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The gifted Sokolov, a great journalist of our generation and a leader of Judaism during the years of great doubts of the country on its final path to statehood, was, as is well known, a native of Wyszogród and a fruit of its Jewish heritage. We are proud of the great son of our nation who was born in our town and we present here the article by Y. Greenbaum detailing the stages of his greatness and the stages of his growth as a leader.

As it is well known, Sokolov brought to Zionism the profound synthesis between it and Hasidism, thereby preventing the catastrophe of division in the people as they were preparing for their redemption. I. Grinboim highlights this as a sign of Sokolov's greatness of spirit, and it seems to us that Sokolov nurtured this synthesis in his hometown of Wyszogród, which was divided in its opinions and remained united as a community. It is no coincidence that in the reincarnations of his position, Sokolov always remembered Rabbi Chaim Aharon Persht, his distinguished and beloved rabbi, a resident of Wyszogród, who shaped the character of his childhood. The inclusion of Sokolov's chapters in the book of remembrance for the city also highlights the merit of Wyszogród itself.

In the 1870s, Warsaw, the capital of Poland, which was subject to Russia, was the center of Jewish enlightenment and assimilation. Memories of the uprising of 1863, in which Jewish intellectuals fought shoulder to shoulder with Polish nobles against Russia, in which the rabbi of Warsaw participated in bloody demonstrations together with Catholic priests, and it seemed that a pact of peace and brotherhood for all time had been reached between the Poles and the Jews - were still alive in the heart of every Jewish intellectual, while the people were still subject to the rule of the Hasidism and its tzaddikim.

During this period, Nahum Sokolov began his literary work.

An 18-year-old young man came from Płock, where his name had become famous as a gifted person, to Warsaw, and entered the world of the educated, becoming an assistant to Salonimski, who published the Hebrew “HaTsifra” and to Palatin, who published the Polish “Israelita”. It wasn't long before he took over the editing of the “HaTsifra” and in the “Israelita” he was the head of the speakers. He learned a lot and put himself in the forefront of the Polish and European world, while he did not leave the world of the Jews, and instructed them and taught them knowledge and Judaism.

“HaTsifra” was not a newspaper that fought for its opinions amidst a storm of attacks from the old world, against ignorance and Hasidism. The ways of “HaShachar” and even the ways of the “HaMelitz” were not its ways. The reader of “HaTsifra” was not the young man who rebelled and strayed from the paths of life, the young man who evaluated the destruction of his world and sought the way to a new world, not even the educated among the new generation in whom the buds of national and Zionist thought had sprouted.

Most of the readers of “HaTsifra” were from the world of the Hasidim and their youth, to whom no other language than Hebrew was understandable. And these did not rebel, nor did they destroy worlds, nor did they go astray, or little by little and slowly lost their world.

All those early days of Love of Zion, he stood on the sidelines, observing and criticizing, and sometimes mocking the dreams and delusions, especially the Yom Kippur Katan that took hold of the Love of Zion movement. Perhaps unknowingly, he longed for a great activity, for a vision, for a broad and comprehensive plan that penetrates

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to the abyss. Therefore, his heart was drawn to Baron Hirsch's plan, the same first plan that promised a mass exodus to a new land. And it goes without saying that he tried to reconcile it with the love of Zion and to prove that there was no contradiction between these two methods.

Meanwhile, the anti-Semitic movement grew and expanded. The positivity faded out. Day by day, the peace and brotherhood pact that had been made during the rebellion of 1863 and its aftermath waned.

To the arrogant anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism was added for national reasons, and Sokolov became a target for them - the same Sokolov who wrote in Hebrew and was the editor of the “HaTsifra”.

Then Herzl's book The Gospel of the Jewish State appeared - this was the great and bold plan for which Sokolov's soul yearned. But the things that were printed did not appeal to him. Behind them he did not see the man and the act he was capable of doing. He criticized, doubted. Even mocked a little.

And here was the first act: the congress in Basel. A great and grand act like no other. Sokolov still had doubts, but something stirred in his heart. Could this be the act he has been waiting for? He went to Basel. He listened, he observed, he penetrated into the depths of things, he came into contact and conversed with Herzl - and swept away after him. The skeptic who did not appreciate the illegal activities of the Love of Zion, who mocked their smallness, who did not see the nucleus that could grow and expand, became a believer when he saw Herzl, when he heard his words, when he peered into the depths of his plans. He believed in Herzl, in political Zionism, in this organization founded at the First Zionist Congress, he stuck to Herzl and the Zionist Organization and linked the fate of his life to their fate.

