As a matter of fact Rabbi Lippa Haim was the second Rabbi of Zambrów. He bore the palm and shone as a prominent Torah scholar and famous Sage and benefactor of mankind. He was born at Tiktin, his father being Krinker Rabbi belonging to a large family of illustrious Rabbis and men of acumen and wisdom. At the beginning of his career Rabbi Lippa Haim was not a Rabbi, but a merchant. He failed in his trader business and therefore he accepted the Rabbi's office offered him by the Zambrów Community. He was forty-five years old when he became Rabbi of Zambrów. He was a kindhearted, charitable, humane man, considerate, beneficent and generous, always caring for the poor, supplying them with Sabbath meals and accommodation. Once he approached a rich man insisting that the latter should give board to a poor man on every Sabbath. The rich man remonstrated that he could not afford to do so. The Rabbi--he argued--became Rabbi after failing in his merchandise business but he (i.e. the rich man) was not a learned man and upon his failure in business could by no means become a Rabbi ...

Rabbi Lippa Haim was offered the Rabbi's office at Lomzha, when that office became vacant (after Rabbi Elijah Haim Meisel became Rabbi of Lodz). Rabbi Lippa Haim was however only a short time Rabbi in Lomzha, because the Tsarist authorities declined to endorse his nomination owing to the fact that Reb Lippa Haim did not know the Russian language. Rabbi Lippa Haim resumed his Rabbinical office at Zambrów.

The last years of his life were mainly dedicated to Torah studies, the practical Rabbinic duties being carried out by his eminent son-in-law Rabbi Regensberg, who became official Rabbi of Zambrów after the death of his father-in-law.
 

Shalom Avner Bernstein
RABBI ISRAEL SALANTER AT Zambrów

This happened on a certain Thursday early in the morning, in the year 1883. Zambrów Jews started to purchase their necessities for the Sabbath when a coach arrived from Tschizhev. An old dignified Jew descended from the coach and asked where is situated the Rabbi's Beth Hamidrash. He was led to the Rabbi's House of Study where Rabbi Lippa Haim used to study Torah and pray. As soon as the guest entered R. Lippa Haim greeted him with much respect, esteem and affection. He was none other but the celebrated Gaon, Founder of the Mussar Movement, Rabbi Israel Salanter. He was on his way to Lomzha where he intended to establish a Mussar Yeshivah. On that Sabbath he stopped in Zambrów, and was Sandek (Godfather) at the Circumcision Ceremony of a boy named Shalom Avner (i.e. author of this article).
 

THE SAINTLY RABBI
DOV MENAHEM REGENSBERG

A SMALL TOWN AND A GREAT RABBI

A former disciple (at present a Rabbi in the United States) writes about the Zambrów Rabbi as follows: "That was a little town, but its Rabbi was a great man, one of the most eminent Rabbis of Poland. Only now, after the ruin, decline and fall of the town, we are able to realize the magnitude of our loss."

When still a child, I studied Torah at the Zambrów Talmud-Torah, together with a group of children destined to pass to the Yeshivah. The Rabbi imposed upon us twenty pages of Gemarah (Talmud), to be prepared: We had to undergo an examination. Only six children passed the rather difficult examination (and I was among them). We had got from the Rabbi many presents before we left for Lomzha to study in the Yeshivah there. The Rabbi treated us as a father treats his own son. During vacation, when we returned to Zambrów, the Rabbi invited us to his house and conferred upon us many honors.

The Rabbi of Zambrów was a man of learning. He devoted all his time to the study of Torah. Day and night he used to sit and learn. He also collected much money for the Yeshivot, because he adored Yeshiva "students".

A year before the outbreak of the Second World War I came to him in order to get Semikha or Rabbinical Ordination. He devoted much time to me, explaining the intricate ways of Rabbinical duties with regard to the issue of decisions, especially bearing on ritual problems (Kasher and Trepha). The public and social functions of Rabbi were also expounded by the excellent Rabbi of Zambrów. He was a lover of Torah-learning land personally watched the building work of the new Talmud-Torah which was erected by his donation of five thousand Zlotys which he had won in the local lottery. He was a marvelous defender of the orthodox ways of Judaism and a lover of mankind.
 

