56 Friday, September 16, 1977 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Late Gerer Rebbe's JERUSALEM—When Rabbi Yisrael Alter, the 82- year-old spiritual leader of the Gerer Hasidim:died re- cently, some 60,000 of his followers, mostly in the tra- ditional black caftan and hat of the Hasid, converged upon Jerusalem. In sober si- lence they followed the body, of their revered rebbe through the main streets of Jerusalem, through the sub- urbs of East Jerusalem and onto the Mount of Olives where Rabbi Yisrael Alter was laid to rest, writes S. Z. Herbert in the Israel Di- gest. Historian Cecil Roth de- scribes Hasidism as a revi- valist movement which sprang up among Jews in 18th Centruy Poland and eventually permeated all sections of Jewish society. Its first leader, Yisrael Ben-Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov (Master of the Good Name), stressed piety over scholarship. He taught that any man, no matter how ignorant, could reach communion with God through spiritual exaltation and abandonment of his sense of self. Disciples gathered around the Baal Shem Tov and their stories of his great- ness and accomplishments spread. The concept that tzadikim (Righteous Ones) could intercede on behalf of men developed as well as a hereditary tzadikate of great rabbis who served as intermediaries between man and God. At first, traditional Jewry opposed Hasidism as a deviant movement. Through time, as Hasidism became more traditional, their opponents became more tolerant and the bitter antagonism receded. The warmth and heartiness of the Hasidim is credited by some with having melted their opposition. They were convinced that every deed is sacred if performed with joy. Prof. Howard Morley Sacher has described Hasid- ism • as having elements which are superstitious, primitive and crude, while others which are beautiful and meaningful including their warm and wholesome camaraderie. Martin Buber gave his in- terpretation of the essence of Hasidism in these words; : "In spite of intoler- able suffering man must en- dure, the heartbeat of life is holy joy, and that always and everywhere, one can force a way through to that joy — provided one devotes oneself entirely to his deed." By the 19th Century, a majority of Eastern Eu- ropean Jews were HaSidim. Before the Nazi Holocaust engulfed Europe, one of the largest Hasidic groups was that of the Rebbe of Ger (a suburb of Warsaw), whose following numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Many Gerer Hasidim per- ished in the Nazi Holocaust, including Rabbi Yisrael Alter's first wife and chil- dren. He, his two brothers, and his father, barely suc- ceeded in getting out of Eu- rope, and establishing them- selves in Jerusalem, where the elder Rabbi Alter died during the days of struggle to establish the state of Is- rael. In 1948 Rabbi Yisrael Alter succeeded his fater as leader, of the Gerer Hasi- dim, undertaking the task of maintaining the rem- nants of his followers. He was always aware of erusalem Work Recalled The late Rabbi Yisrael Alter. his tragic role as leader of the remnants of a once- great Hasidic house, the protector of a tradition that had all but been destroyed. He encouraged his disciples in Israel and in other Jew- ish centers around the world to maintain the tradi- tional garb of their fathers, to study the classical works of Gerer Hasidism, and to adhere to the customs and practices of Polish Ortho- doxy. At the same time, he was considered "modern" and outward-looking in the con- text of post-war ultra-Or- thodoxy, an Orthodoxy which others turned in- wards, shunning the unfa- miliar and unsheltered world of the West. He was active behind the scenes in religious politics in Israel, and exercised ef- fective control of the Agu- dat Yisrael party through his leadership of its "Coun- cil of Sages." With his crisp mind add sharp wit, Rabbi Alter gained a reputation - for wis- dom and good counsel that extened far beyond the con- fines of his own court. His advice was sought on personal, financial -and other matters by people of all shades of religious obser- vance and from all walks of life. Twice a day he would re- ceive people in private au- dience, and the long lines outside his door always rep- resented a broad cross-sec- tion of Israeli society; with soldiers, workers, business- men and others alongside the bearded Hasidim. The line moved quickly. Some came for a blessing, some for advice, some for help. Each was received and ap- peared to go away satis- fied. Part of the Hasidic tradi- tion is that of disciples tell- ing of wonders performed by their Tzadik, wonders which defied natural laws, or at least, appeared to defy natural laws as under- stood by the disciples. The Gerer Rebbe dis- claimed any wondrous powers and disapproved of stories alleging his "mira- cles." Nevertheless, they were, and are, circulated. Many could be heard among the mourners who followed the rebbe to his final resting place. Once, two Jerusalemites from a Sephardi back- ground came to the Rebbe's court. The first recalled to Rabbi Alter that he had been to see him seven years earlier, upset be- cause he and his wife did not have any children. He asked the rebbe's blessing so that they would have a son. The rebbe had" told the man to go to Tiberias and pray at the grave of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess (A "won- der" rabbi buried near Ti- berias many centuries His diciples praised hi si) ago.) This the man. and his charisma, his simplicity, wife did. his warmth, his ability to At the grave, after pray- ing and reading psalms, the bring Jews together with each other, including Hasi- I man had fallen asleep and dreamt that Rabbi Meir ap- dim and their opponents, de- peared before him and vout Jews and secular started giving him valuable Jews, his love, his wisdom jewelry. He rejected it, and understanding and in•PI saying "I want a son." sight. Even opponents of Ha- sidism were honored to be Rabbi Meir had replied, close to _ him. "You will have three daugh- He ruled his court in Je- ters, and then a son." rusalem, the five Gerer This had occurred seven yeshivot, and the dozens of years ago. And, so it had affiliated centers around been, the guest told the the country with iron di.•.4 Gerer Rebbe. After giving cipline, demanding an unos- birth to three daughters, his tentatious life of study and wife had recently given work from his Hasidim. birth to a son. Now, he had Boys and young men were come with his friend who was childless, the friend expected to rif. Ilk re dawn every day,:. .. ue seeking the blessing of the their studies — the rebbe. rebbe himself would often A rabbi once went to the make surprise visits in the Gerer Rebbe for a blessing small hours to ensure that ' before setting out on an ex- this was the case. tended trip abroad. The Until his later years, heii Rebbe surprised the peti- would take long dawntime tioner by telling him not to walks through Jerusalem; travel. So, the petitioner re- and early risers in far-flung mained in Jerusalem. Some suburbs would often greet-4 time later, his father fell him, striding along, swing- very ill, and only the care - ing his stick, his young aide tendered by the son was panting to keep up. - credited with saving his His 80-year-old brother,_* life. The the rabbi under- Rabbi Simah Bunim Alter,_ stood, "Thanks to the succeeded to the Tzadikate Gerer Rebbe I was here to of the Gerer Hasidim save my' father." (Rabbi Yisrael Alter's chil-.4 dren all perished in the - Disciples of the Gerer Holocaust.) Rabbi Simha. Rebbe said of him that a Alter's son, Rabbi Yaacov, very sick person needs a is considered the next in great doctor. For the gener- line. ation that survived the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi . Holocaust, a truly great Shlomo Goren issued a rabbi . was needed. And this statement mourning the was the Rebbe of Ger. Gerer Rebbe as "a great The stories are many. Not only did Rabbi Alter spiritual light to the nation..., of Israel...the teacher of rebuild the Gerer Hasidim tens of thousands of Hasi- in Israel, he also attracted dim, the Ark of the Lord, fa- the remmants of disciples ther of Polish Hasidism, the _ of other Hasidic groups glory of the people and the whose tzadikim had per- Torah." ished in the Holocaust. . Hebrew U. Dig -Unearths Rem atns of Timna JERUSALEM—Remains Mazar. archeological field identified with Timna. the director. The four-week Philistine city where Sam- project was conducted with son courted Delila and slew a 40-member staff and vol- a lion. have been uncovered unteer work force from the by archeologists working in United States and- Israel. collaboration with the In- The excavations revealed stitute of Archeology of the a Canaanite city which was Hebrew University of Je- destroyed by fire near the rusalem. end of the late Bronze Age The, team has just con- (circa 1200 B.C.E.). The cluded its first season of ex- building remains of the Ca- cavations at Tel Batash. naanite city included a part The tel, located in the of a large public building Sorek Valley, seven kilome- and a defensive city wall. ters west of Beit Shemesh, Among the finds were a Ca- is the site of the biblical naanite cylinder seal, city of Timna. bronze tools and weapons, The expedition. sponsored and typical Canaanite pot- by an institutional con- tery vessels. sortium, including New Or- leans Baptist Theological On the ruins of the Ca- Seminary. Mississippi Col- naanite city. remains of Phi- lege and Louisiana College. listine occupation were dis- in collaboration with the covered. Floors. ovens. Hebrew University's In- silos and typical Philistine stitute of -Archeology, was pottery shards were recov- under the direction of *Dr. ered. George L. Kelm. expedition. During the latter part of director. and Amihai the Iron_Age (the period of the Israelite monarchy- 10th to Seventh centuries B.C.E.). a fortified city ex- isted on -the site. A mas- sive. four-meter wide city wall and the city gate were exposed during the excava- tions. The city gate was a large complex about 16 meters square. On both sites of the wide central pas- sage. three piers created guard rooms. The gate was destroyed and reconstruct- ed according to a modified plan towards the end of the Israelite period. A well-protected ramp led to the city gate along the eastern slope of the tel. The importance of this border city between Philistia and Judea is emphasized in the biblical account of its cap- ture by the Philistines dur- ing the reign of King Ahaz, and its mention in the ac- count of Sennacherib's cam- paign through Philistia in 701 B.C.E. Part of the 60,000-strong funeral entourage which fol- lowed Rabbi Alter's body through the streets of Jerusalem is shown above.