Rabbi Shnayer Leiman 

 https://leimanlibrary.com/   https://torahinmotion.org/speakers/dr-shnayer-leiman

Rabbi Nosson Adler

The Chasam Sofer

The Kotzker Rebbe

On Friday, December 13, 2024 of this week my son-in-law was not well and vomiting.  He went to the emergency room at Bethesda West in Boynton Beach.  In the ER, the doctor touched his stomach and asked him if he felt pain.  Danny projected vomit all over the doctor and the ER.  Danny was admitted to the hospital and my daughter, Shoshana, stayed with him over Shabbos.  Due to dehydration, Danny’s kidneys started shutting down.  He was given hydration and antibiotics.  He felt better, but is still weak.  They discharged him right after Shabbos.  The doctor told him not to drive or extend himself for a week  so he could recover.

I heard Rabbi Shnayer Leiman speak three times this Shabbos and Sunday at 10:00 AM.  He was scholar in residence at Anshe Chesed.   All of his speeches were excellent.  I would like to discuss his Shalos Suedas presentation.

Professor Leiman read part of a Tshuva (halachic essay) from the Chasom Sofer.  It was emotional.  However, the part he did not read was more impactful to me.

History:

Kotzker  lived from 1787 to 1859  – 72 years

Kozker’s first wife dies in 1836.  They have one child.

The Kotzker remarries in 1838, at the age of 51.

The Kotzker has twin daughters and two sons with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s teacher  was Rabbi Nosson Adler who lived from  1741 to 1800 – 60 years

The Chasam Sofer lived from 1762 to 1839 – 77 years.

The Chasam’s Sofer first wife dies in 1812.

He remarries in 1813 and has 3 boys and 8 girls with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s children become Torah giants and are still impactful today.

Wikipedia:

Nathan Adler devoted himself to the study of the Kabbalah, and adopted the liturgical system of Isaac Luria, assembling about himself a select community of kabbalistic adepts. He was one of the first Ashkenazim to adopt the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew, and gave hospitality to a Sephardi scholar for several months to ensure that he learnt that pronunciation accurately. He prayed according to the Sephardic ritual (despite being in Germany, ground zero for Ashkenziac tradition), pronounced the priestly blessing every day, and in other ways approached the school of the Hasidim, who had at that time provoked the strongest censures on the part of the Talmudists of the old school.  These were the years of the strongest opposition to Chasidium, with the GRA signing the second ban against Chassidium in 1782.  His followers claimed that he had performed miracles,^[3] and turned visionaries themselves, frightening many persons with predictions of misfortunes which would befall them. The rabbis and congregational leaders intervened in 1779 and prohibited, under penalty of excommunication, the assemblies in Nathan Adler’s house.^[1]

Professor Leiman said that Rabbi Nosson Adler was forced to flee from Frankfort in 1781.  As Rabbi Nosson Adler was leaving Frankfurt, the Chasam Sofer told his Rebbe that the Gemora says that a teacher who goes into exile, his students must go with him into exile.  Rabbi Nosson Adler told him that your family are all in Frankfort, you are not to come with me.  The Chasam Sofer persisted and ran after the carriage for many Parsa’s. A Parsa is about 2.5 miles.  When he caught up with his Rebbe, Rabbi Nosson Adler said, you will come to me, and I will be like a father.  Rabbi Nosson Adler ended up in Boskowitz 1782 and in 1785 returned to Frankfort.  The Chasam Sofer never returned to Frankfort and ended up being the Chief Rabbi of Pressburg, the capital of Slovakia.  Pressburg is now known as Bratsalivia.  

The Chasam Sofer was married to his first wife and they had no children.  She died in 1812 and in 1813, when he was 51, he married a second wife and they had 11 children.  Chasam Sofer died in 1839 at the age of 77.  

Read the below from the writings of the Chasam Sofer.  The Hebrew is on the last page.    

“And It was when I poured water on his hands when he first came to Boskowitz, he had a small son and one daughter about 12 years old.  He loved her, the daughter was like her mother, and it was impossible to adequately  speak her praise.    And due to our sins, she died.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler) did not cry.  He was מצדיק הדין – justified God’s judgement  with great joy (effectively saying God gave and God took).  It was wondrous that I did not see that much joy at this time as praying during Simchas Torah.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler had a custom  every Shabbos  of the year to be called up to the Torah twice, once for Cohen and also for Mafter.) On Shabbos Parsha Va’era, during the 7 days of morning he received his normal two Aliyos.  When Rabbi Nosson Adler read the Haftorah of the Parsha, one tear came from his eye and it landed in his hand.  He immediately returned back  to joy and he did not show any sign of sadness and never mentioned his daughter again.  He had no other children.”

