Page 19 - HaMizrachi Shavuot 5783 USA

In truth, not only in the world of scholars different manner, with greater depth, than was very meager) he thought much more
– other than among a select few – was Rav by other rabbis. Father, may his memory than he spoke. After becoming acquainted
Shmuel Mohilever not known, but even in be blessed, based the idea of love of Zion with him more closely, people recognized
the world of activists and Chovevei Zion, he on verses and Talmudic dicta and raised that he was a man of extraordinary depth,
was not seen in the correct light. It may it to the level of “atchalta d’geulah,” “the and his advocacy for the settlement of
be presumed that in the future too, when onset of the redemption,” and compared the Land of Israel was the fruit of many
people come to write the history of Chibbat the movement and the enterprise, with thoughts, internal struggles, and deep con-
Zion and its notables, Rav Shmuel Mohile- associated phenomena positive and neg- templation. He did not approach the ques-
ver will be recognized for his actions, but ative, to the time of Ezra and Nechemiah. tion of Zionism based upon the influences
not his essence. Between these actions, and ideas of others, but rather through his
whose renown has gone far and wide, and The doer in this field, among those giants own understanding of Torah. After years
his true self, which was familiar only to of the generation, was Rav Shmuel Mohi- of thought and study, he was certain of the
individuals close to him, there was a great lever. He was an activist in the simple great importance of practically building
divide. sense of the word. He would travel to up the Land of Israel.
conventions in Odessa, Druskininkai,
In the history of Chibbat Zion and the great Katowice, and the like. He held conven- Rav Shmuel Mohilever lived in his own
rabbis and giants of the generation who tions in his city of Bialystok, traveled domain; he was not a man of conversation
assisted the movement, without whose throughout Western Europe, and in his or particularly social. Only because of his
assistance it would not have attained old age succeeded in visiting the Land of great commitment to the Land of Israel
the level that it did, the place of honor is Israel itself. He did all this for the sake of was he constantly surrounded by all sorts
occupied by three great men and to some practical acts of love of Zion. He greatly of people, and frequently by individuals
extent, a fourth: Rav Mordechai Eliasberg, influenced Baron Rothschild, and there who were different from him in every
the philosopher; Rav Shmuel Mohilever, is quite a bit of evidence that it was he, way. He participated in everything relat-
the doer; my father, may his memory be Rav Shmuel Mohilever, who influenced the ing to the settlement of the Land of Israel
blessed, the halachist; and to some extent, baron to support the settlements of the because of his constant awareness of and
Rav Yitzchak Elchanan, the approbator. Land of Israel, ensuring he would have the dedication to a single ideal. For the sake
The first three names were almost always privilege of becoming “the Noted Patron.” of that ideal, nothing was too difficult for
signed on all the posters of the Odessa him, whether preaching to the masses,
Council and on all things relating to Chib- Rav Shmuel Mohilever will be titled in traveling great distances or participating
bat Zion. Sometimes they included the the chronicles of our time as the doer, or in conventions.
name of Rav Yitzchak Elchanan as well. as such is termed nowadays, a practical
However, Rav Yitzchak served more in the politician. Those who heard of him or read The many wars that Rav Shmuel Mohile-
role of one signaling his approval, just as of him imagine that this individual, who ver had to endure, waged by those opposed
he did on several other issues – and his was such a practical man and dealt with to Chibbat Zion, were far removed from
approval was highly valuable, because he people as varied as Dr. Pinsker, Lilienblum, him emotionally. His soul, as it were, was
was a very great authority. Baron Rothschild and Herzl, surely was a untouched by them. Notwithstanding that
“modern” man. One might assume that he he was a practical politician, the world of
Not so the first three. Rav Mordechai was different in appearance from all the action was of little interest to him, and he
Eliasberg, or as they called him, Rav Mor- other rabbis, that he must have known for- had no affinity with politics. He was closed
dechai of Bauska, wrote extensively on eign languages, was liberal in his outlook, up within himself and boldly made what-
the idea of the settlement of the Land of and so forth. Yet in reality he was entirely ever decision he saw fit. He would take
Israel. His book Shevil haZahav (The Golden removed from this imaginary descrip- action but not argue, strive to influence
Path) is a masterpiece in this field. Regret- tion. Very few rabbis, even of the previ- but not seek to wage war against anyone.
tably, he is very little known both in the ous generation, were of such “untended” Though his dedication to Chibbat Zion and
religious world and in Zionist circles. The appearance as Rav Shmuel Mohilever. His Zionism was unparalleled, he had little to
manner in which Rav Mordechai perceived gait was bent, his words few, his manner do with his surroundings. As noted, as the
the Chibbat Zion movement in that time extremely simple, his appearance and garb rabbi of Bialystok he was not particularly
was politically and culturally Zionist in were of the old generation, and he made close with its citizens, nor was he deeply
the fullest sense, as conceived by Zionist not the least effort to spruce himself up – involved with the average members of
rabbis today. In his time, Achad haAm but in his eyes was a bold radiance. the Jewish people. They knew him but
wrote of him and contended with him to little. He was close only to a select few,
some extent, but he understood and appre- When I met Rav Shmuel Mohilever in who were able to appreciate the depth of
ciated his greatness as a deep scholar. My Warsaw, when he came to one of the con- his thought and personality. His practi-
father, may his memory be blessed, being ventions, I expected to meet an activist cal actions reflected only a fraction of his
busy and dedicated to the affairs of the and politician, but instead I discovered unexpressed thoughts.
[Volozhin] yeshiva, committed much time a rabbi and a scholar. He talked with me
and effort to support the idea of the set- not about other matters, but about Torah Notwithstanding the jubilee festivities
tlement of the Land of Israel. He wrote a study, and took an interest in what and held in his honor – and this too was a
few articles about its importance as well where I was studying. It was evident that great novelty in those days – and all his
as many letters, in which he explained of the idea of chibbat Zion, of love of Zion travels and conventions, he was in essence
the idea of settling the Land of Israel in a (in other public matters, his participation an individual more hidden than revealed.

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