In his introduction to the first volume of Mossad HaRav Kook’s Hebrew Encyclopedia of Hasidism, which appeared in 1960 and which featured complete bibliographies of Hasidic writings, arranged according to authors (whose personal Hebrew names begin with letters from Aleph to Tet), the late Dr. Yitzhak Raphael presented us with an outline of the encyclopedia he had planned.
When completed, the encyclopedia will comprise 10 volumes. Two volumes will contain bibliographies of Hasidic literature arranged according to the authors. Five volumes will include biographies of Hasidic rabbis and scholars. One volume will be devoted to Hasidic terminology, ideas, and concepts. Another volume will describe Jewish communities, which served as centers of Hasidism, whereas the theme of yet another volume will be ‘Hasidism during the Holocaust.”
The first volume — which included bibliographies of Hasidic writing, arranged according to authors — appeared — as mentioned earlier — in 1980. It was authored by Rabbi Shalom Hayyim Porush, a well-known writer on Hasidism. This volume was followed in 1986 by one of the five projected volumes of biographies of Hasidic personalities. This volume, which features biographies of people whose Hebrew personal names begin with the letters Alef
to Tet, was prepared by Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Alfasi, a very prolific scholar and writer whose published writings include numerous books and studies on Hasidism.
Several weeks ago the second in the series of biographical volumes came off the press in Jerusalem. It contains entries on people whose Hebrew personal names begin with the letter Yod (such as Yehuda, Yehoshu’a, Yoel, Yosef. Yaakov, Yisrael and more). This volume, too,
was prepared by Yizhak Alfasi. A small number of entries was contributed ty other writers.
The new volume before us contains hundreds of entries. Some are very brief; others are quite long. All are packed with facts and make most interesting reading. At the end of various entries is indicated the literature in which the reader will find more about the personality described.
The largest entry is that about Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism. It fills more than 20 columns and is divided into chapters. In separate chapters. Alfasi discusses, inter alia, the views of Jewish historians about the Baal Shem Tov; the Shivhei HaBesht, the first
collection of stories about the Baal Shem Tov; and the Baal Shem Tov’s longing to settle in the Land of Israel (he was on the way there, but returned).
A small item is devoted to R. Yehiel Ashkenazi, the son-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov. Not much is known about him. People called him “Dos Deitchel,” because he came from Germany to Russia. He seemingly stayed in Mezeritch and conducted a “Tish” of his own there. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liady recorded a Dvar Torah he heard from him on such an occasion.
He and his wife Adel — daughter of the Baal Shem Tov, who carried out missions on behalf of her father and was involved in some of his activities — had two sons, Rabbi Moshe Ephraim of Sudylkow and Rabbi Boruch of Miedzybosh. Their daughter Feiga was the mother of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
Perhaps one might mention here another small but interesting entry related to the family of the Baal Shem Tov: “Reb Yisrael, Der Toter (the dead).” According to some, he was a son of Feiga, the daughter of Adel. According to others he was a son of Adel. He was the first grandson (or great-grandson) to be named for the Baal Shem Tov. According to legend, he was called “Der Toiter” the dead”) because he was revived by the Baal Shem Tov. This was after the latter’s death.
Long entries in the volume include those on Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polonoye, author of Toledot Va’akov Yosef and one of the early propagators of Hasidism; Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak (the “Hozeh”) of Lublin, the dominant personality of Polish Hasidism; and Rabbi Yisrael Friedmann of Ruzhin. After mentioning various rabbis and Hasidic leaders who called on Rabbi Yisrael Friedmann in Sadigora (Sadagora), Alfasi adds: “It is said that even Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch made the journey to Sadigora in order to get acquianted with the Rebbe of Ruzin”. Alfasi probably found this in his sources, but it is difficult to believe. I don’t think that this is mentioned in any article or book about Rabbi Hirsch.
In the long entry on Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Alter (the “Hiddushei Harim”) of Gur, Alfasi, who had written a book about the founder of the Gur dynasty, characterized Gur Hasidism. Towards the end be writes: Rabbi Yitzhak Meir wrote also poetry. From the little which has been published we can see that he was familiar with the secrets of the Hebrew language. His poetry is as beautiful as that of the Hebrew poets of his time.)
(Continued next week)
The Jewish Press, Friday, June 15, 2001
(Conclusion)
Great Hasidic leaders of the 20th century, described at length in the new volume of the encyclopedia, included: Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneersohn of Lubavitch, Rabbi Yisrael Alter of Gur, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar and Rabbi Yekuthiel Yehuda Halberstam of Klausenburg.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneerson who succeeded his father Rabbi Sholem Ber in 1920, engaged in widespread underground acitivites in Soviet Russia to strengthen Jewish religious observance and to counter the anti-religious propaganda and actions of the communist regime. In 1927 he was arrested and sentenced to death. World-wide protests brought about the commutation of the sentence and his eventual release. He emigrated to Latvia, where he continued to organize and encourage Chabad’s underground activities. In 1934 he moved to Warsaw where he established a large Yeshiva.