David Pales writes: For sixty years Rabbi Dov Menahem had occupied the Rabbinical Office at Zambrów, from 1882 up to the year 1941. When he was about ninety years old "his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated". Then came the tragic epilogue of his life. The Nazi murderers emerged and ordered him to dig his own grave.....

When Rabbi Dov Menahem started his job as Rabbi Zambrów was a thinly populated, a small town consisting of about 300 families. Later on the Tsarist authorities built (in the whole environment) military barracks. They brought about an enormous growth and development of Zambrów whose population consisted now of 1500 Jewish families and 1500 gentile families. With the development of Zambrów grew its Rabbinical office too. Rabbi Regensberg loved Zambrów and its population. His task was not an easy one. He had to struggle with the Tsarist authorities, with the official "Rabbi" nominated by the Government and with some unorthodox sections of the local population. He was born in 1852. His father R. David Regensberg was a well-known Rabbi in various Lithuanian towns. On his mother's side he was the nephew of the famous Gaon R. Elijah Ragold (1794-1849) Rabbi of Slobodka, and later Rabbi of Kalish. Rabbi Menahem Dov, when a young boy, studied at the famous Ishishok Yeshivah near Lida and Radin. He came to Zambrów in the year 1872 when he married the daughter of Rabbi Lippa Haim. A few years after his marriage R. Menahem Dov opened a grocery and became a merchant for a short time. His father-in-law soon asked him to carry out the Rabbinical duties and to replace him as Rabbi. Later on R. Menahem Dov had had to suffer a lot because the Government nominated an "official" Rabbi who was well versed in the Russian language whereas R. Menahem Dov did not know Russian. The inteIIigentsia and the rich people supported the new official Rabbi, whereas the religious and poorer classes of people were strong adherents of R. Menahem Dov.

fRabbi Menahem Dov was a faithful Shepherd of his Community especially during the tragic years of the First World War, when the Jewish populace suffered very much, both physically and economically. The Rabbi cared for all the homeless people. He intervened on the Community's behalf with the Authorities in order to alleviate the deplorable plight of the population. He was also very active in the spiritual and religious life of the Community. His love for Zion was also very strong and although he was a member of the Agudat Israel Organization, nevertheless he was vitally interested in what was going on in the Holy Land, and cared very much for the Lomzha-Suvalk Kollel, to satisfy the needs of poor Palestine Jews hailing from this region.

It is a rare phenomenon that a Rabbi should be attached to a Rabbinical seat for the duration of over sixty years.

His erudition was vast. He compiled two works dealing with Halakha and Aggadah entitled Divre Menahem and Minhat Menahem. He was an indefatigable Torah scholar, unremitting in effort and labor for the benefit of his beloved Community.

Heshel, another grandson, gives the following description of his grandfather Rabbi Menahem Dov Regensberg:

"I still remember, when I was a child, that my grandfather R. Menahem Dov, used to accost old citizens of Zambrów per "thou" as if he spoke to youngsters. This was quite natural because my grandfather knew these old people from childhood. It is impossible to describe the Jewish town Zambrów during the last fifty years without its veteran Rabbi being given the most detailed portrayal, just as it is inconceivable to portray the venerable Rabbi without his beloved Zambrów Community".

The author further gives some more details of his grandfather's nobility, goodness, great faith and devotion to Orthodox Jewry, his love of common people and his simplicity and meekness. He also cites a favorite popular song in Yiddish sung by him on holidays.


Israel Lewinski
 

The Scroll was purloined and filched by the unofficial Rabbi's adherents. It could not be found. This caused much odium and hatred, resentment and umbrage. The father of the Authorized Rabbi warned the Community of the approaching divine retaliation and vengeance. Soon there broke out a vast conflagration consuming all the Jewish houses of Zambrów, causing much suffering and affliction, distress and grief to the Zambrów Jews. During the Holocaust, the stolen Torah Scroll was discovered (among the Genizah at the Red Beth Hamidrash), but it was unfortunately impossible to rescue the precious Torah Scroll from the blazing wildfire.

3) Once it occurred that one of the dignified Baale Batim (citizens) of Zambrów slapped or boxed the Shochet's cheek because the latter refused to slaughter a fowl on a holiday. The Rabbi called the impudent citizen and imposed upon him a pecuniary fine as well as a public apology.

