S.A. JEWISH OBSERVER May, 1964
"You do not erect memorials for the Tzadikkim. Their words are their memorials".
(Yerushalmi, Shkalim). This is a tribute which Rabbi Dr. M. Kossowsky paid to
one of his famous teachers, Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzenski on his 20th yahrzeit. The
tribute he paid to a sage "whose memory will live for generations" is also now
his own tribute [republished after Rabbi Dr. M. Kossowsky Petira in 1964]
Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzenski
(On his twentieth Yahrzeit, 5 Av 5700 - 5720)
By Rabbi Dr. Michel Kossowsky
[Rabbi Dr. Michel Kossowsky zt"l on left with Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski zt"l center]
ON FRIDAY morning, the 5th of Av, in the year 5700 (9th
August, 1940), in a little summerhouse on the outskirts of the city of Vilna
departed this life the last Rav of Vilna and the last in the line of "Chachmei
Vilna" — HA'GAON REB CHAIM OZER GRODZENSKI.
Dark clouds covered the horizon of Vilna Jewry, which was tense with foreboding.
The city had only recently again changed its political regime - for the third
time in ten months. When Polarta fell in September 1939, Vilna together with the
whole of Eastern Poland, was occupied by the Russians and incorporated into the
Soviet Union. That was part of the infamous friendship. pact between Hitler and
Stalin who divided between themselves the wreckage of Poland.
A month later Russia let it be known that she had "donated" Vilna and its
environs to the then independent and neutral Lithuanian Republic, as an
expression of "true friendship". In return, however; she demanded militia bases
in Lithuania. Thus Vilna became part of the free and sovereign Republic of
Lithuania. The citizens of Vilna and particularly the Jewish population greeted
this happy change in their fortunes with great rejoicing.
Tens of thousands of refugees from the Soviet part of Poland risked their lives
to smuggle across the newly-established and faintly-marked border, in order to
find safety and political asylum in the freedom of Lithuanian democracy.
However, eight months later, in June 1940, a well-prepared Communist coup d'état
took place, and Lithuania became a Communist Republic. Vilna again became Part
of the Soviet Union and the N.K.V.D. (the dreaded Russian Secret Police)
reoccupied their headquarters in Pohulanka Street.
The thousands of refugees from the former Russian territory were in a state of
panic, and the rest of the Vilna population also lived in constant fear.
A CENTRAL FIGURE
In this general confusion and bewilderment, everyone's eyes instinctively turned
to the central figure of Vilna Jewry, the Gaon Reb Chaim Ozer, who for half of a
century was the spiritual leader and spokesman of world Jewry.
The knowledge that Reb Chaim Ozer was here and was in contact with the rest of
the world, gave confidence and a certain sense of security. For many years all
had grown used to the idea that if any trouble happened they would go over to
"the Rebbe", or, as others called him, "Reb Chaim Ozer", or; just "Chaim Leizer"
as the broad masses of ordinary people used to refer to him endearingly, and he
would give the right advice or find a way out.
Few knew how gravely ill the Gaon was already then, because, notwithstanding his
failing health, he worked tirelessly. Dozens of people passed through his room
daily and everyone came out with his request fulfilled as far as possible.
The war had created new complications and raised colossal problems, and Reb
Chaim Ozer was the person around whom all those in need, individuals as well as
institutions, grouped. He was the only contact with the free world, and with
world Jewry.
THE LAST MOMENTS
A few weeks before his death, Reb Chaim Ozer moved to his summer residence
(Datche) at the garden-suburb "Magistratzke Kolonie". The last few days he felt
very weak and was confined to his bed. A silent fear gripped the members of his
closer circle who realised the situation. The town did not know yet what the
true position was.
At his death-bed, in the early hours of that Friday, except for the doctor and
nurse, there were present also his Rebbetzin and the writer of this article. On
the porch a few of his intimate Rabbinical friends were crying as they recited
prayers.
The news of his death spread like wild fire and plunged Vilna Jewry into deep
mourning. A sense of having been orphaned overtook all of them. Suddenly
everyone felt lonely and forlorn in a stormy, perilous world.
The tremendous impact which the news of his death had made was the greatest
measure of the position which Reb Chaim Ozer had occupied in Jewry. Porters and
cart-drivers together with Rabbis and Yeshiva students, learned people and
"balebatim", as well as ordinary folk and the man in the street, all were
utterly shocked and distressed.
The little summer house soon was overflowing with masses of people who were
streaming in from town in an incessant procession. A meeting of Rabbis was
hastily convened to work out the plan of the funeral. The body was taken back to
his residence in town, in Zavalna Street and during that Saturday, the lamented
"Shabbat Chazon", thousands of mourners passed through the house where the body
lay, while minyanim changed uninterruptedly, during the day and the night, to
recite psalms and appropriate prayers.
The gigantic funeral procession next morning was the greatest and also the last
Jewish mass-demonstration which Vilna witnessed.
The fifty thousand people who followed the cortege included Rabbis from the
whole of Lithuania, and the funeral orations which were delivered on the way and
at the graveside, lasted almost the whole day.