A true Talmud watches every action of their teacher.  The Chasam Sofer noticed the tear,  This is true of the Kotzker’s Talmidim.

Professor Leiman added that the Haftorah of Vayera is the story of the Isha Hashunamis, the woman from the city of Shunam, who is the central figure in this haftarah. This Haftorah spoke to Rabbi  Nosson Adler and the loss of his precious daughter.

The story of the Isha Hashunamos:

The prophet Elisha sent his servant, Geichazi, to the Isha Hashumanis to ask her if he could repay her kindness in some way. Elisha was extremely thankful for the hospitality she showed him, always preparing a place for him to stay in her attic when he was in the area.

She asked Elisha for a child and he gave her a bracha, there in the village of Shunam. When Elishas gave her the blessing, she told him not to play with her.  Do not promise and not deliver.  

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

While working with his father in the fields, the young boy falls ill with a head ailment, perhaps a high fever. His father brings the sick boy to his mother and he later dies in her arms. She goes to find Elisha and shortly after he brings the dead son of the Isha Hashunamis back to life.

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

The next part was not read by the Professor, but is fascinating.

“And he did not use any (Kabbalistic) means (for his wife to get pregnant and replace his beloved daughter.)  I knew that his wife was older and  did not have the capacity to get pregnant.  He did not want to bother the heavens to change nature, because (if he were to change nature) it could possibly cause death to his wife.  Therefore I did not ask him at all to ask mercy for my first wife for this reason. (The Chasam Sofer’s first wife didn’t have any children.)   If you do not push nature – to change it, then nature will not push you. (meaning if you ask God for a blessing to change what is destined for you, there can be a pushback and something bad will happen to you).   God has many ways of bringing relief and saviour.  God is the healer of those that have broken hearts, and who is imprisoned by their agony.  He will provide closure for their wounds and will rebuild that which is in ruins and will cause their sorrow and agony to flee.”

This is comparable to the Kotzker.  The Kotzker was not one to storm the heavens for himself or his family for blessings. The Kotzker did not pray for his family to be healed or for blessings. 

 He said, if this is the decree from God he is willing to accept it.  God knows what he needs.  He did pray for others.

When the Kotzker Rebbe’s first wife died, he was stoic and did not cry.  When they lowered her body into the grave, he stood over her and two tears fell from his eyes only the body.  Then he told the Chevra Kadisha to pour dirt on the grave and close it.  He remarried at age 51.   

December 7, 2024

Davened at Anshei Chesed with my second cousin, Yosef Morgan

See my cousin’s website about his product, Kotzker Phfarma

Lunch with Yosef Morgan and Rosette Narkunski – Gelernter 

Relationship:

  Lukover Rebbe 1858-1920

Avrohom Meir Morgenstern        -Brothers-       Yosef Ahron Morgenstern – both died in Holocaust 1942

                  ↓                                                                   ↓                                         ↓

Yisroel Yakov Morgenstern    -First Cousins-            David Morgan     ————– Esther  ————Mina            

   Holocaust survivor             Survived in Siberia

                   ↓                                                                   ↓                                         ↓  

Mitchell Morgenstern          – Second Cousins-          Yosef Morgan                      Rosette

Avrohom Meir and Yosef Ahron Morgenstern were brothers.  My grandfather, Avrohom Meir, was a businessman in Warsaw and Yosef Ahron was a Talmud Chacom who had a Yeshiva in Warsaw on the first floor of the apartment building where he lived.  I believe that Yosef Ahron was a type of person who learned nonstop and would never look at a woman.  About 15 years ago, I met Mina, another sister of David and Esther..  I believe it was she who told me that when my father got engaged in 1938, Yosef Ahron did not go to the Vort.  I believe he felt it was Bitul Torah and not wanting to mingle with women.

Mina told me a story and confirmed by Rosette that both Mina and Esther remembered that as kids in Warsaw, many times on Shabbos they had to eat in the kitchen and at times there was not enough food for them.  This must have been because he invited guests over who were in Shul. In Europe, it was common for people who traveled to go to the local Shul on Shabbos to sleep and to be invited out for meals.  The guests were served first and the kids always ate last.  I read about this phenomenon in Europe.

