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R'Yakov Yisrael was a student of the "The Gaon kabbalist Rabbi Yitskhak, chief judge in the court of the holy community of Belza" ("Shevet m'Yisrael" or "A tribe of Israel", paragraph 64, verse 6 and in other places). Evidence his writings – it can be seen that the Magid from Kremenets was proficient in the six orders [of the Mishna], the Midrash and the Zohar. He quotes much from the "Two Tablets" and from the Talmudist R' Shmuel Eydels, also from the book "The tribe of Yehuda".
[Translator's Note: The "six orders" (Sha"s) refers to the Talmud. It is an abbreviation of shisha sedarim. The Zohar is the book of Kabbala (book of Jewish mysticism.Even in the year 1758/9, he was preaching (giving sermons) to the people, as we can learn from his quote: "This parable I gave at my sermon during the burning of the "Mishna", heaven save us, in the year 1758/9". He mentions the official edicts against the Talmud, in connection to the debates against the Frankists in Kamenets and L'viv. He was a witness to the dread engulfing the eastern regions of Poland, when "in 1768, the depraved nation called Kazaks, rebelled against the Polish nation, and murdered the people and the Jews living in the eastern Ukraine, and plundered and pillaged their properties. Then there was a destruction and desolation in the cities of Uman, Tetiyev and other countless towns and villages. Of the two curses, there was not one that did not come true at that time… through His anger, blessed be His name, He remembered mercy as He promised us, and made the rulers of Moscow and Poland have pity on Israel, favoring them by catching the leaders of the rebels and punishing them severely. Then the people of Israel, in their stumbling, had some help; from the far places the refugees returned to their masters, each person to his town and his country; and not much time passed, but the wrath of the "Crocodiles" had not abated; that very winter thousands were slaughtered and those who escaped were deported again, owing to our great sins, and Yakov was very scared and in trouble. A new war had started, then, between the Ishmaelites and the large, strong nation of Moskovi. It was a whirling storm on the rebels, and a balm for the aforementioned present" ("Bundle of Moss", part 2, pg. 22, side 1. See also "A Tribe of Israel" 56, sentence 'a').
The "Two Tablets" (/shin-lamed"heh/, or "Shney lukhot ha'brit") refers to a book of morals by Rabbi Yishaya Hurvits. It was written in the 17th century.][Translation Editor's Note: The town of Belza now is known as Belz. It is located at 50 23 N / 24 01 E, 77.6 miles WNW of Kremenets.]
[Translator's Note: Yakov is another name for the people of Israel. The "nation of Moskovi" refers to Russia.]Afterwards it passed through these districts, and the Magid was forced to flee from Kremenets and stayed for some time in Berestechko. Concerning the epidemic in Kremenets he remarks:
R'Yakov Yisrael provides a lively response to all the general political events, and, especially interesting is his reaction to the first partition of Poland: "and, it came to pass in the year 1772 when my book Shevet m'Yisrael [A tribe of Israel] was published, the land of our birth was partitioned and split to the four winds of the heavens, and from then on, G-d's people are in decline and an activity (the printing of religious books) that hitherto had been increasing, began to decrease more and more. ("Agudat Ezov", or "Bundle of moss" part 3, pg 1, side 1).
[Translation Editor's Note: The translator was unable to translate the passage in this section. I have submitted it to JewishGen's ViewMate for assistance. The problem section is followed by this parenthetical reference.]He continued to be a Magid in Kremenets in the year 1787.
