who is 'I' and who is 'before You.'"

10. "There is nothing as whole as a broken heart; no call louder than silence; no path straighter than a crooked ladder."

11. "In essence, death is nothing. It's just like going from one room to another, and the wise choose the more beautiful room."

12. "Can one leap to the heavens in a single bound?!"

13. "This entire world is not worth even a single sigh."

14. "Where is Hashem found? - In every place where one allows Him to enter."

15. "One does not call out to Hashem loudly but quietly, from the heart and its innermost depths."

16. "When a person has a reason to cry, wants to cry, but cannot cry - that is the greatest cry."

17. "A person's freedom is greater than Torah study, and an Israeli must exert more effort on our discussion of freedom and the Exodus from Egypt than on a difficult Talmudic topic."

18. "It is easier for the body to endure fasts and penances than the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven."

19. "The greater a person's soul, the greater the external shells surrounding it. Like a precious stone, a pearl. The more precious the stone, the greater the setting and the structure in which it resides."

20. "'Much wisdom, much sorrow' (Ecclesiastes 1:18) - And so what? It is worthwhile for a person to add sorrow, as long as they add wisdom."

21. "Not only is one who hates their neighbor called wicked, but also one who hates themselves is called wicked."

22. "Instead of adding stringency to the law, it is better to add awe to the action."

23. "Even a perfectly righteous person, who has never tasted the taste of sin, needs mercy: so that he does not hold goodness for himself, and come to pride - which is the most severe of sins."

24. "All character traits require intention, except for humility. For humility that is accompanied by intention is no longer humility."

25. "'And the people saw, and moved, and stood afar off' (Exodus 20:15) - A person can see, can move and be shaken, and yet stand far off."

Rabbi Zamir Cohen in a short and special story about the Kotzker Rebbe: How do you overcome the trait of pride?