Look at the Yad Vashem testimony on Yosef Ahron Morgenstern. https://www.geni.com/photo/view/6000000010251693211?album_type=photos_of_me&photo_id=6000000062687105050

Parsha:

Question #1 – Verse 28:11

וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

 When does it say וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם.  It should say “and he took stones” why does it say “of the place”.

I did not see anyone who has an answer.

Yakov falls asleep.  He dreams of a ladder which Hashem is standing over to protect Yakov.  Rashi says that Yakov was at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.  Then in 28:17 it says that really Mount Moriah moved north to Bais El.  It seems that Rashi contradicts himself.  

Rembrandt’s Jacob’s Ladder – 1655

The following is a painting by Rembrandt that shows Jacob not lying on the ground but in the middle of the ladder. Rabbi Meir Yakob Soloveichik feels that he drew Jacob in the middle of the ladder due to the advice and Torah of Menashe Ben Israel.  I recall Rabbi Soloveichik saying that just like Jerusalem is the middle of the world, Jacob and the Jews are the center of the world and this is why he drew jacob in the middle of the ladder.

Yaakov makes it to Charan – Padan Aram.  He meets Rachel, kisses her. I have Torah on “he kissed” her.   Yakov has an agreement with Lavan that he will work seven years for the hand of Rachel in marriage.  

Question #2:   Verse 29:20 says וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

The reality should be the opposite.  It should have seemed forever to him. They had seven years of talking , planning.  It is a long time that should have been excruciating.

Question #3

Verse 29:21 – וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֤ב אֶל־לָבָן֙ הָבָ֣ה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י וְאָב֖וֹאָה אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

Rashi – מלאו ימי. שֶׁאָמְרָה לִי אִמִּי, וְעוֹד מָלְאוּ יָמַי, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֲנִי בֶן פ”ד שָׁנָה וְאֵימָתַי אַעֲמִיד י”ב שְׁבָטִים? וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וְאָבוֹאָה אֵלֶיהָ, וְהֲלֹא קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כֵּן? אֶלָּא לְהוֹלִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת אָמַר כֵּן:

The plain meaning is that Yakov worked the seven years of the agreement.  I have completed my seven years of working and held up my end of the bargain.  This is how the Rashbam and the Ibn Ezra explain the Pasuk.  However, the truth is that the words of כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י are extra. The previous Pasuk says that he worked for seven years, so obviously he completed his days.   Rashi is telling us the deeper understanding of what Yakov was saying.  Not only did I agree to my part of the bargain, but my mother wants me home and I have to get married to have 12 children.  Maybe this understanding of the Pasuk that Yakov is telling Lavan will leave to go home, resulted in Lavan plans to detain Yakov so that  he and his city continues to get a blessing from Yaakov’s presence.    

Idea #1

I asked years ago.  What did Yakov and Rochel think about the older sister, Leah.  Rochel was the younger sister.  Didn’t she worry that Leah would have to marry Eisav, the evil one.  

Rashi on Verse 29:17 says – רכות. שֶׁהָיְתָה סְבוּרָה לַעֲלוֹת בְּגוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו וּבוֹכָה, שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּל אוֹמְרִים שְׁנֵי בָנִים לְרִבְקָה וּשְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת לְלָבָן, הַגְּדוֹלָה לַגָּדוֹל וְהַקְּטַנָּה לַקָּטָן (בבא בתרא קכ”ג):

רכות TENDER — She thought she would have to fall to the lot of Esau and she therefore wept continually, because everyone said, “Rebekah has two sons, Laban has two daughters — the elder daughter for the elder son, the younger daughter for the younger son” (Genesis Rabbah 70:16).

The Medresh adds more color to Leah’s prayers.

Bereshis Rabbah 70:16

Leah’s eyes were delicate and Rachel was of beautiful form and of beautiful appearance” (Genesis 29:17).

“Leah’s eyes were delicate” – Rabbi Yoḥanan’s disseminator interpreted: Leah’s eyes were weak. *From birth. He said to him: ‘Your mother’s eyes were weak.’ What is delicate? They were delicate from weeping, as they *People would say. would say: ‘These were the stipulations: The elder to the elder and the younger to the younger.’ *Leah was to be married to Esau and Rachel to Jacob. She would weep and say: ‘May it be His will that I will not fall to the lot of that wicked man.’   Rav Huna said: Prayer is powerful, as it nullified the decree. Moreover, she preceded her sister.