R'Yakov Yisrael lived in the era when the Khasidic movement spread. It is possible that in connection to it and the known 1772 ban in Brody, these words against the study of the "Zohar" and separate "Minyanim" were said: "…. and so, we should consider why such a thing happened in our time. Know for certain that this wickedness came upon us because there is much disease among our people; because the young, who have not yet reached their twenties, keep busy with things that are of world-importance and delve into the depth of the secrets. Even the uneducated among the people, whose bag is empty of bread or a piece of clothing, shaken out and empty of any knowledge, will forge towards the Lord, to seek the knowledge of the "Kabala". And now, because of our many sins, they broke open the fence of the world, and the sealed book is now with the uneducated ignorant, and our faces turned sickly; because of this they had left the straight and narrow, and fell into bad ways and heresy…." ("Shevet m'Yisrael", or "A tribe of Israel", 64, 9). "People who were swordmakers came from nearby, to the World to Come, and they were, each of them, deemed worthy – because they had prayed in a Minyan. Therefore I said, I will uncover their ears, to find fault with those who pray at home, but not with those who pray in a Synagogue." ("Sfat Emet", or "Words of Truth" pg.6, side 2, & pg. 7, side 1)
R'Yakov Yisrael calls against the modern innovations of the time, too. And so he tells of theater houses, wherein amazing things are done with fiery flames and all sorts of serious tricks that the fools almost think are miraculous happenings, and they rush to these games on the Shabbat and the holy days. "I said, fool, what is this merriment, that you violate the Shabbat and forget praying time, as I saw, because of our many sins" ("A tribe of Israel". Pg. 2, side 1).
But R'Yakov Yisrael did not preach for G-d-fearing and piety alone. In his sermons is heard a deep social note. The following parable shows quite a realistic description of the social relations prevalent in the Jewish community of that time: "And we knew as we sensed from the existing morals in the royal court and the ministers, hard decrees are renewed not only on the poor and destitute, but they spread their claws saying that it is on the wealthy too, for the benefit of saving the poor. At the end the poor get trapped while the rich escape. It is like when casting a net upon the water. The small fish get caught, even though the one who spreads the net claims to have aimed for the large ones, and since it is in the nature of the small ones to be bottom dwellers where their food is. And yet, the large ones who swim on the water's surface escape, for when the net is cast they swim down to the bottom, causing the small ones to get scared and to swim away from their [bottom] place upwards where they then get caught." The parable is about this villain who says he is doing it to the wealthy, and it ends by the wealthy ones demeaning themselves, taking the livelihood away from the poor into their own hands, claiming that they are the ones who carry all the burdens. Now all the small ones are caught, and they [the large ones] escaped. It is clear to anyone who is well aware of the ways of the world that ten different interpretations may be found for this parable" ("A tribe of Israel", pg.7, side 1). The Magid opposes all those, who by claiming reforms and protection for the poor, suggest to the rulers plans that will undermine the bases of the economic and sociological life of Jewish society. Whatever their aims may be, the end results will worsen the conditions of the lower economic classes. In truth, given the tense background in the community of his time, it is possible to interpret his parable in "ten different ways", each of which reflects a reality of the time.
There are additional articles, which were said to be written by R'Yakov
Yisrael. Yosef Perl tells in "Bokhan Tsadik" (Prague, 1838, page 70):
"surely you remember that after the death of one shochet who lived in a
village near Przemysl, were found books filled with Kabala and devotion, which
he composed, and that during his life no one knew if he had even a spark of
holiness.
[Page 45]
Some heretics among them [from Galicia] even said that it was the Magid from
Kremenets who had authored the book under the name of said shochet; And, only
because he [the Magid] was not considered important by our sect, did he put out
the word that those treatises had been left behind by this shochet."And he
is referring here to the Magid R'Yakov Yisrael (1803): "I searched in the
bags of my late father, my master, M"O, the great rabbi and famous Magid,
whose name was well known and recognized in all the Diaspora of Israel, our
teacher and rabbi, the Rabbi Yakov Yisrael Ha'Levi, zl"h, and who was a
substitute in the congregation of Kremenets, where he excelled in the Torah;
His fame had spread throughout the Jewish communities, and I found one book and
saw that it was clearly written by one of the wisest kabbalists, of our time,
the Holy Light, no other than the kabbalist in the holy community of Votsina,
our teacher and rabbi, Yitskhak Ayzik who was a shochet in the village of
Zorovitz about a half mile from the community of Przemysl, whose fame had
spread already as a Tsadik unique in his generation, with his book "Raza
m'Hemna", or "Trustworthy Mysteries". From the forward to
R'Yitskhak's book, it would appear that R'Yakov Yisrael also had published a
book, "Raza m'Hemna". The details in Perl's story are similar to
those of R'Yitskhak Ayzik, the shochet from Zorovitz and to those of R'Yakov
Yisrael. We did not succeed in getting the book "Raza Mehimana" in
Jerusalem (according to ben Yakov: Lvov, 1790), so we have no means of
verifying Perl's references.
