THE DETROIT JEWISH NE
— Friday, September 14, 1962
Tribute to Late Mizrachi Leader
Rabbi Judah L. Maimon, Noted Scholar in Our Generation
In America there was born to first day of Tammuz, when the
Jerusalem in 1947 on the occa- ligions he refuted Oft repeated
sion of his seventieth birthday. charge of a so-called theocracy his wife Batyah their only British arrested all members of
It contains a full bibliography in the Jewish state: "We know daughter, Geulah, now a well the Jewish Agency, his was one
of his work under his earlier nothing of a theocracy or the known religious writer, using that created most comment, be-
name and pseudonyms, with establishment of 'a kingdom of the pseudonym Geulah Bat- cause of his struggle against
347 items. They run from 1897 priests.' So far as the State of Yehudah. The daughter watched desecration of the Sabbath and
to 1947. Yet after he reached Israel is concerned, there is no her father's welfare closely, and his defiant attitude toward the
70 the rabbi produced suffi- compulsion to be pious or im- often accompanied him on his British masters. Because of the
cient new material to warrant pious. Assuredly we shall strive tours. Geulah is the wife of Dr. odium this created in the Jewish
publication of a supplementary for a Torah state, but only Isaac Raphael (Werfel), also a world, Maimon was released by
bibliography. Riffling through through democratic, lawful en- widely known writer on mat- special order of the High Com-
on the eve of the Sab-
the pages, one is astounded to actment by the Knesset, and ters religious, presently deputy missioner
bath, Tammuz 13. Most impres-
minister
of
health.
Both
are
discover
how
vast
were
the
con-
through
the
weight
of
influence
RABBI JUDAH L. MAIMON
were his responses to the
tributions of one man to schol- by observant Jews. We seek to leaders in Hapoel Hamizrachi, sive
By SOLOMON KERSTEIN
various
commissions of inquiry
which
he
represents
in
the
literature in half a cen- consolidate religious Judaism
The customary appelation — arly
Knesset. After the most recent and his conversations in Eng-
tury.
in
the
state
under
one
central
land with Bevin and his col-
Sar v'Gadol Nofal b'Israel —
Still fresh in our memory authority; without disparate election, Dr. Raphael was ap- leagues.
following the death of so dis-
pointed
vice-minister
of
health.
communities
under
disparate
tinguished a sage and scholar is the conduct of the British rabbis. This applies to every
Maimon was respectfully re-
Maimon's only sister Ada is
as Rabbi Judah Leib Maimon- Mandatory power, toward the group from the Agudat Israel
ceived by kings and rulers of
end
of
its
rule,
which
im-
the
noted
head
of
Moetzel
is hardly perfunctory. During ,
the Reform segment. My Hapoalot, the founder and con- many nations, among them the
more than 65 years of commu- prisoned Maimon and his to
queries
of Mapai leaders, begin- ductor of the Girls' Agricul- Arab King Feisal.
nal activity, he enriched and colleagues in the Jewish ning with
Ben-Gurion himself, tural School and Farm in Ana-
He was one of the signatories
illumined Jewish life and par- Agency. On the Sabbath the have established
the fact that yot. Her autobiographical work of the proclamation of the Jew-
pious
and
elderly
rabbi
was
ticularly Torah Judaism and re-
a British 'when an Israeli enters a syna- on the story of halitziut in ish state. The signature is
ligious Zionism: he was a forced to ride in confinement,
gogue he goes into one that is Israel recently appeared in an marked by the prefixed abbrevia-
founder and builder of the Miz- police car to his
tion of "with the help of the
b u t characteristically dis- traditional in form and content: English rendition.
rachi movement.