Ahad Ha'am left the first congress disappointed and bitter. Sokolov, on the other hand, left it as an enthusiastic believer, as a Hasid who had just found his rabbi after having already given up on finding a leader and guide among all the tzaddikim he knew and learned their ways in Torah and in practice. And not only did Sokolov find his rabbi - if we use the language of Hasidim - in Herzl, but also his country in the Zionist Organization, the opportunity to live a political life, to develop and perfect his political talents, his power and ability to inspire, organize them, lead them towards actions and deeds, to be their leader. Sokolov, who until then spoke every day to his readers using the “HaTsifra” pages about the ways of the world and countries, about the daily troubles of the communities, about the war against anti-Semitism that castrates and denigrates, about acts of charity and salvation, Sokolov began appearing before audiences from all walks of life, began to proclaim to them the news of Zionism.

Thanks to Zionism, Sokolov approached to the people. Thanks to Zionism, his horizons expanded, it gave flavor to his publicist work. His style and manner of explaining changed: they became clear and fresh, European. His publicist talent blossomed, and he became the quintessential Hebrew journalist. However, he did not forget his dyed-in-the-wool readers, the Hasidic and Haredi audiences who remained loyal to him and to the “HaTsifra”. Herzl sought ways to reach this part of the nation and pinned great hopes on his joining the Histadrut. Sokolov addressed the Hasidic and Haredi, the great and honored rabbis, in a series of articles that were later published in a special book. In them, he analyzed the reasons for their opposition, the aspirations of the Zionist Organization, its activities and plans. And all this in his own unique way of explaining. In a way of straightening the crookedness of the heart. With great moderation and caution, he explained to the great and honored rabbis that all their opposition to Zionism and its ways is fundamentally wrong, that sometimes it is nothing more than a fear of order and knowledge and the beauty of life.

When the controversy over Uganda arose, Sokolov stood at the head of those who were primarily concerned with the integrity and unity of the Histadrut. He did not want to get to the bottom of it and distanced himself from any heated controversy, any war that was going on in Herzl's last days and even after his death. In his moderate and cold words, it was as if he were pouring buckets of cold water on our hot heads, and he demanded that the Histadrut, its unity and integrity, be preserved.

The actions and plans may change, but the Histadrut must stand forever and be the subject of the actions and plans. The organization of the people precedes the plan and action. The people may stray in their ways, but if the organization remains here - everything is here.

The first Russian Revolution, which destroyed the Hebrew press, forced Sokolov to move out of his apartment in Warsaw. The “HaTsifra” ceased to appear. It could not withstand the competition of the large Yiddish newspapers. The Haredi and Hasidic audiences also abandoned this newspaper.

Sokolov moved to Cologne and served as the general secretary of the board by Wolfson. In Cologne he founded the “HaOlam”, which served him as a kind of replacement for “HaTsifra”, but it did not take its place either in Sokolov's life or in his literary work. The writer and journalist, who would deliver his speeches to his readers every day, was rejected by the political activist, by the leader of the Histadrut. Sokolov helped Wolfson with his political work, which was renewed with the victory of the Turkish revolution and the rise of the Young Turks to power. He went with him to Kushta, where he participated in negotiations with the new rulers of Turkey and spoke about the Gospel of Zionism to the Sephardic people. However, it was not long before Sokolov left his post.

He moved to Berlin and became one of the leaders of the Zionist opposition. For the first and last time in his life, Sokolov became a member of the opposition and fought its war. However, even in these difficult days, he did not lose his moderation and caution. Whenever it was unbearable for him, he did not go out of his way. That gentlemanliness - or, more precisely, the political authority did not leave him even in his most difficult moments, when he felt himself insulted to death. The opposition triumphed. Wolfson left the leadership of his own free will. Sokolov was elected to the executive committee, to that small working committee in Berlin that wrote the beautiful page in the history of the Zionist movement, the dominance of the Hebrew language in the schools of the Hebrew settlement in Palestine. From this time on, Sokolov did not leave the Zionist executive until the days of the Congress in Lucerne. And the stations of the Zionist movement in its development and progress are the stations of Sokolov's life.

The world war broke out, and great hopes arose in the hearts of the leaders of the movement and the masses, which were strengthened when Turkey joined the war and the fate of Israel was decided. Throughout the movement, especially in management circles, it was felt that the great day was forthcoming,

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that a wonderful opportunity that should not be missed was created - to achieve the goal that had been receding in the years before the war, after several unsuccessful attempts in Kushta. Sokolov moved to London, and together with Weizmann and Chelnov, he began the work of public diplomacy and winning the hearts of the British government officials, of the influential among the Jews, in order to create the necessary conditions for this.

Sokolov participated in all of this with great participation. He traveled to the capitals of Western Europe and North America, to Paris, Rome, Washington and New York, held talks with the governments, received from them declarations of consent to the creation of the national home, to the mandate and its articles that secure this creation. After that, he continued his travels in the countries of Europe, America and Africa, in order to acquire support for Zionism and the means to realize it. He became a member of the household frequent visitor in all the Jewish communities throughout the world, a visitor of the Jewish people in all their diasporas. Whenever excitement and irritation in the polemic of things crossed the line, Sokolov uttered his quiet words as if from the heights of generations of experience, his words mixed with a sharp paternal mockery and a spirit of a noble skepticism hovered over them. Despite all this, what a strong confidence emanated from his words, confidence in the final victory of Zionist truth.