It seemed that according to Rav Huna, Leah’s prayer changed the world.  Was this good or bad?  Should Leah have married Eisav?  Perhaps it was not good for the world.  

Rabbi Yinon Ben Moshiach showed me a beautiful Brisker Rov.  The Brisker Rov brings down on Toldos Verse 27:45.

עַד־שׁ֨וּב אַף־אָחִ֜יךָ מִמְּךָ֗ וְשָׁכַח֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ וְשָׁלַחְתִּ֖י וּלְקַחְתִּ֣יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם לָמָ֥ה אֶשְׁכַּ֛ל גַּם־שְׁנֵיכֶ֖ם י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃

The Brisker Rov asks why would Rivka lose both kids on the same day?  He answers that if Yaakov is killed then there is no chance for Eisav to become good so it will be as if she lost both of them on the same day.  Based on this Brisker Rov, you see that Rivka wanted her older son to repent and become good.  This also could have happened with Leah and then Dinah.  Both could have reformed Eisav.

We see from the Medresh that Leah was destined to marry Eisav.  Perhaps this is why they did not step in to find Leah a marriage partner.  They knew that she was to marry Eisav.  Were they concerned that Leah would be marrying an evil monster?  Yossi Frank suggested based on my Torah on Dinah that Leah also had a tremendous power to influence people positively.  This is why she was destined to marry Eisav.  We know that Eisav was to be a Zevulam, supporting Yakov.   Perhaps had Leah and afterwards Dinah married Eisav, Eisav would have done Teshuvah and become a good person that would have changed the world.  Unfortunately this did not happen.   See my Torah on Parshas VaYishlach on Verse 34:1

Yossi Frank’s Pshet fits in with Rashi on Parshas VaYishlach on Verse 34:1. Rashi says that  Dinah was just like her mother.  Perhaps It means that both had a tremendous capacity to be a positive influence on the world and this is what Rashi means that both were יַצְאָנִית – they were able to go out, speak to people, and bring the world closer to God.  Just like Avrohom.

Verse 34:1

וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת־לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.

Rashi says בת לאה. וְלֹא בַת יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם יְצִיאָתָהּ נִקְרֵאת בַּת לֵאָה, שֶׁאַף הִיא יַצְאָנִית הָיְתָה (בראשית רבה), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתֵּצֶא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ (וְעָלֶיהָ מָשְׁלוּ הַמָּשָׁל כְּאִמָּהּ כְּבִתָּהּ):

Bava Basra 123 talks about Leah praying to God not to marry Eisav:

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: שֶׁמַּתְּנוֹתֶיהָ אֲרוּכּוֹת. רַב אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם רַכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ, וְלֹא גְּנַאי הוּא לָהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁבַח הוּא לָהּ. שֶׁהָיְתָה שׁוֹמַעַת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: שְׁנֵי בָנִים יֵשׁ לָהּ לְרִבְקָה, שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְלָבָן, גְּדוֹלָה לַגָּדוֹל וּקְטַנָּה לַקָּטָן. וְהָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וּמְשָׁאֶלֶת: גָּדוֹל מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אִישׁ רַע הוּא מְלַסְטֵם בְּרִיּוֹת. קָטָן מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? ״אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״. וְהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה, עַד שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינֶיהָ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּרְא ה׳ כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה״ – מַאי ״שְׂנוּאָה״? אִילֵּימָא שְׂנוּאָה מַמָּשׁ; אֶפְשָׁר בִּגְנוּת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, בִּגְנוּת צַדִּיקִים דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב?! אֶלָּא רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁשְּׂנוּאִין מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו בְּפָנֶיהָ, 

Rav says that there is a different explanation of the verse: Actually, the verse means that her eyes were literally weak, and this is not a denigration of her but a praise of her. As she would hear people at the crossroads, coming from the land of Canaan, who would say: Rebecca has two sons, and her brother Laban has two daughters; the older daughter will be married to the older son, and the younger daughter will be married to the younger son.

וְהָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל פָּרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וּמְשָׁאֶלֶת: גָּדוֹל מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? אִישׁ רַע הוּא מְלַסְטֵם בְּרִיּוֹת. קָטָן מָה מַעֲשָׂיו? ״אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״. וְהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה, עַד שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינֶיהָ.