Although the Communist authorities had prohibited demonstrations of this nature,
they must have realised the strong feelings of the Jewish Community and did not
hinder the funeral procession in any manner.
The People's Militia, with red armbands on their sleeves, accompanied the
procession all along its mournful route and helped to keep order.
All the grief that had welled up in Jewish hearts at that time and the grave
foreboding of the impending horror, were given vent in bitter lamentations at the
parting of their beloved leader who, from now on, would entreat before the
Throne of the Almighty for the people whom he led and for whom he cared and on
whose behalf he spoke during the glorious half century of his Rabbinate.
RABBINIC DYNASTY
Reb Chaim Ozer was born in the year 5623 (1863) in the little townlet of Ivie,
near Vilna. His father, Rabbi David Shlomo Grodzensky (Z.L.) and his
grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Leib Grodzenski (Z.L.) had occupied between them the
Rabbinical post of that community for a period of over eighty years. Together
with the fifteen years during which my late father, Rabbi Isaac Kossowsky (Z.L.)
who was a son-in-law of Rabbi David Shlomo (Z.L.) was Rabbi in Ivie, this
distinguished family formed a Rabbinic dynasty in the same community for the
period of a full century without interruption.
THE ILUI
While he was still a young boy and studied under his father, the little Chaim
Ozer became famous as a prodigy and was known in the whole district as the
"ilui" (genius) of Ivie. At the age of twelve he went to the neighbouring town
of Eishishok where at that time there was a "kibbutz" of young men who were
renowned as "gdolim" in Torah.
When he became Bar-Mitzvah there, he was invited to deliver a discourse in
accordance with the time-honoured custom. Instead, however, he offered to be
examined in any place of the two classic Talmudic commentaries:
"Ket-zot-Ha'choshen" and "Netivot Ha'mishpot."
The scholars of Eishishok were astounded to hear how the little Bar mitzvah boy
recited by heart without stumbling and without stopping, whole pages of these
two great works.
From Eishistok he went to the Yeshiva of Volozhin, where he studied under the
Gaon Reb Chaim Brisker, (Z.L.) The deep friendship which developed between the
great Master and the great disciple, continued throughout the many years during
which they were both the spiritual leaders of world Jewry.
THE LEADER
The Ray of Vilna, Reb Elie Leizer (Z.L.) who was a son-in-law of the famous Gaon
and saint Reb Yisroel Salanter (Z.L.) took the renowned "Ivier ilui" as husband
for his daughter. When Reb Elie Leizer passed away, a few years later, Reb Chaim
Ozer was invited to accept the vacant post. He was then the youngest among the
Rabbis of Vilna. Nevertheless, he soon became recognised as the spiritual leader
of "Yerushalayim D'Lita", the city of scholars and writers, "lomdim" and
"gaonim". This position he maintained until the last day or his life.
However exalted that position might have been, Reb Chaim Ozer was more than just
the Rav of Vilna. He was also more than just a Gaon, however great that
designation is. There was in him an exceptional combination of rare "gaonut",
deep wisdom, love of Israel, saintliness and humility, an understanding of
politics, a remarkable sense for communal activity, an inborn quality for
leadership and organisation, lovable character and endless patience.
Little Wonder, therefore, that in a short time he became one of the chief
leaders of Russian and world Jewry, although that period, before the first world
war, was rich in great scholars much older than he.
The Rabbi who sought a reply to a difficult Halachic question and the
businessman who needed advice in a complicated business matter, the communal
worker who was worried about a serious communal problem and the Rosh Yeshiva who
needed help for his Yeshiva, an ordinary Jew who was in need of assistance and
the Yeshiva student who wanted to talk in learning all came to Reb Chaim Ozer's
hospitable door and all were received with the same cheerful and encouraging
smile.
He dealt with everybody at the same time and all found satisfaction in their
quest.
Whoever had the privilege of witnessing a busy morning in Reb Chaim Ozer's
home, will never forget that picture.
All the rooms of the spacious apartment were full of all kinds of people, local
and from outside. Amongst them Reb Chaim Ozer moved about with hasty little
steps, radiating warmth and pleasantness all around him and talking with
everybody at the same time.
Here he was engaged in a learned discussion with a group of Rabbis and at the
same time he would be listening to the Talmudic discourse of a visiting Yeshiva
Student; presently he was in consultation with communal and congregational
leaders and yet found time to whisper advice to a troubled individual.
Next moment he was unobtrusively pressing a handful of money into the hand of a
needy Jew and managed to dictate to his secretary a number of letters on various
subjects in his succinct masterful Hebrew style.
Nobody felt slighted.
On the contrary, everyone had the impression that he received full attention and
everyone was enchanted with Reb Chaim Ozer's Personal charm, his "gaonic" sense
of humour - subtle and refined, his outstandingly quick grasp and phenomenal
memory, which enabled him to grasp everything at the same time.
He said of himself that, until his very advanced age, he did not know what
forgetting was.
