Melech Beyofyo (“The King in his Beauty”) is the name of an extensive biography of the late Rabbi Yehezkel Abramsky which recently came off the press in Jerusalem.
The two volume work, written by Aaron Sorasky, the author of excellent biographies of many prominent rabbis, presents us in great detail, the life, activities and writings of Rabbi Yehezkel Abramsky, who served in the rabbinate for 65 years and was the author of a commentary on the Tosefta, Chazon Yechezkel, as well as other works. He served as rabbi of several communities in Russia, where he was accused by the Soviet regime of counter revolutionary activities and condemned to five years of hard labor. Subsequently he held the post of head of the London Beth Din, and presided over the Va’ad HaYeshivot and the Chinuch Atzma’i school network in the Land of Israel.
When Rabbi Abramsky died in the late summer of 1976 at the age of ninety, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, the late Rosh Yeshiva of New York’s Torah Vodaath, described him in his eulogy as the last representative of an era of great rabbinic personalities. “Whoever had the privilege of meeting him beheld with his own eyes a prototype of a rabbi of former generations,” he said.
Melech BeYofyo, which is richly illustrated with photographs as well as facsimiles of letters and documents and is interspersed with Divrei Torah and Gutte Verter by Rabbi Abramsky, acquaints us with the rabbi’s family, his teachers, his rabbi par excellence – Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk – and the many famous rabbis with whom he collaborated in supporting Yeshivot, spreading Torah and strengthening Jewish observance.
The book opens with a preface by Menachem Ezra Abramsky, the youngest of Rabbi Abramsky’s four sons, which he expresses thanks to all who assisted in the preparation of the biography by supplying information, photographs and documents. Menachen Ezra himself contributed greatly in many ways. He is quoted throughout relating what he saw and what he heard from his father.
In his short introduction, Aaron Sorasky writes of Rabbi Abramsky’s fruitful activities in many areas of life. He was not only a great rabbi, teacher and preacher, but was always ready to come to the aid of individuals and communities in need of assistance. “One can learn many moral teachings and other important lessons from studying his life story.” Sorasky states.
Rabbi Yehezkel Abramsky was born in a small village in the Grodno region, where the few local Jews had no Minyan on weekdays or even on Sabbaths and festivals. The distance to the nearest Jewish community, Most, was greater than that one was permitted to walk on a Sabbath or holiday. The family would spend the High Holidays, Purim and other special days of the Jewish calendar in Most, sleeping on the floor of the synagogue with other Jews from neighboring villages.
When Rabbi Abramsky was a very young child, his father engaged a relative to come for a certain time to live in the village with the family in order to each the boy Alpeh Beth and to read in the Siddur and Chumash. When the child grew older he was sent to the Cheder in Most, a two hour walking distance away and he walked to the Cheder and back home every day. He was an excellent student. After about a year’s attendance at the Cheder, he was familiar with the greater part of the 24 books of the Bible. The Jews of Most liked the talented child and loved to hear him recite by heart entire chapters of the Bible.
When he reached the age of ten, his father hired a devoted teacher to instruct him in Gemara and Tosafot. After two years of instruction, the boy was able to learn by himself. He studied Gemara and other Sifrei Kodesh, and before long, knew several tractates by heart.
Following his Bar Mitzva, which was celebrated in Most, he studied for some time in a small yeshiva in the region. After returning home he continued studying on his own. His father who felt that his son was destined to become a great scholar encouraged him to devote himself entirely to his Jewish studies. It was not easy. At that time many a Jewish boy became estranged from his Jewish heritage under the influence of the literature of the Maskilim or the anti-Czarist revolutionary movements. To strengthen his faith and devotion to Jewish studies, Abramsky would read, in between delving into the Gemara and the Shulchan Aruch, the poetry of Yehuda HaLevi; and throughout his life he remembered by heart the poems of Yehuda HaLevi he had read in his youth. Finally he came to the conclusion that the best way to remain attached to his studies was “to learn a Blatt Gemara, followed by another Blatt Gemarah.”
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The Jewish Press Friday, August 20, 2004 p. 66
At the age of seventeen the young Yehekel Abramsky decided to enroll in a large Yeshiva.