Rav continues: And she would sit at the crossroads and ask: What are the deeds of the older son? The passersby would answer: He is an evil man, and he robs people. She would ask: What are the deeds of the younger son? They would answer: He is “a quiet man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27). And because she was so distraught at the prospect of marrying the evil brother, she would cry and pray for mercy until her eyelashes fell out. Since the weakness of her eyes was due to this cause, characterizing her eyes as weak constitutes praise. This is Leah’s prayer for mercy to which Rabbi Yonatan referred.

וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּרְא ה׳ כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה״ – מַאי ״שְׂנוּאָה״? אִילֵּימָא שְׂנוּאָה מַמָּשׁ; אֶפְשָׁר בִּגְנוּת בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה לֹא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, בִּגְנוּת צַדִּיקִים דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב?! אֶלָּא רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁשְּׂנוּאִין מַעֲשֵׂה עֵשָׂו בְּפָנֶיהָ, ״וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת רַחְמָהּ״.

The Gemara comments: And her desire not to marry Esau is the basis of that which is written: “And the Lord saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb” (Genesis 29:31). What is the meaning of “hated”? If we say that she was literally hated, is it possible? The verse there did not speak to the disparagement of even a non-kosher animal, so did the verse here speak to the disparagement of the righteous? Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, saw that the behavior of Esau was hated by her, and therefore: “And He opened her womb.”

Shabbos Chanukah – December 9, 2023

On Shabbos January 14, 2024 I finished reading the book, The Jewish Confederates, by Robert N. Rosen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewish_Confederates

Robert Rosen writes about why Jews supported the Confederacy.  The Jewish leaders of the Confederacy, the Jewish fighters, antisemitism, and how the Jews reacted to the defeat of the South.  On January 16, 2024 I finished the book.

There were 20,000 Jews in the South and 100,000 Jews in the North.  Roughly 2,000 Jewish men fought for the South.

The Jews in the South felt welcome.  Many were Jewish immigrants from Germany.   They went from oppression in their home countries to freedom in America.  They breathed fresh air and not the putrid air of repression in Germany and eastern Europe.  They became part of the culture of the South and some had slaves.  They supported the Southern cause and hated the Yankees.  The Jewish women  equally supported the Southern cause.  They looked up to Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.

It is true that in Europe the ghetto walls fell down in Vienna in 1848 and in Germany around the same time; however, it did not approach the freedom the Jews felt in America, especially the South.

Page 14 states:

Thus, overwhelmingly, almost unanimously, some with fear and trepidation, others with courage and enthusiasm, some with reservations, other with a firm unflinching resolve, Southern Jewry cast its lot with the Confederate State of America.  Many like “Ike” Hermannn, had found the land of Canaan.  Othrs, like Gustavus Poznanski, had found their Jerusalem, their Pastime.  Still others, l Marcus Baum, Jacob Samuels, Adolph Proskenaur, and Herschel Kempner had found finally their fatherland.

Pages 15 and 16:

Southern Jews had been breathing the free air of Dixie for two hundred years.

The Jews arriving from Eastern Europe, and the German states such as Prussies and particularly Bavaria, which stood first in the row of intolerant states.” infamous for “its Pharaoh-like registration laws,” its restriction of trade, marriage, and even the Jew;s right to reside in the place of his choice.

The Jews of the South lived in a slaveholding society, and they accepted the institution as part of everyday life.  

There was some anti-semitism in the South before and during the civil war but by and large the Jews were accepted as part of Southern society.

Many Jews married out of the faith.  Judah Benjamin, considered the  most successful Jewish man in the South became a confidant of President Jefferosn Davis and in his war cabinet, married out of the faith.  Nonetheless he was known as a Jew.  Per Wikipedia:

Judah Philip Benjamin, QC (August 6, 1811 – May 6, 1884) was a United States senator from Louisiana, a Cabinet officer of the Confederate States and, after his escape to the United Kingdom at the end of the American Civil War, an English barrister. Benjamin was the first Jew to hold a Cabinet position in North America and the first to be elected to the United States Senate who had not renounced his faith.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_P._Benjamin

Page 356 of Robert N. Rosen books state:

Why did Judah Benjamin’s memory survive?  “Without a question,” Rabbi Korn  wrote, “he achieved greater political power than any other Jew in American  history.”  Rabbi Calisch of Richmond explained his meaning for Southern Jewry in 1902: “I stand here in the name of the Jeiwsh community of this city .  Judah P. Benjamin was born of Jeiwsh parents and reared as a Jeiwsh child.  I have not yet been able to discover if he was an observing Jew or not.  But this I know, had he been a traitor we would have had to bear the ignominy of his wrong doing – but as he was a hero, a statement. a gentleman  and a partrit, we claim the privilege of sharing in the reflection of his glory.” 

