Rav Yitzchok Meir Alter Rotenberg of Gur zt"l
הרב יצחק מאיר אלתר בן ישראל רוטנברג זצ"ל
Adar 23 , 5626
Rav Yitzchok Meir Alter Rotenberg of Gur zt"l
Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg/Alter (23 Adar 1866) of Gur was the successor to Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotsk and the founder of the Gur dynasty. He was popularly known as the Chiddushei HaRim, the title of his classic work of Torah analysis and interpretation. His charisma and concern for the masses resulted in Gerrer chasidus having a very large following.
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Stories of Rav Yitzchok Meir Alter Rotenberg of Gur zt"l
The Chiddushei HaRim said that he worked on himself for some seventeen years to acquire the trait of ayin tova (a good eye) that allowed him to see only the best traits and good in other people. His grandson, Rav Pintshe of Piltz, mechaber of Sifsei Tzaddik testified that he worked on himself tirelessly to be able to see only the good in other Jews and ignore any shortcomings or evil. Once he became a Rebbe, however, and many Chassidim traveled to him seeking his berochos and advice and he wanted to help each and every one of them, he realized that he had no choice but to recognize their shortcomings so that he could advise them what to correct and help them on their path to teshuva.
The Chiddushei HaRim once declared, “I have the power and ability to remove the Yetzer Hora completely from all the limbs of a person so that he will be ready to accept the yoke of Malchus Shomayim, but that is not Hashem’s will. He wills instead that we have a yetzer and that we struggle with it and overcome it.
When their financial situation was dire indeed, the Chiddushei HaRim’s wife complained that they lacked basic needs. The Rebbe, however, seemed to ignore her words and sat and learned, studying Torah and davening as if everything was fine. When his wife expressed her surprise at him and asked, “Doesn’t everyone worry about their parnossa, and you sit there and study and daven as if everything is fine? Don’t you worry at all about our financial situation?” he countered, “How do you know I don’t worry about it?”
She answered, “I don’t see you worrying! All I see is that you daven and learn regularly as if nothing has changed.”
The Rebbe responded, “Your father took me as his son-in-law because I was a prodigy in Torah – an illui. So whatever requires much effort I can accomplish quickly because of my keen mind. The same worrying that people worry for three days straight I can worry in a minute!”
“And what have you accomplished by this feat of worrying for just a minute?” his wife demanded.
“And what does he who worries for three days straight accomplish? At least I finish with all the worry in a minute!” (Meir Einei HaGola p. 304–306, Vol III #10)
Rav Alexander Zisha of Platzk and Rav Feivel of Gritza were colleagues, they studied together in the yeshivah of Rav Yaakov of Lisa, author of Chavas Daas. They became disciples of the Chozeh of Lublin. One day they brought the Chiddushei HaRim’s kvitel to the Chozeh who remarked upon reading the name on the note, “He is just like his name, Meir: he shines all of the worlds with light!” From then on, the Chiddushei HaRim, the founder of the Gerrer dynasty, held himself a disciple and talmid of the Chozeh. (Meir Einei haGola pp. 54-55, 144)
Rav Avrohom Mordechai Alter of Warsaw was the Chiddushei HaRim’s eldest child, and, like all the other children of Rav Yitzchok Meir of Ger, he was unwell. The Chiddushei HaRim had lost all his other children and now Rav Avrohom Mordechai, just thirty years old, was sick again; death was calling at his door and it looked like he would succumb and leave the world with no son as his heir. The doctors had given up hope, and it seemed like Rav Avrohom Mordechai was already in the final throes of death, when his childhood friend, Rav Yaakov Arye of Radzimin, leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I have one piece of advice left for you, my dear friend: ask Hashem to grant you life, long enough to merit having a son you don’t yet have!”
The Chiddushei HaRim also approached the sickbed and told his dying son, “You must know that it is a mitzva to desire to live, as it says, ‘Choose life – uvocharta vachaim!’ Please, my son, strengthen yourself – choose life and get well!”
Rav Avrohom Mordechai strengthened himself and with Herculean effort and his last strength, he sat up and cried out, “Ribbono Shel Olam, please grant me the gift of life so that I can have a son – I shall name him Yehuda, as it says, ‘This time – odeh es Hashem – I shall thank G-d!”
A miracle occurred and Rav Avrohom Mordechai recovered! The next year, he did indeed have a son, and with Rav Chaim Meir Yechiel, the Seraph of Mogolintza, as his sandak, the baby was brought into the bris of Avrohom Avinu and named “Yehudah Leib” as promised! Rav Avrohom Mordechai told his wife, Esther, “I named him Yehuda and he will cause all the hearts of Klal Yisrael to praise and give thanks – lehodos LaShem!” The Sefas Emes used to say about himself, “My father named me Yehuda, which means “thanksgiving”, because he was healed from his sickness in my merit, and I feel this within me as well; each day and night I never tire of ceaselessly giving thanks – lehodos LaShem!” (Marbitzei Torah BeOlam HaChassidus, Vol, II p. 83–84)
Segulos of Rav Yitzchok Meir Alter Rotenberg of Gur zt"l
Rav Yitzchak Meir Alter of Ger, the genius of Chassidus, used to say: “Mere mention of the kedushah and sanctity of the holy Yid HaKadosh is itself a segulah for yiras Shamayim and can cause the awe of Heaven to enter into the heart of man.”