Chitrik, Yehuda

חיטריק, יהודה

 Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik (born 30th of Av, 1899 – passed 17th of Shevat, 2006) was a Chabad Chassid and storyteller who had the privilege of being in the presence of three Rebbes: the Rebbe Rashab (Rabbi Sholom Dovber), the Rebbe Rayatz (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak), and the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson). The book Reshimos Devorim contains the notes and stories of Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik, which he heard while studying at the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Lubavitch.

The writing of Reshimos Devorim was directly encouraged by the Rebbe, as mentioned in the book’s introduction: “The Rebbe suggested several years ago to put in writing what I heard and saw from mashpi'im, Chassidim, and men of good deeds.”

Most of the stories come from the mashpia (spiritual mentor) Reb Gronem Esterman, with some from Reb Yitzchak Horowitz and other Temimim (students of Tomchei Temimim) and Chassidim.

The first edition of the book was published in the 1980s in four volumes, without editing or order, containing duplicated stories and other imperfections.

In 2009, Rabbi Chitrik’s sons, led by Rabbi Aharon Chitrik, published a new edition of the book in a single volume. In this edition, the stories were organized into categories (Our Rebbes, Tzaddikim, and Chassidim), duplicated stories were removed, and a list of the author’s memories from 1900 to 1947 was added, along with the completion of his biography from 1947 to 2006. The new edition also included references and comparisons with other sources.

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