Lord, may He be blessed."
played his obdurate opposi- and when he is concerned with * *
He was a rare combination
tion to the British power. marital matters he consults an
Entire volumes could be writ-
Rabbi Judah Leib Maimon
of scholar and genius, writer "Even the Turks," he ex- orthodox rabbi.' We have no
ten about Maimon as a biblio-
and editor, outstanding for both
fear of epicureans (opikorsim); (Fishman) was born Dec. 10 phile.
claimed
to
the
examining
of-
Researchers and bibliogra-
(Kislev 12), 1875, in • the town
learning and political acumen.
ficers. "never would force me we are afraid only of igno- of Markulesti, Bessarabia. His phers (certainly his son-in-law
Though he disliked the desig- to ride on the Sabbath: and ramuses (amey ha-aratzim)."
father was Abraham Elimelech Isaac Raphael) will through his
nations. he was known as 1 to you, presumed upholders
Maimon created a stir in the
"leader" and "gaon" among his of Scripture, I do not intend religious Jewish community the Scribe, son of Rabbi Mor- collection in the near future en-
associates, and he carried on to yield. You came to this with his book Chiddush Hasan- decai Hacohen Maimon; he mi- rich all branches of Hebrew and
grated to Eretz. Israel, in 1904 Yiddish literature.
his multi-varied activities as un- land a long time after we did. hedrin Bimedinatenu Hamechu-
*
*
and died in Tel Aviv, 1930.
shakable principles.
deshet
—
"Revival
of
the
San-
and my grandchildren will
Undoubtedly Maimon's great-
While
still
very
young,
Judah
Ile therefore was recog-
exist in the land when of you hedrin in Our Revived State." attended the Lithuanian yeshi- est achievement during his final
nized on the right and on the
no trace shall remain."
On his last visit to America vot, studying in Vilna and quarter century was the most
left as a unique personality
in 1951 he made constant ap- Kovnov. He was ordained by distinguished of Jewish publish-
As
a
natural
result
of
his
in the world of Torah and in
and inflexible will Mai- peals for a strong Zionist move- the distinguished Rabbis Solo- ing houses, Moshav Haray . Kook,
the Zionist movement. Even Istrong
, mon encountered opposition in ment.
mon Cohen of Vilna, Isaac Dan- whose headquarters were near
became
Minister
of
after he
every group from the extreme
would
fre-
zig of St. Petersburg, Hillel his home and library. Its work
-
His
opponents
Religion of the State of Is- orthodox to the far left. But
David Hacohen of Rivash, and is now being carried on by
quently
jest
about
Maimon's
rael, he did not retreat from as much as he was strong in
several
resignations
because
of
the
Sephardic Hayyim Hezekiah Rabbi Isaac and Geulah Raphael
his struggle for his objec- dispute he was kindly to all the provocations in the matter Medini. He became rabbi of his and by their only son Shiloh,
tives. He disregarded diplo- men. He - could be a beloved
of religious education and con- home town, serving from 1900 also a disciple of his famed
matic protocol when address- companion and devoted friend,
duct of immigrants' camps. par- to 1905, and until 1915 in grandfather.
various
gatherings
in
the
ing
so that Jews of every grouping ticularly the treatment of im- Ungeni, also in Bessarabia.
The above evaluation, written
"The
historical
spirit of :
enjoyed the warmth of his bril migrant children. But to Mai-
In 1920 he encountered Rabbi but a few days after Maimon's
boundaries of the Land of liant conversation and spark- mon this was all part of his
Jacob Reines, founder of decease, can hardly be complete. ,
Israel must be, as it expressly ling humor. Nevertheless he lifelong war in behalf of a Jew- Isaac
.
