יום שישי י"ט באדר ב תשפ"ד 29/03/2024
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  • The Mission Continues

    As in the past so it remains today - we were and still are under the selfsame commitment to adhere to the directions of the Gedolei Yisrael, who stand guard against breaches of purity threatening our camp. When we were required to ask – we asked. When we were instructed to depart – we left. The moment we are summoned back to raise the flag, every other consideration is pushed to the side and we answer: We are ready!

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  • Harav Yisrael Friedman zy”a, the Rebbe of Husyatin

    מוטי, ויקיפדיה העברית

    The ancestral chain of Harav Yisrael Friedman, the founder of the Husyatin chassidic court, originates with the holy Baal Shem Tov. The Husyatin chassidus has its roots in Galicia and eventually came to Tel Aviv, during the turbulent years between the two World Wars.

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  • Maccabi'im Gravesite

    In honour of Chanukah, we will discuss a fascinating, ongoing investigation attempting to establish the place of burial of Mattisyahu Kohen Gadol and his family.

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Reflections

Fruits of the Tree of Ruzhin, in the Court of Sadigur

Has one fulfilled his obligation in Seuda Shlishis by eating fruits? – asks Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin…

B. Wolff 23/04/2009 10:00

On the occasion of the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef of Sadigur, author of ‘Knesses Mordechai’.

Six weeks prior to the passing of the great Rebbe Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, the Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe of Kovrin came to visit him in order to learn from the ways of one of the generation’s greatest personalities.

Rabbi Moshe of Kovrin stayed at the house of Rabbi Yisrael for a number of days, including Shabbos. Towards dusk, at the time of Seuda Shlishis the two Tzaddikim went for a stroll in the garden. Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin walked in silence and Rabbi Moshe respected his quiet thoughtfulness and didn’t disturb him. Suddenly Rabbi Yisrael exclaimed sadly: ‘Happy are we and how good is our lot that we are able to act openly as Jews. The day will come when it will be difficult to merely recite a chapter of Tehillim…”

Rabbi Yisrael continued speaking about future generations in intense pain and sorrow. Abruptly he changed the subject and said: “The Tzaddik of Kovrin is a learned scholar. Allow him to state his opinion: can a person fulfill his obligation of Seuda Shlishis with fruits?”

The Rebbe of Kovrin understood that Rabbi Yisrael was referring to his sons who would lead his followers after his passing, and broke out in tears: “Rabbi Yisrael, the holy light of the nation, the world still needs him!” to which Rabbi Yisrael responded – “The decree has already been sealed.”

And they continued to walk in silence.

Six weeks later, as the saintly Rabbi Yisrael lay on his deathbed ready to return his soul to his Creator; he called for his sons and told them: “It is the way of the world that every father leaves an inheritance for his sons after him. What can I leave you if I have nothing – and if from all my time in this world I didn’t take pleasure from even one p’ruta worth of material luxuries? But one thing I can leave you – and that is: myself...”

His son Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman succeeded him as Rebbe, just as Rabbi Yisrael had instructed during the lofty moments before his passing. Rabbi Avraham Yaakov held his court in the town of Sadigur, and he led the Chassidim with a firm hand until his passing in the year 5643 (1883), whereupon the staff of leadership was passed on to his son after him.

This son, who was named Rabbi Yisrael after his illustrious grandfather, Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin, led his followers until he was called to the World of eternal Truth in the year 5667 (1907). One of his successors was his son Rabbi Avraham Yaakov (II).

The period during which Rabbi Avraham Yaakov served as Rebbe was a difficult time for the Jewish nation – the years of the First World War. His home, which was then in Vienna, was a shelter for many refugees fleeing from the terrors of war. The Rebbe strengthened and encouraged these broken people, and was known as one of the greatest personalities of the generation.

Barely had the ravages of the Great War dissipated, when the horrors of World War II descended over Europe. In those years Rabbi Avraham Yaakov suffered personally under the persecution of the cursed Nazis, may their names be obliterated, but he survived the unspeakable tortures and after the war made his way to the Holy Land.

With his arrival in Eretz Israel, a new era began and Rabbi Avraham Yaakov stood at the helm of those fighting for religious Jewry in Eretz Israel, and was also one of the distinguished members of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisrael.
In the year 5721 (1961), the Tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman passed away, tragically leaving no descendents after him.

The second son of R’ Yisrael Friedman, of Sadigur, was Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Friedman. After his father’s death, he also received a share in the leadership of the great Chassidus of Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin. He led his followers firstly in Sadigur, and later, with the outbreak of World War I, in Vienna – and later still, in Eretz Israel. When Rabbi Shlomo Chaim first arrived in the Holy land he lived in Jerusalem, but then moved his court to Tel Aviv. He refused to use any gabbai’m (attendants) during all the years that he lived in Eretz Israel, saying: “My father always had many gabba’im with him, but at home when he would go from room to room he didn’t have anyone with him, because at home one doesn’t need an attendant. For me, the whole of Eretz haKodesh is my home, so I don’t need any gabbai’m.”

In 5732 (1972), Rabbi Shlomo Chaim passed away, and was buried in the Ruzhiner section of the Nachlas Yitzchak cemetery.

Yet another son of the famous Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Sadigur, was Rabbi Aaron, who served as Rebbe for a short while until his untimely passing at the young age of thirty-six. With his passing, the title of Rebbe passed on to his son Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef Friedman. At first, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef served as Rebbe in Sadigur, and many elderly Chassidim streamed to him - amongst them a group of aged Chassidim who still remembered being followers of his great-grandfather Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin. When World War I broke out, he too moved to Vienna and afterwards to Pshemishil, Romania, where he became famous for the great Yeshiva he established there. He was in fact referred to as the ‘Rebbe of Sadigur-Pshemishil’, due to the years he served as Rebbe there.

Half a year before the onset of World War II, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef travelled to Eretz Israel and became one of the leaders of the Agudas Yisrael. He set up his Chassidic court in Tel Aviv, and his home was the headquarters for all activities on behalf of the Ruzhin network of Chassidus, and on behalf of religious Jewry in Tel Aviv. During the years of the war, he was also involved in extensive rescue activities and arranged mass prayer gatherings.

Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef used to say painfully about those harsh years: ‘How difficult it is for a flock that has no shepherd; but how much more painful and bitter is the shepherd who is left without his flock!’

Towards the end of his life, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef moved to northern Tel Aviv where he shone the torch of Torah and Chassidus in an area devoid of spirituality.

For sixty-seven years, Rabbi Mordechai Sholom Yosef stood at the helm of his Chassidus, and on the 29th of Nissan 5739 (1979), he departed this world and was buried in the Ruzhiner section of the Nachlas Yitzchak cemetery.

His son and successor is Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman, the Rebbe of Sadigur. The court of Sadigur was originally on Pinkas St. in northern Tel Aviv, and was a center for Ruzhiner Chassidus as it was in the time of his saintly father, and it branched out even further under the guidance of his saintly sons. In later years, the headquarters of the Chassidus moved to ‘Shikun Heh’, in Bnei Brak.

So it was – that the fruits of the tree of Ruzhin grew and glorified the entire Jewish world.