At that time Rabbi Joel Baranchik came for a visit to the village where the Abramskys resided. Rabbi Baranchik was one of the disciples of Yosef Yosel Hurwitz, the “Alter of Novardok.” He stayed for several days with the Abramsky family, befriended the young son and persuaded him to join Rabbi Hurwitz’s Yeshiva in Novaredok (Novogrukok)
Rabbi Hurwitz was both Rosh Yeshiva and Mashgiach in the Yeshiva he had founded. He delivered Shiurim in Talmud with novellae, as well as Mussar talks. Young Abramsky was considerably influenced by the moral teachings of the Alter” who liked him greatly because of his diligence and fine moral qualities, calling him affectionately “the little Moster!” (the young boy from Most) and asked him to study daily with his son.
Rabbi Joel Baranchik, who later served as Mashgiach in various Yeshivot visited London in the 1930s. That is when he told Rabbi Abramsky’s family that his visit years ago in the small village where the Abramskys resided had not been by chance: he had been sent there by Rabbi Hurwitz. The “Alter” had heard about young Abramsky, who was studying Talmud on his own in a village where only a few Jews lived. Fearful for the boy’s future as a committed Jew, he asked Rabbi Baranchik to call on the family and endeavor to enlist the young man in his Yeshiva.
Abramsky did not pray at the Yeshiva, but at the Shul of Novogrudok. There he made the acquaintance of Rabbi Yechiel M. Epstein, the author of the Aruch HaShulchan. The old rabbi was greatly impressed by young Abramsky’s wide erudition, praised his knowledge and presented him with a certificate of rabbinic ordination.
Abramsky studied in Novogrudok less than a year, continuing his studies in the Yeshiva of Telsiai (Telz) which was then headed by Rabbi Eliezer Gordon . During his two and a half years in Telz he became very attached to the Rosh Yeshiva. his dedication to study was extraordinary. Rabbi Joseph S. Kahaneman of Ponevezh, who was also studying at that time in Telz related that the students were divided as to whether Mussar should be studied at the Yeshiva. All the students — with the exception of one–took part in the stormy discussion on the subject. The exception was Yehezkel Abramsky, who never took his eyes off the Gemara!
In the winter of 1906 Abramsky was forced to leave the Yeshiva. He was about to be called up for service in the Russian army and he travelled to Vilna in the hope of being granted an exemption. His hope was realized. A prominent Vilna Jew by the name of Grumer, whose wife was a granddaughter of Rabbi Itzele of Volozhin, paid the authorities the sum of money required for the exemption of young Abramsky, who continued his studies in Vilna and was thus considered a resident of the city.
He joined the “Kibbutz,” a group of brilliant Torah scholars of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, the rabbi of Vilna and the Rameilis Yeshiva which was then headed by Rabbi Chaim Ozer’s older brother, Rabbi Avraham Zvi Grodzinksi. On account of his wide erudition and great diligence, he was highly esteemed by his fellow students as well as by Vilna’s rabbis and Talmudic scholars.
He lived with the family of a prominent Vilna rabbi which generously looked after his needs. In gratitude, he studied Talmud daily with the rabbi’s youngest son. They studied four Blatt of Gemara every day, finishing the greater part of the tractates of the Babylonian Talmud over a period of one and a half years.
(To be continued)
(Continued from last week)
In the summer of 1909 Rabbi Abramsky married Hendl Reizel, a daughter of Rabbi Yisrael Yehonatan Yerushalimsky, in Thumen, district of Minsk. It was a grand wedding in which all the town’s Jews participated. Four hundred Cheder boys carrying torches marched in front of the bridal couple when they were led to the Chuppa.
Rabbi Yerushamisky’s father, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Direktor, a student of Rabbi Itzele of Volozhin and a great Talmudist and Kabbalist was widely known as the Tzaddik of Mush (Nowa Mysz, Belorussia). He served there as rabbi from 1857 until his death, in 1879. He sent his son Yisroel Yehonatan to celebrate his Bar Mitzva in Jerusalem. In commemoration of this celebration the son later changed his name to Yerushalimsky.
Yisrael Yehonatan studied in Volozhin, where he became very close to Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (the Netziv) and even closer to Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik. In 1889 he was ordained by Rabbi Yitzhak Elchanan Spektor of Kovno. In 1892 he was chosen rabbi of Orla, Grodna region, and 10 years later as Rabbi of Thumen, where he served until his death in 1917.
