An Unknown Chapter of the Rebbe Maharash’s Life

In honor of Beis Iyar, the day of the Rebbe Maharash’s birthday, we present a chapter detailing an ‘unknown chapter’ in the his life where he fought for Jewish education and protecting young Jewish men from being drafted into the army.

by Rabbi Sholom D. Avtzon

Years of Trouble

As difficult as the communal work of the Rebbe Maharash was during the first fifteen years of his nesius, they paled both in magnitude and pain when compared to the problems he had to deal with during the last few years of his nesius, namely, the years of 5641-5643.

Although the ministers were always upset at him for intervening and putting obstacles in the way of their plans of educating the Jews as they desired, by obligating the children to learn secular subjects, as well as forbidding them from learning certain laws of the Torah. In addition they suspected that he was somehow involved in freeing young Jewish men from serving in the army by running away from their family and hometown. Nevertheless, they were not looking to imprison him.

Unlike his father the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, who was under constant surveillance and sometimes was even forbidden from leaving his house or even from speaking to others, the Rebbe Maharash travelled wherever and whenever he desired, even leaving Russia numerous times.

But in the spring of 5441/1881, they were trying to connect him to the Jews who were suspected and charged of helping young Jewish men avoid serving in the army. If they could find that he had some connection to these people, even if they had no proof to show that the Rebbe Maharash was involved in their actions, especially during these two years, the mere affiliation was enough “evidence” to arrest the Rebbe of Lubavitch.

Notwithstanding the suspicion that the officials had against him, he worked feverishly to pressure the government to quell the pogroms that began bursting out against the Jews all over Russia with hundreds and perhaps thousands of Jews being killed. Hundreds of Jewish communities were destroyed and ransacked, leaving tens of thousands of families displaced and destitute as they fled for their, lives leaving all their possessions behind.

Although these problems popped up suddenly and took the Jewish community by surprise, a little knowledge of Russian history will show that it arose as a consequence of the general upheaval that was occurring throughout Russia.

After surviving thirty years of tyrannical rule under Czar Nicholas I, Russians were thrilled that his son, Czar Alexander II, began implementing major reforms. He abolished serfdom and allowed all Russians (besides Jews) to own some land, even guaranteeing their payment.

Their joy slowly turned to frustration as the implementation of these laws was being delayed by many noblemen who desired to hold on to their power. Yes, they sold parcels of land to the peasants, but in some instances they charged such exorbitant prices that it took the worker 20 years of labor to pay it off.

When their demands to speed up the process as well as being granted more freedom and additional rights were ignored, some of them turned to violence, and in March of 1881 the Czar was assassinated.

His son Czar Alexander III succeeded him, but did not continue with his reforms. Fearful of further problems from the people and their demands for complete freedom, he reverted to the ways of his grandfather and ruled with an iron hand. The smallest amount of suspicion against a person was enough reason to arrest him.

Secretly he had to distract the populace from blaming the government for all of their problems. By doing this he would gain time and weaken the momentum of the rebellious movement. So he resorted to the play of “blame the Jew.”

Although the interest rates were set by the government and they received part of it, very often the Jew was the lender and it was he who demanded the payment from the borrower, and it was to him the payment was made. So the Jew was the one who was taking away the money.

This and similar attitudes were being constantly publicized and mentioned in the press, blaming the Jews for their woes (and for killing the Czar). This was enough to enrage the masses and pogroms began breaking out all over Russia. While in some instances the authorities sent soldiers to protect the Jews, often they came too late. And even when they succeeded in stopping that attack, too often the agitators just moved over to attack other towns, bringing chaos and destruction to them there.

THE ATTEMPT TO ARREST THE REBBE MAHARASH

The town of Lubavitch was the place of the Rebbeim for over a century. However, most of the Chassidim, including the greatest of them, lived elsewhere. They taught and guided the Chassidim of their community in the ways of chassidus.

Many chassidishe towns and cities would boast of being  one of the places, or even the best place, for a chassidishe family to be. For example, the townspeople of Nevel would often quote the words of the Mitteler Rebbe, paraphrasing the words of the final chapter of Tehillim, “Halleluhu B’neivel—He is praised in Nevel.”

During the Nesius of the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzeddek and of the Rebbe Maharash, one of the towns that gained such prominence amongst chassidim was the town of Staradub. Under the guidance of their outstanding Rov, HaRav Neimark, they even opened up a yeshiva, which had almost one hundred bochurim (students).

A Yeshivah of even twenty or thirty bochurim was a rarity, yet here there was a big yeshiva where they were taught both Nigleh and chassidus. It was indeed something to boast of. Jokingly, they would say, “Ki Mitzion Teitzei Torah U’ Dvar Hashem M’Staradub.”