It is worthy to mention here the fact, which was known many years after R'Yakov Yisrael's death that he was not considered "important" by the Khasidim; and in that connection it is interesting to note the rumors that R'Yakov Yisrael had used the name of an obscure shochet, so that the Kabalistic book which he authored would have readers.
We have given here just a few hints that surely the Magid from Kremenets and
his writings are worthy of attention and even some special research.
[Page 45]
[Translation Editor's Note: A Verst is a Russian measure of length containing 3,500 English feet. It is equivalent to 1.067 km, about 2/3 of a mile.]The authorities, though, had ignored it and did not bother to check diligently. They did not pay attention to honest and forthright people who settled here and in the other towns within this area, because they had compassion for those family heads and did not want to take away their livelihood. But, from among us rose malicious people, and from jealousy or vicious hatred, they wrote letters of accusation to the District Governor about some people who recently had come and settled among us, stating that according to the ancient law, which is current, those people are not permitted to settle here. That resulted in a rapid reply, an order from the governor, to deport from the border of Russia, all the Jews who were not lawfully registered citizens of towns within 50 versts of the border. This order caused a great panic in our town, as there were about 2,000 people like that, including well-to-do merchants, craftsmen and laborers. This is the way of our people; wanting to take revenge on the offenders, they did not bother to think of what it may lead to, that it could harm many and in that way reawaken and bring back the hard decrees that have long been forgotten.
The Jewish holy day comes in privacy, and in privacy it exits.
Next day – It is the holy day of the Christians: Noise and raucousness accompany it; thousands of wagons, myriad colors, and ringing bells; Endless numbers of farm people flooding the streets, the stores and workshops. Smells of tar and resin penetrate every place; Jews' and Christians' voices commingle with curses and blessings, laughter and anger – negotiations and deals in the shops, the streets and on the wagons. The crowding is fierce. Great strength is stored in this people-flood, and if it flows peacefully it brings much good, but when it gets unruly and riotous – much destruction and ruination results.
You never can tell what path it will take, as any market day or fair may turn
out to be a day of loss and misfortune for the Jews. And so, at the end of the
weary day – the town takes a breath in relief: the wagons disappear; the
farmers disappear like locusts that swoop inand disappear suddenly. In the
streets and the markets straw and trash are left over … the Jews are left
alone with ample profits, peace and tranquility returns to the town, the main
street is filled with strolling people conversing warmly in their mother tongue
of juicy Vohlin Yiddish. The town is back to its Jewish looks.
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Mountains of the Virgins |
[Translator's Note: The nickname Teud'ke was after Levinzon's book, "Teuda be'Yisrael".]R'YBL's private letters from that time, written in bitterness, witness in great part the social and economic condition of Kremenets' Jews in his time. In one of them he writes about the people of his town: "The intellectuals are not intellectual and the learners are not learning. Most householders are poor and destitute. What they all have in common is being enveloped in darkness under the Khasidic banner. Some spew nonsense, some are money grabbers, and some tyrannize the population. They hardly make a living by dealing in the local grown tobacco, or the selling of hard liquor. A large number of them are tailors and simple craftsmen who are the only ones making a living by their own labors. Their poverty is great. A Jew who manages to earn 2000 rubles considers himself to be a wealthy man and feels entitled to honor and an important position."
At that time, apparently, the situation for Kremenets' Jews took a deep tumble, as at the end of his letter Levinzon adds "and all this occurred only in the last 40 years".