Marachi,
who brought him into This man of learning and spirit
written,
"To
thy
children
is
never shrank from a duty how- ish nation returning to a life the founding group. _Maimon will have weighty tomes yet
given
this
land,
from
have I
ever onerous.
of Torah. For reasons of prin- took part in the organizing written in his honor.
the river of Egypt unto the
Old
settlers
recall
how
stren-
i Vilna in 1902, and
The struggle of life is over,
great river Euphrates"' This uously he supported the late ciple he withdrew from leader- gathering in
of his own party, but he attended the 1903 convention in but the man who led the com-
is the path he trod until the Chief Rabbi Kook in maintain- ship
never forsook it ideologically. Lida. At the first World Con- batants for Zion and Torah lives
last day of his saintly life—
ing his religious authority in Said he: "Nothing can detach press of Mizrachi (Pressburg, on in the grateful thoughts of
the eighth of Tamuz. 5722, the land, - and how in general me from Mizrachi. It is not that 1904)
he was elected secretary. all Jewry.
new
in the 14th year of the
I entered into Mizrachi; Miz-
nation of which he was a he supported the idea of a rachi has entered into me."
Rabbi
Maimon took part in all
chief rabbinate. It was after
pioneer and builder.
Zionist Congresses, beginning British Fascist Rally
Kook's
death
that
Maimon
A
separate
chapter
in
Rabbi
On the very day of his death edited three memorial volumes Maimon's colorful career can be with the second in 1898. For Avoids Topic of Jews;
I received the most recent is- called Azkarah, dedicated to the devoted to his part in the many years, from 1935, he
sue of "Sinai," widely known first Chief Rabbi and he also progress of Mizrachi and re- served as a member of the Zion- Suburb Ousts Mosley
monthly of Jewish law and lit- established the scholarly pub- ligious Judaism in America. ist Actions Committee. He was
LONDON, (JTA) — Sir Os-
erature which Maimon founded lishing house known as Mosad Beginning at the time of World the representative of Mizrachi, in wald
Mosley held another rally
a
World Zionist Executive, be-
and edited for a quarter of
Harav Kook.
War I he visited this country the
of his British Union movement
ing
a
vice-president
during
sev-
century. In every issue of this
14 times. on various missions
London's East End and, al-
As one of the Mizrachi lead- for
the Mizrachi world move- eral critical periods; and he Was in
periodical his disciples and ad- ership
though there was hearty and
he was closely associ-
on
the
executive
of
the
Jewish
mirers discovered the acuity of
ated for four decades with ment.
work was concerned loud jeering and heckling, the
work
Agency.
this sage and fount of knowl- his distinguished predecessor,
From
1915
he
was
bound
to
with
religious
matters, and with open-air mass meeting went off
edge; and all felt themselves
without physical incidents.
his spiritual pupils and com- Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan. They fre- Ben-Gurion by strong ties of commerce and labor.
which were main-
The fascist leader himself ha-
panions, thankful for his su- quently conferred and acted to- friendship,
It was in 1912 that Maimon
despite their sharp dif-
rangued his followers in the
preme inspiration. All of us i gether in behalf of the cause. tained
settled
in
Palestine,
as
represent-
ferences
of
opinion,
and
heart of the East End's tradi-
knew that in his final years. Though on occasion they might
because of disability, he was violently disagree, they always when did often rebound to ative of the Mizrachi - Mercaz tional Sunday market area, but,
Olami.
He
established
the
first
constrained to dictate his es- made their peace with each the benefit of the govern- Mizrachi school, Tachkemoni, in in his. 45-minute talk, refrained
It was a decree of the
from mentioning either Jews or
says out of memory alone. other. The details of their re- ment.
Under these circumstances he lationship can be read in the Turkish government that sent Jaffa, and generally developed Negroes. The
area has heavy
•
Mizrachi
education
throughout
in
the
them
both
into
exile
Harav Meir Bar-Ilan, pub-
Jewish and Negro populations.
edited the "Genealogies of the Kitve
the
land.
Arrested
by
the
Turks
Tannaim and . Amoraim," b y lished by the Mosad. Unforget- United States.
