Shedding light on one of the most historic moments of the chassidic movement: Rav Yisroel of Ruzhin’s daring escape from Russia to his rebuilding in Sadigura
Photos Kedem Auction House, Jerusalem
Shabbos parshas Bo, January 15, 1842. Iasi, Moldavia. The horse and carriage are ready for departure. The French passport issued that morning is in order, and the small party immediately hits the road, haste and secrecy the watchword of this daring escape. For the passenger is none other than one of the greatest chassidic tzaddikim of the time, Rav Yisrael Friedman, “the Heilige Rizhiner.”
The story of the Ruzhiner Rebbe’s escape from Russia and subsequent resettlement in Austria has always been something of a mystery. I was always intrigued by the dramatic tale, an anomaly in the annals of the chassidic movement. Much was known and yet much was missing, while an entire gamut of books attempted to reconstruct the story — with limited success.
The memoir of Reb Yosef Roth, the Rebbe’s loyal gabbai, Rabbi Dr. Menachem Brayer (the current Boyaner Rebbe’s father) in his The House of Rizhin, Professor David Assaf’s voluminous writings on the dynasty, and the writings of several others, all added significant, little-known details to the story of the Ruzhiner’s life and the glorious dynasty that followed.
And yet pieces of the puzzle were still missing. Imagine, for one of the most famous and important leaders in the history of chassidus, an entire chunk of his story is unknown: How did the Rebbe obtain the appropriate travel documents enabling him to cross the border? What did the Austrian officials want from him when they investigated him upon arrival? Why wasn’t he deported back to Russia? When exactly did the border crossing take place? How and when did the Ruzhiner come to choose the town of Sadigura as his new home?
Create a free account to keep reading.
