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engaged him in conversation. When he responded, his words
were carefully chosen and thoughtful. Clearly, he lived what
he wrote in his books about guarding one’s speech!”

When Herzl burst onto the scene, Rav Nissenbaum quickly
developed a warm relationship with the legendary leader,
often serving as the line of communication between Herzl
and the members of Chovevei Tzion. He had no qualms
about working together with the “secular” Herzl and others
like him on behalf of the Zionist cause, resolute in his own
beliefs but also deeply respectful of others. At the World
Zionist Congress, Herzl felt comfortable enough to join
Rav Nissenbaum and some of the other religious delegates
for Shacharit at a local shul, where Herzl was honored with
the Levi aliyah. After davening, as Herzl schmoozed and
laughed with Rav Nissenbaum and the other men at the
shul, someone asked him: “Our honored doctor, are you
really a Levi?” Herzl smiled and said: “I know I’m definitely Petach Tikvah, 1911
one of the three!” Rav Nissenbaum decided the time had come to see the
While sitting in an attorney’s waiting room, Rav Nissen- Holy Land for himself. He embarked on an arduous journey
baum bumped into Mendele Mocher Seforim, the “grand- to Eretz Yisrael that became, unquestionably, the greatest
father of Yiddish literature”. In the course of their conver- experience of his life. Over the course of his trip, he would
sation, Rav Nissenbaum innocently asked him if he was visit nearly every Jewish town and settlement throughout
considering making Aliyah. Mendele’s response was epic: the Land, copiously recording his impressions and insights
“He stood up from his chair, paced around the waiting along the way. A third of his autobiography is dedicated to
room, then stood in front of me and yelled angrily: ‘What? this journey, providing a critical historical record of life in
Me, move to Eretz Yisrael? In my Eretz Yisrael, King David is the early Yishuv.
still sitting on his throne and playing his harp, the prophet Upon disembarking from his ship at the port of Jaffa, Rav
Yishayahu is still standing at the gates of Jerusalem rebuk- Nissenbaum was pained to find non-Jewish workers speak-
ing government ministers for their sins, the Temple still ing languages he did not understand. “Strange, strange,
stands and the Levites are playing their trumpets and strange! Strange languages, strange people, strange cus-
cymbals! And now? Oy vavoy! I’ll come to Jerusalem and toms. But in my heart I felt a sweet joy, for my feet were
see that all of this is merely a golden dream. And then what now walking upon the Land of my fathers! I raised my head
will I do?’” In other words, the famous writer’s attitude was in pride and looked all around me. Who are these people,
similar to that of many religious Jews in our time, who and what connection do they have to this place? I am the
only plan to make Aliyah when Mashiach comes and Israel son of the Master of this Land, and I have returned home
finally lives up to their expectations!
to my Father’s embrace!”
Old friends and study partners from their time in the Rav Nissenbaum’s tour of the Land was eye-opening. Roads
Volozhin Yeshiva, Rav Nissenbaum and the famed poet were decrepit or non-existent, and he was forced to travel
Chaim Nachman Bialik remained close throughout the rest by donkey for several days over barren and rocky hills.
of their lives. In the early 1930s, shortly before his death, While traveling to the new settlement of Rechovot, he
Bialik returned to Warsaw and spoke at Rav Nissenbaum’s spotted a young Jewish laborer hoeing the tough ground,
Moriah synagogue. After Rav Nissenbaum’s warm intro- preparing the land for planting. The sun and heat were
duction, Bialik told the crowd that “since the time of Rabbi intense, and sweat streamed down the man’s face into his
Yehuda HaLevi until today, no man of Israel has arisen eyes. His hands were filthy, his face covered with dirt, and
who has studied, spoken and preached about the love of his clothing completely soaked through with sweat. Awed
Zion and the building up of the Land like Rav Yitzchak by the young man’s herculean efforts, Rav Nissenbaum
Nissenbaum!”
developed a new appreciation for the laborers of the new
Yishuv who were building up the Land of our fathers with
A life-changing journey to the Holy Land blood, sweat and tears.
Sadly, Rav Nissenbaum’s personal life was marred by a In the pre-air conditioning era, the heat was oppressive and
succession of tragedies. In 1899, his beloved only son, Avra- inescapable. While staying in Teveria (Tiberias), he – and
ham Yosef, passed away. His wife, shattered by the loss, everyone else in the city – slept on the roofs of their homes
passed away a few years later, leaving him broken and to find some relief from the heat. In a settlement in the
alone. In 1905, bereft of family and seeking to start anew, Galil during the heat of the summer, his host served him

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