4) The butchers very much respected the Rabbi and accepted all the strict and severe ritual regulations and Kasher and Trefa rules imposed on them by the Rabbi. They knew that the Rabbi is too bold and intrepid to be afraid of them.

5) When the author of this article intended to leave for Eretz Israel, the Rabbi who was a member of Agudat Israel congratulated him and gave him some letters of recommendation to several Rabbis of Jerusalem.

The author remembers the ordeal of the Zambrów Jews during the German Occupation in 1916-1917, and the refreshing atmosphere prevailing at the Red Beth Hamidrash where every participant of Gemarah studies forgot his troubles, adversities, mishaps, calamities, failures and disasters. After the barbarous annihilation of Zambrów, the sweet Gemarah melody still vibrates in the author's ears.

THE RABBI'S PROPHECY

lJoseph Krulevitzky (Buenos Aires) relates: The President of the Independent Polish Republic, Woytshekhovsky, undertook a tour of all the regions of his Republic. Inter alia he paid a visit to Zambrów, where there was a big military barrack. Preparations for the forthcoming visit were in full swing. Both Christians and Jews prepared for the festive reception. The Rabbi, of course, headed the Jewish Delegation. He was clothed in a beautiful Rabbinic tunic, with a nice Shtreimel on his head. In his hands he took hold of a marvelous Torah Scroll over which there was a nice canopy. Near the Rabbi there stood the Community President R. Solomon Bloomrosen. The Rabbi was not conversant with the Polish language. When the Polish President Woitshekhowsky approached the Rabbi, the latter became somewhat perplexed, and instead of greeting the President with the words "I salute or pay homage to you, Mr. President," he uttered the phrase: "I pay homage to you, Mr. Reader" (in Polish: "Mr. Referent"). Although the Rabbi soon corrected his lapsus linguae ("slip of the tongue"), nevertheless the Rabbi's prophecy was soon fulfilled: soon after that event Woytshekhovsky was forced to tender his resignation by Joseph Pilsudski. In conformity with the Rabbi's prophecy Woytshekhovsky became a Reader (Polish: “Referent”) at the University of Poznan (Posen).

The talented writer and poet from Vilna, Chaim Grade, who had married the Rabbi's granddaughter Fruma Libtsha (i.e. the daughter of the late Rabbi Aaron Jacob Klepfish), describes that Rabbinical Conference as follows (see Grade's literary masterpice, Der Shulhoif): The greatest Rabbi spoke at the Conference, an old man (about ninety), i.e. the Rabbi of Zambrów  spoke with much pathos and fervour, effusion and ardour about the scandalous attempts at the violation of the Sabbath and other infringements and trespasses practiced by the younger generation. He spoke in a woeful, depressive, comfortless manner about the decline and extenuation of traditional orthodox ways of Judaism. He spoke and bitterly wept on account of the spiritual ruin of Jewry. "Holy Jews!" the Rabbi emotionally applied to the Rabbis of the Conference. "None of us, occupying Rabbinical seats, will be able to answer the Almighty's query: "Why have you been so taciturn, close tongued and reticent? We Rabbis, should put ourselves under the wheels of the buses functioning on the Sabbath!" -- concluded the Zambrów Rabbi, wringing his hands and bursting into tears... Many participants of that Conference heaved a sigh and sobbed together with the Patriarchal Nestor of Polish and Lithuanian Rabbi...
 

DAYANIM AND HASANIM

The Dayan Zalman was of Latvian descent, a scion of a distinguished family, of noble countenance, high stature, sharp-witted, of enlightened views. Passed away in 1937.

The second cantor was Reb Slomo Wismonsky, graduate of the School for Cantors, founded by A. B. Birnboim in Chenstochov. Erudite, competent musicologist. Of refined gentle demeanor.

Zambrów, however, had her own permanent Maggidim who were paid by the Community Council.

R. Eliyakim Getzl was one of the most famous Maggidim in Russia and Poland. He was an extraordinary orator, captivating and enchanting his audiences. He used to thunder with his voice shutting his eyes, upbraiding and rebuking the people for their vices and sins.

III. SHAMMAI-LEISER

IV. HAIM VELVEL PAV