During World War II, he succeeded in escaping from Poland. Arriving in New York in the spring of 1940 he dedicated himself to the strengthening of Jewish observance and education through the establishment of yeshivas and girls’ schools throughout the U.S. and Canada.
In 1948 he founded Kfar Chabad and directed his followers, survivors in Europe and people who had succeeded in leaving the Soviet Union and getting into Poland, to settle there.
Rabbi Yisrael Alter of Gur, was the son of Rabbi Avraham Mordechai, author of Imrei Emet. He came with his father to Palestine during World War II and after his father’s death in 1947 took his place as Admor of the Hasidim of Gur. He served as head of Agudath Yisrael’s Moe’ttzet Gedolei HaTorah. He died in 1977. Alfasi tells us in detail about his last days and funeral. “Jerusalem had never witnessed a funeral like this,” he wrote. “According to some, 100,000 people attended the funeral. According to others their number was 200,000. The entire way, from the Rebbe’s Beth HaMidrash up to the Mount of Olives was filled with people.”
Rabbi Yekuthiel Yehuda Halberstam was a great-grandson of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz. He studied with Rabbi David Zvi Tevel Sehmann of Dukla, Galicia. In 1926, at the age of 24, he was chosen as rabbi of the Orthodox community of Klausenburg.
After the German occupation of Hungary, he was deported to Auschwitz and other camps. He survived, but his wife and their 11 children were killed in Auschwitz. His strict observance, in the camps of religious practices and customs served as an inspiration to many.
After his liberation he was a leader of the Shearith HaPleita, strengthening the survivors in their faith and taking care of the education of the young. He traveled from camp to camp establishing Yeshivot, Torah classes, Kosher kitchens and Mikvaoth.
In 1947 he emigrated to the US. He founded Torah institutions and charity organizations in both the U.S. and Canada.
In 1956 he founded the township of Kiryat Sanz in Netanya. In 1960 he settled in the township and established his Yeshiva, a religious hospital as well as other institutions He established centers for his followers in other cities of Israel, as well as in European cities. He died in 1994 at the age of 90.
Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum became rabbi of Satmar after having served in two other communities. A very charismatic personality, he had a great influence on his congregants and followers. Where he served as rabbi he established a Yeshiva. At times, his Yeshiva in Satmar was attended by more than 300 students.
He left German occupied Hungary on the Kasne train, reaching Switzerland towards the end of 1944. Soon after the war he visited Palestine. From there he went to the US where thousands of his followers, survivors of the Holocaust began to concentrate. Under his dynamic leadership, his followers established a strong community organization, boasting many branches and a variety of educational and charitable institutions of their own. Rabbi Teitelbaum, A life-long strong critic of Zionism died at the age of 92. His published writings include: Divrei Yoel, on the Torah and the festivals, and Divre Yoel, responsa.
Let me add here a few words about a well known Kabbalist, who was also described in the new volume of this encyclopedia.
Rabbi Yehda Leib Ashlag was born in Warsaw in 1885. He was ordained at the age of 19 and for a period of 16 years served as rabbi. He was greatly attracted to the study of Kabbala. According to his own testimony, he received his knowledge in Kabbala from a hidden zaddik who was known in Warsaw as a merchant, but his knowledge of Kabbala was not known to anyone. Rabbi Ashlag never revealed his name. In 1922 Rabbi Ashlag settled in the Land of Israel. He didn’t tell anybody that he had been a rabbi in Poland and lived in a small room in the Old City of Jerusalem, opposite the Western Wall. When it became known that he had been a rabbi in Poland, he was appointed rabbi of Givat Shaul, then a small district.
Rabbi Ashlag strove to spread the knowledge of Kabbalah. He lectured widely on Kabbala and established a Yehiva Ittur Rabbanim for Kabbalistic studies. His most important publication was his translation of the entire Zohar into Hebrew, accompanied with a commentary “HaSulam” and variant readings. The work earned him the Rabbi Kook Prize of the municipality of Tel Aviv. Rabbi Ashlag died in 1954.
Each of the two volumes of biographies, which have been published thus far include a special section of pictures and facsimiles.
Shown in this section are photographs of Hasidic personalities described in the volume, pictures of the Battei Midrash and gravesites of some of these men (there is also a picture of the tombstone of the mother of the Baal Shem Tov) and facsimiles of the title pages of Hasidic books, of manuscripts and of signatures of Hasidic leaders.
The Jewish Press, Friday, June 22, 2001