Numerous stories are told about his exceptional memory. The following
interesting episode is a characteristic example.
Reb Chaim Ozer had a notebook in which he kept a record of the many charitable
funds which passed through his hands. One day this precious notebook got lost
and all efforts to discover it were in vain, much to the distress of all members
of the household.
Reb Chaim Ozer then sat down and reconstructed from memory all the complicated
accounts which had occupied many pages. The final total was correct. Some time
later the book was found and it then appeared that Reb Chaim Ozer did not even
change the order of the various amounts and had almost photographically
reproduced the whole book.
I remember an episode when I sat together with a group of Rabbis in Reb Chaim
Ozer's house and, as usual, the conversation turned on some Talmudic subject. In
the course of the discussion, Reb Chaim Ozer took out a book from the shelves
and pointed out to us a certain reference, which explained the problem under
debate. Closing the book, he remarked with a smile that he last saw this
reference while still a young boy in his native Ivie. That had been fifty years
before!
The way he remembered people was staggering. Persons who had not seen him for
thirty years told me that the moment they entered his room, quite unexpectedly,
he cheerfully got up to meet them, calling them by their first name as if he had
parted with them only yesterday!
FATHER OF YESHIVOT
During the first world war, when he fled together with many thousands of other
Jewish refugees into central Russia, he became a one-man relief organisation
there. With the aid of American Relief Funds he set up a network of "Refugee
Chedars" (Chedars or Talmud-Torahs for refugee children), and people's
restaurants in dozens of towns where the refugees concentrated. The Yeshlvot and
their leaders as well as countless individuals were supported by him. He also
exercised considerable political influence in those turbulent years which
preceded the Russian Revolution.
In the period between the two world wars, Reb Chaim Ozer was considered the
leader and spokesman of religious Jewry. He particularly devoted himself to the
fostering of Torah-education and became literally the father of the Yeshivot.
Together with the "Chofetz-Chaim" (Z.L.) he founded the "Vaad HaYeshivot" in
Vilna and helped to establish a wide network of preparatory Yeshivot (Yeshivot
Ktanot) in towns and villages in Eastern Poland, Polesie and Volynia. At the
same time he was the supreme authority and "Posek Achron" in all Halachic
questions and his ruling was considered the authoritative Din.
Amidst the thousands of problems to which he had to turn his attention, he
managed to publish the three volumes of his great work "Achiezer", a compilation
of Responsa on various Talmudic topics in which his "gaonic" erudition and
sharpness of mind appear in all their glory.
Unfortunately, a considerable portion of his writings still remained in
manuscript.
Immediately after his death, initial arrangements were made for the publication
of the remainder of his writings as well as of his letters which had an
outstanding historic importance. His faithful secretary, Rav Alter Voronovsky,
took up the project diligently. However, shortly thereafter came the Nazi
invasion and with it the end of all plans.
The name of Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzenski (Z.L.) the Gaon of Vilna of our
generation, is deeply engraved in the hearts of Torah-Jewry and his memory will
live for generations after.
RABBI KOSSOWSKY: SHLOSHIM
It is one month since Rabbi Kossowsky, of 'blessed memory died;
[April 08, 1964 - 26 Nisan 5724] one month during every day
of which yet another facet of his goodness and true greatness - and the
community's irreparable loss has become vividly apparent.
From every section of South African Jewry - even from those furthest in spirit
from Orthodox Judaism - have come tributes to his dedicated life's work, and
expressions of sorrow at his death in the midst of his labours.
It was a measure of Rabbi Kossowsky's significance for Jewry that the Chief
Rabbi Israel, himself, should have mourned his death in a moving hesped.
As Rabbi Lapin said in the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol, a month ago, "Rabbi Kossowsky
had not only been eminent in South Africa, but in the international rabbinical
world. He was a man of intellect and of the spirit, and because these are
infinite they do not lend themselves to easy definition.
"But there was one common denominator to the manifold activities of Rabbi
Kossowsky. He was a man wrapped in the words of the Torah. His intellect was a
Torah intellect. He was a Talmid chacham. He began learning on his father's lap.
He had never ceased to learn.
"He spent hours in the company of great scholars. Torah permeated every aspect
of his life."
He never spared himself, and, as Rabbi Lapid said, "literally killed himself for
the Torah".
The Yerushalmi (Shekalim) says: "You do not erect memorials for the Tzadikim.
Their words are their memorials."
Rabbi Kossowsky's memorials will remain in the hearts and the minds of all his
disciples and followers, arid all who came in contact with him for all the days
of their lives; arid his wisdom and kindliness, his judgments and Responsa, his
analyses of the past and future will remain as immutable memorials for
generations.
Yet the suggestion has been mooted for a tangible communal memorial to him by
the generation that knew him personally, to perpetuate his name visibly amidst
his contemporaries and generations to come.
We believe there is great merit in this idea - though the form of the memorial
will need careful consideration and planning.
We commend the thought to all those who remember his inspiration. revere his
memory and sorely miss his presence, his co-operation, leadership and guidance.