Page 16 - HaMizrachi Shavuot 5783 USA

Memories of

Rabbi Shmuel Mohilever

Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenbaum hy”d

In 1893, after Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenbaum attended a secret meeting of the Chovevei Zion, Rabbi Shmuel
Mohilever offered him the opportunity to become the secretary of the new “Merkaz Ruchani” movement,
usually abbreviated as “Mizrachi,” the predecessor to the Mizrachi movement that would later be founded
in 1902. Over the next four years until Rav Mohilever’s death, Rav Nissenbaum worked closely with the great
rabbi of Bialystok, recruiting thousands of new members to the movement. In his memoir, Alei Cheldi (1930),
Rav Nissenbaum included the following memories of Rav Mohilever, translated here for the first time.

av Shmuel was constantly concerned for the them of all sorts of conspiracies and evil plots against
Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael, and used every opportunity Jewish tradition and the Talmud. He spoke about the
he had to assist it or protect it from those who new Yishuv as if it were an ת ַח ַ ּ ד ִּנ ַה רי ִע, a “city led astray”
Rwished it harm – and there were many! by idolatry.
One time the head of the Lomza Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliezer This time, when Kahana came to Bialystok, he wanted
Bentzion Shulevitz, came to Rav Mohilever to request a to give a derasha in the Beit Midrash HaGavoha, the larg-
letter encouraging wealthy donors to support his yeshiva. est forum in the city. But the gabbaim told him that he
At that time, Mizrachi representatives in many cities needed to obtain a license to speak from Rav Mohilever,
frequently complained that the meshulachim (fundrais- and so he came to Rav Shmuel to obtain the necessary
ers) from the Lomza Yeshiva would speak disparagingly license. Knowing the nature of this man, Rav Shmuel
about yishuv Eretz Yisrael and Chovevei Zion. Rav Shmuel did not wish to engage in a long conversation with him,
was very clear with Rav Shulevitz: if he directed his and simply said: “If you will praise the Yishuv in Eretz
meshulachim to change their ways and stop disparaging Yisrael, I will give you the license to speak. If not, you
the honor of the Yishuv, then and only then would he can immediately leave the city, for you will not speak
give Rav Shulevitz the requested letter. Rav Shulevitz in Bialystok!” “But this is bribery!” complained Kahana
agreed, and from that time on, the meshulachim stopped bitterly. “So be it!” answered the Rav. “A bribe like this I
speaking against the Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael. am willing to accept! Otherwise, you will not speak.” The
Maggid grudgingly agreed to the terms and requested
One time, the Maggid Simcha Kahana, who was known
as “The Maggid with Long Hair,” came to Bialystok. the license to speak in writing. Rav Shmuel looked at
He always carried hundreds of reference letters from me and said: “Please speak with the gabbai of the Beit
Torah scholars, writers and other important Jews that Midrash HaGavoha and tell him that I am only allowing
this man to speak on the condition that he praises the
described him as a “gadol b’yisrael,” one the “great rabbis Yishuv in his speech. And you, Rav Yitzchak, go listen to
of the generation.” In the advertisements for his derashot,
he pronounced himself the author of the book A Defense his derasha and make sure he keeps his promise!” And
of the Talmud – a book no one had ever seen – and in his so it was that the Maggid most opposed to settling Eretz
derashot, he boasted that he defended the holy Talmud Yisrael gave a speech in praise of the Yishuv.
against the conspiracies and accusations of its internal Rav Shmuel once came to a large city for meetings on
and external enemies. And then he would begin to rain behalf of the Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael. In his honor, the
fire and brimstone on these “internal enemies” of the community organized a large assembly of the most
Talmud – the Maskilim and the Chovevei Zion, accusing important Jews in the city. When Rav Shmuel finished

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