The cover of the book depicts Major Adolph Proskauer at Gettysburg.  Major Proskauer, a n immigrant from Prussia to Mobile, led the 12th Alabama Infantry at Culp’s Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg.  This 1999 painting re-creates the moment described in the history of the regiment by Capt. Robert E Ory Park, “Our gallant Jew Major smoked his cigars calmly and cooly in the thichest of the fight.”  (Painting by Dan nance of Charlotte, North Caroline.  Author’s collections.)  Page 360 details life for Adolph Proskauer after the civil war.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Proskauer

Another prominent Jew in the south was David Yulee.  He was born David Levy, but he changed his name to Yulee and became a Presbyterian.  Pages 60 and 61 discusses Yulle’s life.

It appears that the Jews of the South were assimilating.  My guess is that this was also happening in the North and probably by the early early to mid 1900s most of the jews in America at the time of the Civil war assimilated and there are few of their descendants identifying as Jewish.

There were some anti-semitci outbursts but they were short lived and the Jews were defended. Pages 266 through 272 in the book. There is little evidence of anti-semitism in the Army.  To restate, overall the Jews had it good in the South.

Robert N. Rosen concludes in his last three pages of the book.

My questions:

1 – how many Jews in the South and for that matter in the North trace their ancestry back to the Civil war?

2 – what was the  intermarriage rate both in the South and the North?

3 – what changed in the south after the Civil War that the South is/was considered to be heavily anit-semetic?

4 – were the Jews less accepted in the south after the Civil War and did intermarriage go down.

My answer is that because of the Civil War the South became impoverished.  People having troubles blame outsiders and they blamed the Jews.  Before the war, the south was a wealthy country.  Throughout  history when times are hard, jews are blamed.

December 9, 2023

Shabbos Chanukah

Parshas VaYeshev 

I loved the following story about Lt. Colonel Marcus Spiegel in the book. Lt. Colonel Marcus Spiegel also has a wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_M._Spiegel

Marcus M. Spiegel (December 8, 1829 – May 4, 1864) was one of the highest ranking Jewish officers in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War.^[1] He served in the 67th and 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During the course of the war he became a staunch abolitionist. He served at the Siege of Vicksburg, and was mortally wounded during the Red River Campaign in May 1864.

Early life and education[edit]

Spiegel was born in the hamlet of Abenheim, Germany, near the city of Worms, on December 8, 1829, to a Jewish family that had lived in Germany since the sixteenth century.^[2] While peddling in Ohio he met Caroline Hamlin, daughter of a prominent Quaker. They married and moved to Chicago, Illinois where she studied Judaism and German-Jewish cooking. She converted to Judaism in 1853 in Chicago.^[3] He was the older brother of Joseph Spiegel, founder of Spiegel Catalog.^[4]

Career[edit]

Spiegel volunteered for the Union Army and soon rose through its ranks. He wrote over 150 letters to his wife Caroline during the course of the war, most of which still survive. In one of his letters wrote:

I am [in] favor of doing away with the institution of Slavery…never hereafter will I either speak or vote in favor of Slavery; this is no hasty conclusion but a deep conviction.^[5]

In late 1862 Spiegel was transferred to the recently formed 120th Ohio Volunteer infantry, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was officially commissioned colonel on March 20, 1863, and took formal command of the regiment.^[6]

He served at the Battle of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863). Soon after the fall of Vicksburg, he was badly wounded by an exploding shell. Spiegel survived the incident and was sent home to recuperate, and in March 1864 he returned to front line duties.^[6] Several weeks after his return, Confederate forces succeeded in ambushing the Union transport ship City Belle, at a location near Snaggy Point on the Red River, during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. The result of the ambush was a disaster for the Ohioans; most of the 120th infantry were taken prisoner. Spiegel was again wounded by a shell burst; this time fatally.^[6] He died of his wounds on May 4, 1864.