[1]

By Reb Avraham Abba Persan

(Compiled From The Previous Rebbe's Diary And Letters)[2]

The chassidic Vilenkes[3] brothers - Reb Moshe and Reb Zev Volf - were descendants of a prominent family in Vilna. When the Alter Rebbe made his third or fourth trip to Vilna, in the year 5541 [1781], the chassidic gaon and master of wisdom, Reb Moshe [Vilenker], was already a young scholar with outstanding abilities. He told the Rebbe all the conceptual difficulties that had perplexed him during his studies. When the Rebbe answered each of his questions in order, the young scholar became a follower of the Rebbe.

Two months after the Alter Rebbe's departure from Vilna, the young scholar left home in secret. He traveled on foot to the Alter Rebbe in the city of Liozna. When he arrived, the Rebbe assigned him a place among the students of the first cheder,[4] because of his outstanding abilities.

When the Rebbe discovered that Reb Moshe had left home in secret, without his wife's permission, he refused to allow him to continue studying in Liozna. He insisted that Reb Moshe first return home and obtain his wife's consent, as required by law.[5] Reb Moshe begged the Rebbe to allow him to remain for half a year, and the Rebbe acceded to this request.

More details of Reb Moshe's biography are written in my diary for the year 5659 [1899], as I heard them from the elderly chassid Reb Aharon of Dubravna.

The chassid Reb Zev Volf [Vilenker] was ten years old when his brother Reb Moshe suddenly disappeared. Though he returned a half year later, he remained for only two weeks. He took his wife and his two sons, and moved away from Vilna. His excuse was that G-d had sent him a business opportunity in the vicinity of Vitebsk.

The chassid Reb Zev Volf told his granddaughter's husband, the chassid Reb Avraham Abba Persan:

"For the next fifteen years, I had no idea what had happened to my brother Reb Moshe. But one day I discovered that my brother was among those who had the unique privilege of being disciples of the Maggid of Liozna. Having lived all my life among misnagdim, this news caused me great anguish during the next two or three years.

"When the Alter Rebbe was arrested and taken to the Imperial Capital, my friends all celebrated it as a holiday. I myself was saddened by this event, for I had heard of my brother Moshe's broad knowledge of the Torah, his fear of Heaven, and the praises heaped upon him by the Torah giants of Vilna. And so, when he chose the Maggid of Liozna as his Rebbe, I was convinced that the Rebbe must be a very great person.

"After the Rebbe's release from prison, the chassidic community of Vilna grew in strength, and I visited them from time to time. I made my first trip to the Alter Rebbe after he settled in Liadi, and I remained there for nine months. It was there that I was reunited with my brother Reb Moshe, after a twenty-year separation."

The chassid Reb Moshe was cherished by the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek. He was very dear to him, for he repeated to him the Torah discourses he had heard from the Alter Rebbe when he first arrived in Liozna. Because of this, the Tzemach Tzedek acceded to Reb Moshe's request and studied with his brother Reb Zev Volf twice a week, reviewing with him and explaining the chassidic discourses delivered by the Rebbe each Shabbos. According to a story told by the chassid Reb Avraham Abba Persan during the summer of 5652 [1892], the Tzemach Tzedek was about sixteen years old at the time, while Reb Zev Volf was about thirty.

The following is a story that Reb Avraham Abba Persan quoted from his "father-in-law's father-in-law", illustrating the love with which chassidim bore their suffering:

One day, I was walking along an alley in the poor people's neighborhood of Vilna. It was my habit to visit them occasionally, to fulfill the mitzvah of giving charity anonymously.

As I passed a house whose windows were very low, reaching to the ground, I heard the sound of joyful singing. I assumed that they must be celebrating a bris milah or a wedding, and so I entered to partake of the feast held in celebration of the mitzvah.

Upon entering, I saw about twenty people sitting crowded together, for the room was very small. On the table lay a loaf of black bread, a bottle of whiskey, and some small cups.

Most of the participants were dressed in tatters, their faces lean and emaciated. Nevertheless, they sang with such joyful voices that I was greatly impressed.

Among the participants sat a tall, thin man, whose face was barely visible. His head and most of his body were wrapped in a towel. From time to time, a sigh escaped his lips, apparently from his painful injuries. Nevertheless, his joy was greater than that of the other participants. I sat near the door and turned to the person sitting next to me, asking, "Is this repast being held in celebration of a mitzvah?"

"Yes," replied the man, "it's a feast in honor of a mitzvah."

"Who is the host of this repast?" I persisted in asking.

"That man, seated at the end of the table," he replied, pointing with his finger at the man wrapped in the towel.

When they finished singing, they began to wish each other LeChayim! At that point, I realized that the whole assembly consisted of members of "the cult." I was aware that my brother Reb Moshe had become a fervent chassid, fiercely attached to his Rebbe. Deep in my heart I held my brother Reb Moshe in great esteem, and so I was glad of the opportunity to observe the cult in person.

They offered me a glass, which I took, and recited Shehakol. Then, not knowing the exact cause for the celebration, I simply declared aloud, "Mazel Tov to the host of this celebration, Mazel Tov to everyone present!"

"Blessings upon you!" replied the host and everyone present, as they continued their singing.

When they finished the song, I stated that I too wished to have a share in the feast, by contributing a few pennies toward the purchase of some sweets or salads. But they refused to accept my offer, saying that if they did so they would lose a good thing.

"What sort of good thing could you lose by eating some salad or sweets at a feast held in honor of a mitzvah?" I inquired.

"The only genuinely good thing, the plain bread and all the blessings that go with it," replied one of those present. He then resumed singing, and was joined by the others.

I remained at the gathering for two hours, and heard some teachings that they repeated in the name of their Rebbe and mentor.

Finally, I also learned the reason for the celebration: The man wrapped in the towel - whose name was Reb Shimon Chayim - was a relative of the famous Reb Meir Raphael's.[6] He had been an outstanding young scholar, and a disciple of Reb Eliyahu, the Gaon of Vilna.

A few years earlier, he had joined the cult and become a chassid, assembling groups of people and teaching them Chassidus. Two days earlier, a gang of young scholars of the misnagdim had seized him and brutally beaten him. This feast was being held to celebrate his great privilege in being beaten on account of Chassidus.[7]

The joy that chassidim felt because of their suffering on account of Chassidus, and the love and brotherhood that prevailed among members of the chassidic circle of Vilna, gave me no rest. Little by little I became attracted to them, until finally, I myself became one of their younger members.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) From HaTamim, issue No. 6, pp. 92-94. Appeared as part of the story of Reb Gavriel Nossai Chein, and the Previous Rebbe's remarks to the accompanying letter, pp. 8-12. The letter and the notes themselves are translated in Appendix B.

2. (Back to text) [See article on Reb Chayim Yehoshua, note 2. Note that R. Avraham Abba is occasionally referred to in the third person in this article.]

3. (Back to text) [The names "Vilenker," "Vilenkin," and "Vilenkes" are used interchangeably.]

4. (Back to text) See Issue No. 2 of HaTamim, "Fathers of Chassidus," section 12.

5. (Back to text) [See Kesuvos 61b, 62b.]

6. (Back to text) [A prominent citizen of Vilna, and the chief benefactor of the congregation.]

7. (Back to text) [Another story illustrating the same point appears in the biography of Reb Avraham Abba Persan, in the next chapter.]