All those days, no one felt that Sokolov was getting older.

He was young and fresh and full of energy and willingness to work. In recent years he returned to his journalistic work, he did not stop his literary work for a moment. He began again to voice his words on the pages of newspapers; in his articles it was felt as if the heyday of his journalistic work in Warsaw before the closing of “HaTsifra” had been renewed. The same clarity and freshness, the same brilliance of the propaganda.

Sokolov was taken from his work, like a commander who never stopped giving orders and guidance, and the enemy bullet pierced his heart while giving his instructions. He was preparing to travel to South America, preparing himself for literary work and working to finish his life's work, the great dictionary of the living Hebrew language. And then death came and took him from us.

1858 - Born in Wyszogród, Płock Region

1861 - Started learning in the cheder when he was 3 years old

1874 - His first article “To the Torah and to the Certificate” was printed in the “HaMaggid” when he was 16 years old

1879 - He became a permanent assistant in the “HaTsifra” when he was 21 years old

1897 - He traveled to the First Zionist Congress as the editor of the “HaTsifra”

1898 - He actively participated in the Russian Zionist Conference

1936 (25 Iyar 5696) - Sokolov died while sitting at his desk when he received horrific news about the bloody events in the Land of Israel.

For many years and about three generations, the people of Wyszogród became acquainted with Reb Chaim Aharon from Kotchek. He was part of the human landscape and one of the shapers of its society. He lived until the age of 92, and every year of his life was a contribution of inspiration and a humorous atmosphere which was so needed to the residents of our city. From him they drew moral stories, jokes, exaltation and morals in different social situations.

This Hasid from Kotchek, who set his sights towards Ger Hasidism just because he thought it is wise “to follow the majority opinion”, always walked with his very long pipe between his teeth, from which he would suck the essence of his wisdom that would interlard his rich stories and with which he would wave his hands from side to side as he spoke. He was a great scholar and ruled on matters that even those in charge of halacha matters were stumped by.

There were families who deliberately turned to him regarding matters of kashrut and meat and milk, because they placed their trust in his rulings regarding halacha matters.

They didn't know much about his private life, but everyone knew the man himself and everyone was interested in his character and fell in love with it.

For years and years, Rabbi Chaim Aharon from Kotchek would pour out the lessons of “Chayei Adam” every evening before craftsmen and others thirsting for the word of God. He loved his audience, and they loved him too. Just as he wanted to sit among Hasidim, so he loved even more to spend whole evenings among these people of labor, who loved their work and hated the rabbinate. Here he felt as if the anvil had found the hammer. After these people had finished their work between mincha and ma'ariv in their homes, they would rush to the Beit Midrash to enjoy the Torah of Reb Chaim Aharon, and just as he was strict and meticulous with light mitzvas as if they were severe mitzvas, here he was among the “simple people” he loved, he lightened their hearts, encouraged their spirits, and took them out of the realm of hard livelihood and brought them into the realm of the Creator of the world, and explained to them is simple words all of the things related to heaven.

Reb Chaim Aharon was known as a storyteller with divine grace, and each of his stories about rabbis and tzaddikim would captivate his listeners, causing them to follow his words with devotion. When he was old and only rarely left his house due to his old age and exhaustion, his audience would gather at his door and enjoy the poignancy of the story and the richness of the language that Reb Chaim Aharon would lavish upon them, and until the end of his life, he kept telling jokes.

There were two things about Reb Chaim Aharon that distinguished him and set him apart from everyone else in terms of simplicity and cordiality. On the one hand, he was immersed in the sea of the Talmud and the depths of the Gefet (Gemara, Perushei Rashi, Tosafot), struggling against their material waves with a kind of seriousness and avoided being in the company of frivolous people. And he considered the seriousness and strict adherence to the halachic laws of life the secret of Judaism's existence and its existence until the coming of the Redeemer.

And on the other hand, he knew the secret of the smile and cordiality, which are necessary for every Jew in the harsh conditions of his life as a life elixir for the individual. The community as a whole will not exist, according to his opinion, unless it scrupulously observes the mitzvas and scrutinizes its unique actions, but the individual as an individual, who must bear the burden of this severity, will not be up to the task unless he is enriched with the splendor of wit, parable, joke, and story.

And Wyszogród, who lived mostly on its craft and, like most working people, rose with him to the heights of beauty and smiles, kindness and grace. And its life of labor suddenly took on a meaning of “it is worth being a Jew”, even a working Jew.

In our articles about Wyszogród and its events in the book, the image of Reb Chaim Aharon Ferszt is portrayed as a figure who greatly influenced the city and its people.

Here is the place to add that Rabbi Chaim Aharon Ferszt was honored to be Nachum Sokolov's teacher and guided him in the beginning of his path in Judaism.

May the memory of Rabbi Chaim Aharon Ferszt accompany us for generations.

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