His second wife was a daughter of Rabbi Yaakov David Willowsky (the Ridbaz) a famous rabbiic authority, author of commentaries on the Jerusalem Talmud, responsa, and other works, who had seved in Jewish communities in various parts of the world. Rabbi Abramsky’s wife, Hendl Reizel was a daughter of Rabbi Yerushalimsky’s second wife.
Following the advice of his father-in-law, Rabbi Abramsky travelled after his marriage to Brest Litovsk (Brisk) to get personally acquainted with the city’s famous rabbi, Rabbi Chaim Solovietchik.
As soon as Rabbi Abramsky met Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, whose method of studying Gemara was then conquering the Yeshivot in Lithuanian, he immediately felt that this was the man who would become his teacher par excellence. He spent four months in Brisk, studying with R. Chaim, listening to his sermons, following his Halakhic decisions, his willingness to help any one in need and his insightful manner of handling communal affairs.
Years later he would say that R. Chaim was the only person he had ever met who lived in awe of the Almighty 24 hours a day. Of course there were other people who were as G-d fearing as R. Chaim, he added, but in R. Chaim’s case this was obvious to everyone and there was no possibility to be mistaken about it. [The Chazon Ish expressed himself similarly about Rabbi Elhanan Wasserman: “He is a Jew who thinks of the Almighty all 24 hours of the day” — see Pe’er Hador 1966, vol. 1 p. 278]… Rabbi Abramsky also used to say the world doesn’t know enough about the Chofetz Chaim’s greatness in Torah and about R. Chaim’s extraordinary piety.
During his stay in Brisk, Rabb I Abramsky was a witness to Rabbi Chaim’s home, two rich members of the community came in and handed R. Chaim a closed envelope with money in appreciation of his having officiated at the wedding of their children. A little while later, while these men were still there, a poor man asking for a donation appeared at the door. R. Chaim took the still unopened envelope and gave it to the pauper.
Rabbi Abramsky left Brisk as an ardent follower of R. Chaim. He became a protagonist of R. Chaim’s method of study and shared many of R. Chaim’s views on Torah and Yiddishkeit, keeping in mind everything he had heard from R. Chaim, whether Halachic decisions or matters relating to service in the rabbinate.
Several years later during World War I, the Czarist authorities expelled a large number of the Jews living in territories adjacent to Germany to cities further inside Russia. The Jews of Brisk, where a Russian fortress was located, were among the first forced to leave their homes. Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, his family and many Jews from Brisk settled temporarily in Minsk. Rabbi Abramsky who was serving as rabbi in Smolevichi, about an hour’s ride by train from Minsk used the opportunity to visit his beloved teacher. During Rabbi Chaim’s three years’ stay in Minsk, Rabbi Abramsky spent the greater part of every week near him. On one of his conversations with R. Chaim about a certain Halakhic problem, the latter foretold him a great future in the rabbinate.
At that time Rabbi Abramsky also developed a great friendship with Rabbi Yitzchak Ze’ev (Velvele) Soloveitchik, R. Chaim’s son and successor, with whom he later corresponded for many years.
In the 1930s, when Rabbi Abramsky was serving as rabbi in London, he was of great assistance in securing a sponsor for the printing of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik’s great opus, Chiddushei Rabbenu Chaim HaLevi. Rabbi Abramsky called it one of the greatest Talmudic works of our time. He liked to study it on the Sabbath, saying that when he did so he felt a real Sabbath pleasure.
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The Jewish Press, Friday September 3, 2004 p. 64
It did not take ten years for Rabbi Abramsky to bring about the total closure of kosher meat markets that sold hindquarter meat. When the British government introduced food rationing during World War II and people were unable to buy the meat cuts they liked, Rabbi Abramsky insisted that the sale of hindquarter meat be stopped. When his demand was refused, he decided to fight for it. he discussed it with his wife, who promised him that in case he was forced to resign from the Beth Din, she would do her best to support the family by opening a restaurant in her home. He would be able to continue with his studies without having to worry.
Armed with Rebbetzin’s promise, Rabbi Abramsky appeared at the next meeting of the Board of Shechita and presented his demand to stop immediately the sale of hindquarter meat; otherwise he said, he would resign. He handed the board members the letter of resignation he had prepared and left the room.