However, although the Rov and the vast majority of the Jewish inhabitants were chassidim of the Rebbe Maharash, there were a few maskilim who lived there as well. One such person happened to also be the richest person in town, living in one of the very few brick mansions in the town. He was infuriated that the chassidishe Jews were the vast majority on the council and that they always ignored or voted against his proposals, which were always based on the agenda of the maskalim.

At one meeting he refused to accept the fact that he was being outvoted once again and began berating the community. Just as he lost his temper, a member of the council lost his patience with him and told him, ”We heard you and voted. Now you must listen to us!” The exchange heated up, as he threatened that this would not be the last time they would hear from him. “I will definitely let you and everyone know who I am!” Hearing this, he was shown the door, which just infuriated him even more, and he resolved to become an informer against his own people.

Being anti-religious, he had built his mansion in the main non-Jewish neighborhood of the town and his tenant was none other than the prosecutor himself. So one evening that week, as he sat down for his regular chit chat with his neighbor, to the prosecutor’s astonishment and delight, he began enumerating the illegalities of the Jewish community.

Most of it was small stuff; things that the prosecutor knew were exaggerations of his landlord’s bitterness. But then his ears perked up as he described in detail how the Jews illegally obtained exemptions for their sons from serving in the army.

He began listing names: “The community claimed and even signed a document that so and so, who was to be drafted, passed away. Yet in reality, he is alive and well, living a normal life in the nearby town. It is true that the Rabbi’s son who evaded the draft is not in town; however, it is not true that he ran away on his own. Rather, the Rabbi of the town is in charge of an entire network, arranging these disappearances and assisting the young men in their places of refuge.

“The local yeshiva here is home to such draft evaders,” he continued. “Additionally, everything that is being done and all of those involved in this illegal activity are followers of the Rabbi in Lubavitch.”

This was big news for the prosecutor. If he could prove that Rabbi Schneerson was indeed involved in this rebellious activity, he would become famous and gain recognition amongst the noblemen, and perhaps even get a promotion!

So he immediately sent a few officers to the nearby town to ascertain if the boy mentioned was living there. If yes, they were to arrest him and bring him back.

As soon as they came back with the arrested person, a witch-hunt against the Jewish community began. The Rabbi together with the twelve people who had signed stating that this young man had died were arrested and thrown into jail. All the people whose sons had disappeared from the city to avoid serving in the army were called in for another interrogation and many of them were arrested.

Each arrest brought additional fear and trepidation. No one knew who was the next suspect, especially as people who had no association with this activity were also being questioned and arrested. After a few months there were eighty men imprisoned, and everyone realized that the government was looking for something much bigger than these individual people. They were looking for an organization and its leader, and all indications were that they were trying to zero in on the Rebbe.

As noted, the Rov of the city, Horav Neimark, was one of the first to be arrested. Although the warden, as well as most of the gentiles of the town, had tremendous respect for him and therefore made special accommodations for him in the prison, nevertheless, he had to remain imprisoned and couldn’t be placed under house arrest.

During his frequent interrogations, he was often asked, ”Why do you travel to Lubavitch?” The implication of this question was clear. They wanted him to say that he had discussed his activities with the Rebbe, their prime target.

So he replied, “There is a Jewish tradition to pray by the gravesite of the very righteous, and being that I was a follower of the great Tzaddik, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, and then of his son Rabbi Yehuda Leib, who has also passed away, I have no one to guide me anymore. So I pray by the gravesite of the great Rabbi of Lubavitch on behalf of my community.”

Obviously, he denied having any association or correspondence with the Rebbe Maharash, although he continued maintaining a correspondence with him even while in prison. He concealed the true recipient of those letters by addressing them to “my dear and beloved uncle.”

In one of his replies, the Rebbe Maharash informed Horav Neimark that his father [i.e., the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek] had informed him that he would ultimately be exonerated.

His ordeal continued for over a year and a half, concluding a month after the histalkus of the Rebbe Maharash, and he was completely exonerated of all charges. When he was freed, people asked him why he accepted all the blame upon himself.

As a true chassid he replied, ”It would be better that I sit in prison for over eight years than for the Rebbe to be brought in for questioning and interrogation for even one day!”

So it was his devotion to the Rebbe that spared the Rebbe from being accused and imprisoned.

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Presented by the United Lubavitch Yeshiva – Ocean Parkway in appreciation to the community’s support in their upcoming Chinese Auction, this Sunday. Their selection of impressive prizes can be viewed and purchased at ULYAUCTION.COM

This chapter was written by Rabbi Sholom D. Avtzon a melamed in ULYOP. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com