The rally was the second at-
after the outbreak of World War
At the third Mizrachi con-
Rabbi Judah ben Kalonymos of table are the words uttered by
Spire. Maimon at Bar-Man's funeral. vention in Chicago (1916) there I because of his Zionist active tempted by Mosley in 18 hours.
ties, and lib e r at e d largely He tried earlier to run a rally
'Now that my chief disputant
Thus, among his many liter- is gone, with whom can I appeared the noted Rabbi Fish- through the efforts of the Zionist in the suburb of Croydon. But
man (later Maimon) and Rabbi movement in America, he trav- about 3,000 persons, shouting
ary achievements, must be reck-
Berlin (later Bar-Ilan). The eled here (with Ben-Gurion), him down with yells of "fascist
oned the six-volume collection quarrel?"
When Maimon took over late Rabbi D. B. Abramowitz and throughout the war years scum," staged a demonstration
of history and folklore bearing
post of Minis- of St. Louis was president; and helped expand the activities of
that forced him to halt the meet-
the title "Saray Hameah." In the important
of Religions in the first Leon Gellman, now head of the Mizrachi and of Zionism in gen- ing. The anti-fascists made his
books
Rabbi
Maimon.
in
ter
these
the
-
Mercaz Olami in Jerusalem. was eral. As soon as the war was remarks inaudible, and attacked
his unione and luxuriant He- Israeli Cabinet, he stirred
general secretary. Together over he took the first available Mosley and his cohorts with
brew style. from his personal community to the utmost to with
re- with these men Maimon fought ship to Palestine. He worked
memories and essays, recon- his revolutionary plan
stones, eggs and firecrackers.
structed the life histories of vive the Sanhedrin. But this the proposition that they unite closely with Rabbi Kook and
Meanwhile, the Rev. Bill Sar-
hope
was
in
no
way
a
revolu-
with the Zionist Federation. It they jointly established the Chief
famed Jewish religious person-
gent, one of the founders of the
tion
to
Rabbi
Maimon,
but
a
is
of
interest
to
record
that
a
Rabbinate.
alities of the last century.
recently formed anti-fascist "Yel-
He contributed all the attri- proliferation of a long pro- year before, at the second con-
In Jerusalem the indefatigable low Star" movement, issued a
jected
program—the
basic
as-
vention,
in
New
York,
the
late
butes of the medieval gaon and
sumption that life in a Jew- Dr. Shemaryahu Levin had of- worker for Mizrachi was made call for an end to violence and
the modern scientific • scholar.
ish state must be founded ficially presented the plan for - the head of the Mercaz Olami. marathan rallies against the
In addition to his works on
For 10 years he edited the major British fascist. movements. He
Jewish law (halakhah) Rabbi upon Torah, and that to im- a complete Zionist unification. weekly periodical of the move- requested, instead, that the "Yel-
plement
Torah
it
must
be
He
proffered
his
plan
on
a
re-
Maimon wrote in the fields of
ligious principle — tefillin must ment, Hator. In 1936 he founded low Star" adherents concentrate
history. biography, and bibliog- established as a vialble Law
for
Israel
and
the
diaspora.
be formed from a single hide. the Mosad Harav Kook — the on circulating petitions, for pres-
raphy. He excelled in editing
Kook Foundation—which entation to parliament when the
His appeals for a new San- To this Rabbi Abramowitz re- Rabbi
literary compilations, historio-
was to publish hundreds of im- House of Commons reconvenes
torted,
"But
the
enclosed
in-
hedrin
were
always
accompa-
anthologies,
and
biograuhical
as the next month, calling for an
nied with the slogan, "A gen- I scriptions must be on separate portant volumes as well Sinai,
periodic writings.
amendment to the Public Order
outstanding Torah Journal,
eration
.which
has
merited
at-
scrolls!"
It
was
this
—
the
will
I have before me a book en-
which
he
edited
until
his
de-
Law
of 1936, banning incite-
state
also
may
to
have
separate
scrolls
—
that
titled "Kitve Harm; J. L. Fish- tainment of - a
cease.
meats
toward
racial
discrimina-
man" (his name before it be- merit attainment of a San- would prevent the movement
On the "black Sabbath" of the lions.
heclrin."
As
minister
of
re-
from
being
swallowed
up.
published
in
came Maimon),