His bitterness towards the citizens is expressed in a second letter, in which his hostility towards the Khasidim is revealed. He writes: "… every day I hear around me the groans of the wretched poor, exploited by those that tyrannize the people, our brothers the policemen and their commanders. And I hear behind me loud noises rising against serafim, and drinkers of hard liquor, and herds of Khasidim who are dancing in the streets and make a large noise. And many new rabbis driving in carriages, make a habit to visit my town, one arrives and one leaves, and in contrast with them the angels get drunk and say Kadosh …
[Translator's Note: "serafim" translates as "angels. "Kadosh" means "holy" and refers to the prayer that starts "Holy, Holy, Holy …"For his extensive and in-depth works, Levinzon needed books in science and in the wisdom of Israel, which were not available to him in the libraries of the local householders, and he complained bitterly about this. The library of the Lyceum and the private one of Tadius Chatski were a big help to him. The libraries of the teachers also were open to his use. A few of the principals and teachers of the Lyceum kept in personal touch with Levinzon and encouraged him in his efforts towards productivization among the Jews. There is no doubt, that Levinzon's years of activity in Kremenets, in spite of being ostracized, have left its stamp on the life of the Jewish community and many of its citizens.
In due course, to honor him, important visitors, enlightened Jews and Christians gathered in Kremenets to meet with the R'YBL. Even representatives of the government came. All around him were the enlightened intellectuals of the town, including also Gotlover, who settled in Kremenets to be near him.
Levinzon's call for people to move into a life of farming and crafts had resulted in 52 families who declared their desire to move into one of the farming settlements in the Kherson region. Levinzon had corresponded for a long time with the Interior Minister and Governor of Vilna, and eventually those Jews had received land in the region of Kherson and settled there. Among the families mentioned in this correspondence, are some of Kremenets' large-branched ones, like: Basis, Fishman, Barshap, Raykis, etc.
The government's attitude towards Levinzon, and the gifts he received from them, increased his honor in the eyes of the common folks, and out of this background were embroidered legends, which stayed in their hearts for generations.
In the year 1856, while Levinzon lay sick, masked robbers attacked his house
and stole, among other things, his letter-box where his important valuable
letters were saved, among them one from Czar Nikolas the first, written about
his newly published book "Teuda B'Yisrael". The identities of the
robbers were not known. But it was suspected that it was the purpose of the
Khasidim to destroy his writings.
[Page 49]
In 1860 Levinzon passed away. An atmosphere of heavy mourning descended on the
town, and all the stores were closed, and all the town's citizens attended his
funeral. Carried in front of his casket were his works.
Levinzon's students, the town's intellectuals, were the active group among the town's population, and from them grew the local movement of "Khovevi Tsiyon" and "Agudat Khovevi Sfat Ever". The house of Nakhman Prilutski, a close friend of Levinzon, was used as the meeting place for the Hebrew language group. His son Tsvi Prilutski together with Dr. Tovya Hindes and Dr. Pins, were the ones to establish the "Khibat-Tsiyon" movement in town. Many of the Talmudic school's youth were attracted to the movement.
[Translator's Note: Khibat Tsion was a movement to rebuild the land of Israel. It is derived from the words Khiba (fondness or likening); Thus Khibat means "fondness of".]In the pages of the "haMelits" newspaper from the late 19th century, were printed the correspondence of Tsvi Prilutski, and later those of Moshe Idelman, about the large encompassing Zionist activities, about the enlightened intellectuals of Kremenets "who were many because of Levinzon's influence", about intellectual enlightened young women and their national pride among the Christian society, etc.
When Dr. Hindes immigrated to Israel, Prilutski had published his private letters in "haMelits"; those letters are rich with information, and much can be learned from them about the first steps of the settlements, in the fields of labor and education. Tsvi Prilutski moved from Kremenets to Warsaw where he published the newspaper "Dos Leybn"(5) and then The "Moment". For many years, from its establishment to its last day, this paper was one of the most popular among Polish Jews. His son Noakh, a writer and activist in community affairs, was educated in Kremenets. His teacher was a student of Levinzon. Tsvi Prilutski never cut his connection with Kremenets, He had there a large extended family; all of them devoted Zionists. In the early 20th century Dr. Pins left Kremenets also, moving to Bialystok, where he opened an eye clinic whose reputation gained renown throughout Russia and Poland.
[Translator's Note: The newspaper name, Dos Leybn, means "The Life".]The group came apart, but its place on the social stage was filled by the young and energetic, which continued the Zionist activities with enthusiasm and diligence. The most active among them were Moshe Idelman, Dr. Meir Litvak, and Dr. Landsberg, Munye Dobromil, Getsi Klorfayn, and others.
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Remnants of the Fortress on Mt. Bona |
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