Moved by the rabbi’s dramatic declaration, the board members unanimously accepted his demand.
Shortly after Rabbi Abramsky had joined the London Beth Din, in 1935, Chief Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook passed away in the Land of Israel (3rd of Elul 5695). Several communal leaders of Jerusalem asked Rabbi Abramsky to submit his candidacy for the post of Chief Rabbi of Palestine. Rabbi Abramsky initially agreed, but later he withdrew his candidacy.
One of the reasons he gave for changing his mind was the fact that his two older sons, Moshe and Yaakov David, still had not been able to leave the Soviet Union. All the efforts to achieve their release
In the summer of 1963 Rabbi Abramsky was chosen president of Vaad HaYeshivot of the Land of Israel. The Vaad HaYeshivot was founded in the Land of Israel during WWII to continue the work of Vaad HaYeshivot of Poland and Lithuania, which had been established by the Chafetz Chaim and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski.
When Rabbi Abramsky resided in England, he had served as the local head of Vaad HaYeshivot of the Land of Israel and had raised large sums for this organization.
In his capacity as president of Vaad HaYeshivot of the Land of Israel, Rabbi Abramsky was not only active in raising funds for Yeshivot from individual philanthropists, foundations and Jewish aid organizations, but was also involved in the negotiations between the Yeshivot and the Israeli authorities regarding the exemption of full-time Yeshiva students from military service. Members of the Israeli government and senior officials were greatly impressed by Rabbi Abramsky’s personality and generally reacted favorably to his views and demands.
It is told that he was once asked by a ministerial committee whether he would agree that the defense of the country takes precedence over the defense of the Torah. He replied that we learn that the opposite is true, based on the L-rd’s orrer to Joshua as recorded (Joshua 1:6-7). We read in the first very “Chazak Ve’ematz Ki Attah Tanhil et Haam Hazeh et Haaretz….
The next verse states, “Rak Chazak Ve’ematz Me’od Lishmor La’asot Kechol HaTorah – Only be strong and very courageous to observe and do in accordance with all the Torah….
The first verse speaks of the conquest of the Land of Israel, stating “Chazak Ve’ematz, Be strong and courageous,” The following verse refers to the observance of the Torah and the word Me’od (very) is added to the command: “Rak Chazak Ve’ematz Me’od – Only be strong and very courageous.”
It was in a great measure due to the efforts of Rabbi Abramsky that the Joint Distribution Committee greatly increased its financial support for the Yeshivot in the Land of Israel.
On one occasion, a cultural grant by the U.S. government to the Government of Israel included only small allocations for Vaad HaYeshivot and the Chinuch Atzmai. Rabbi Abramsky, accompanied by Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin and Rabbi Menachem Porush called on the U.S. Ambassador in Israel. The latter, after listening to the rabbi’ arguments, suggested to increase threefold the allocations for Vaad HaYeshivot and the Chinuch Atzmai. In the ensuing conversation between the ambassador and the rabbinic delegation, Rabbi Abramsky quoted a saying by Abraham Lincoln. The ambassador greatly moved when he heard a rabbi citing Lincoln, again changed the sums of the allocations, increasing them tenfold.
Among the many letters reprinted in the biography there is a letter that Rabbi Abramsky, in his capacity as president of Vaad HaYeshivot, wrote to all the heads of Yeshivot in the winter of 1972, which was a precarious period for the Jews of Israel.
Part of that letter is reproduced here:
“The time calls for repentance, prayers and good deeds, as did our fathers when they were in distress, and the L-rd listened to their cries and saved them from sorrow and pain.
We are certain that you will concur with the suggestion that Mishmarot of students be established in the Yeshivot [i.e. that the students be divided into shifts, each of which would study at set hours of the day], even during the period of Bein HaZemanim so that Torah learning will take place during the entire 24 hours of the day, without interruption…
“The students of Jerusalem’s Yeshivot will assemble at the remnant of our Temple, the Western Wall, on Erev Rosh Chodesh Nissan at 3’oclock in the afternoon to pray minha and pour out their hearts before the L-rd….”
To be continued
The Jewish Press, Friday, Nov. 26, 2004 p. 31
(to be continued)