He Loved Dikduk and Taught it to the Frierdiker Rebbe

A chazzan, baal keriah, and an expert in dikduk, R. Yitzchok Gershon Itson served as the Frierdiker Rebbe’s melamed for this subject. He knew the meaning of even the most obscure selichos and kinos, he could get animated about a piyyut like a lamdan discussing a long, complex Tosefos.

R. Yitzchok Gershon Itson lived in Lubavitch and served as a chazzan and baal keriah by the Rebbe Rashab. An expert in dikduk, he was the Frierdiker Rebbe’s melamed for this subject.

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The Frierdiker Rebbe related:

In the summer of 5649 – at nine years of age – my father, the Rebbe Rashab, tested me in pirush hamilos and was not pleased with my comprehension and my pronunciation of the words. He then hired R. Yitzchok Gershon Itson to teach me both subjects, one hour a day for three days a week.

R. Yitzchok Gershon was an incredible baal medakdek. He had mastered Tanach by heart with meforshim and knew the meaning of even the most obscure selichos and kinos. He could get animated about a piyyut like a lamdan discussing a long, complex Tosefos.

The pirush hamilos wasn’t hard for me, and after learning one or two times, I knew it. But I had a very hard time absorbing the dikduk rules. I understood it when R. Yitzchok Gershon explained it to me, but afterwards, I would forget it. He was very pained by this.

On one occasion, R. Yitzchok Gershon repeated the rules of dagesh (emphasis) four times, and I reviewed them well. He was pleased with my grasp, but as he kissed the mezuzah on his way out, I already felt it slipping out of my mind. I was so distraught that I decided to ask my father for advice.

I expected my father to reprimand me, but instead he explained to me the inner meaning of the dagesh. In life, he said, emphasis should be placed on mitzvos, while worldly things should be done reluctantly, without emphasis.

This, writes the Frierdiker Rebbe, is the correct chinuch: that every lesson be utilized to communicate chassidishe feeling.

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R. Yitzchok Gershon would usually come to the Rebbe Rashab for Tisha B’Av. One year, Tisha B’Av fell out on Sunday, and R. Yitzchok Gershon joined the Rebbe on Shabbos for shaleshudos (the meal was milchig, for health reasons). On this occasion, R. Yitzchok Gershon asked the Rebbe Rashab about the name Baal Shem “Tov.”

The Rebbe explained that the simple meaning of Baal Shem is that they acquired fame because of their miracles. In fact, during the Alter Rebbe’s times, there was such a Baal Shem in Liozna who could identify where a stolen item was and by whom. But the deeper meaning is that he is a master of the Holy Name, and he can do with it as he chooses. “Tov” then refers to the same good light that shone when Moshe was born.

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