ר׳ אלימלך מליז׳נסק

ר׳ אלימלך בן ר׳ אליעזר ליפמן (1717–11 March 1787), known as ר׳ אלימלך מליז׳נסק and by the title of his book נועם אלימלך, was an early Hasidic leader who established Hasidism as a durable movement in Galicia and Poland. He was born at Łopuchowo near Tykocin in Podlasie, into a prosperous rural family. In his earlier religious life he practiced severe asceticism and undertook a voluntary wandering exile with his brother ר׳ משולם זושא מאניפולי. Through his brother he entered the Hasidic circle and became a leading disciple of ר׳ דוב בער ממזריטש. After the Maggid's death in 1772, ר׳ אלימלך settled at Leżajsk, which became the principal center from which he trained leaders including ר׳ יעקב יצחק הורוביץ מלובלין, ר׳ ישראל הופשטיין מקוז׳ניץ, ר׳ מנחם מנדל מרימנוב and ר׳ אברהם יהושע השל מאפטא. His teachings developed the social and spiritual role of the tsaddik as guide and intercessor. His son ר׳ אלעזר and other family members and editors preserved his Sabbath discourses and published נועם אלימלך posthumously at Lemberg in 1788. He died at Leżajsk on 21 Adar 5547 and was buried there.