Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz

Rabbi Aharon Rokeach (known as the Mahar"a of Belz or the Belzer Rav; Elul 1880 - 21 Av 1957) was the fourth Rebbe of the Belz Chassidus and re-established Belz Chassidus in Eretz Yisroel after the Holocaust.

Life History[edit | edit source]

Rabbi Aharon Rokeach was born in Elul 1880 to Rabbi Yissachar Dov, who was the Rebbe in the town of Belz. He was named "Aharon" after his grandfather, Rabbi Aharon of Chernobyl, and after his great-grandfather, Rabbi Aharon of Karlin. He grew up with his grandfather, Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach, under whom he studied Torah and avodas Hashem. He married Rebbetzin Malka, the daughter of his uncle - Rabbi Shmuel of Skohl (grandson of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz). After his wedding, he continued to immerse himself in Torah and avodah, staying removed from worldly matters and minimizing sleep. He conducted himself with humility, fled from honor, and had pleasant ways.

On 22 Cheshvan 1927, his father passed away, and Rabbi Aharon was appointed as his successor as Rebbe of the Belz Chassidus. During his time, the chassidim grew to thousands and tens of thousands, and his influence reached far and wide. He was known as a great tzaddik and kadosh, a genius in both nigleh and nistar, with clear ruach hakodesh, experienced in miracles and wonders, bringing about supernatural yeshuos and wonders. He served as Rebbe in Belz, Galicia for thirteen years, until World War II, after losing his entire family (all his children and wife were murdered in the Holocaust, Hashem should avenge their blood) and being in danger himself, he was forced to flee.

On the night of Simchas Torah 1940, he fled from the Nazis, and for four years wandered on his way to Eretz Hakodesh. In his escape from Belz, he passed through: Skohl, Premishlan, Vizhnitz, Buchnia Ghetto, Budapest, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, until on 9 Shevat 1944, he arrived in Eretz Yisroel. Many gedolei Yisroel worked to save him, including the Frierdiker Rebbe. When he arrived in Eretz Yisroel, he began rebuilding Belz Chassidus while simultaneously working to strengthen Yiddishkeit in the land. Rabbi Aharon was revered by the gedolei hador who saw him as a seraph and prophet and considered him a remnant of the gedolim from before the Holocaust.

On Motzei Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Eikev, 21 Menachem Av 1957, he passed away suddenly and was laid to rest on Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim.

His Separation from Worldly Life and His Holiness[edit | edit source]

It is known that for fifty years Rabbi Aharon Rokeach did not sleep on a bed but rather sat on it or on a chair. He did not eat meat and barely ate bread, living more on liquids than solids. Most of his days were spent fasting, and even when he ate something small once a day, it was just a small bowl of soup. When he ate bread or fruits, he would taste a little bit for the bracha and leave everything as shirayim for others to take. When his attendant commented to him about not eating for several days, he responded saying, "Believe me that I am not hungry. If I felt the need for it, I would eat on my own and you wouldn't need to remind me..." Due to his extreme abstinence, his body became so thin that only skin and bones were visible, to the extent that in summer he had to wear a fur coat to provide his body with the necessary warmth!

He was known for his special observance of kedusha, and when receiving people for 'shalom aleichem' his hand would be wrapped in a towel. When appointing a new attendant, one of the three rules that Rabbi Aharon set before accepting him was: "I have stringencies regarding clean hands. When you serve me, if you touch your nose, hair, or even a child under three years old – please wash your hands and only then serve me."

His Connection with the Rebbe Rayatz[edit | edit source]

Committee to Aid Russian Jews[edit | edit source]

When the Rebbe Rayatz left Russia and arrived in Poland, he initiated a meeting of Admorim to discuss establishing a "Committee to Aid Russian Jews." To this invitation he received, Rabbi Aharon responded:

"Many blessings and all good forever to his holy honor, my soul's friend, my relative, the renowned tzaddik throughout all corners of earth and distant seas, the holy light, wonder of his generation, of holy lineage from holy stock, his holy honor our teacher Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak shlita... I very much wished to take part in the meeting about such an important matter, but currently during these cold days I am unable to make such a long journey. May Hashem help that his work shall be favored, to improve the situation of our Jewish brethren in Russia and in all their dwelling places..."

The Frierdiker Rebbe's Efforts to Save the Belzer Rebbe[edit | edit source]

When World War II broke out, Rabbi Aharon remained in Poland. The Belzer Chassidim committee sent a letter to the Frierdiker Rebbe requesting his assistance in saving Rabbi Aharon. After receiving the letter, the Frierdiker Rebbe responded that he was ready to help, but for this he needed to know "the exact private location of his holy residence, his holy name and age, and his holy parents' names precisely, and the names of other living family members, because without this it is impossible to make any efforts."

At the same time, that very day, the Frierdiker Rebbe wrote a letter to Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov, detailing what needed to be done to obtain an exit permit from Europe and an entry permit to Eretz Yisroel for the Belzer Rebbe.

The Frierdiker Rebbe also wrote to the Chief Justice in Eretz HaKodesh, Mr. Gad Frumkin, promising him that if he would involve himself in this matter, "Hashem Yisborach will bestow upon my friend and his household an abundance of life and blessing in gashmius and ruchnius." Additional letters regarding this matter were written to Rabbi Moshe Blau, chairman of Agudas Yisroel, to Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Heschel - the Kopyczynitzer Rebbe, and to the Tzehilimer Rebbe, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Greenwald.

Rabbi Elimelech Ashkenazi, the head of the Beis Din "Machzikei Hadas" in Melbourne, who was one of the activists of the Belzer Chassidim committee that requested assistance from the Frierdiker Rebbe to save the Belzer Rebbe, writes in his book "Kedushas Aharon":

"We immediately prepared a list of all the Rebbe's family members with their names and details, and provided it to the Lubavitcher Rebbe [the Frierdiker Rebbe] as requested in his aforementioned letter." He continues: "On a heavily rainy day during the winter of 1942, the holy Gaon Rabbi Shlomo-Yehuda-Leib Eliezerov, the Rabbi of Chevron, appeared at my house and delivered a letter he had received to give to me from the holy Gaon, the righteous Rebbe of Lubavitch [the Frierdiker Rebbe]. I was shocked to see how such an honored and great rabbi, an elderly and suffering man, troubled himself to come to my house. When I asked why he troubled himself, as he could have sent it through his assistants, he answered: 'The Rebbe writes to me to deliver this to you, I must fulfill his words.' When I said again that if he had informed me, I would have hurried to come to him, he answered: 'The mitzvah is greater when done personally than through a messenger, and every step involved in saving that tzaddik is precious to me and not difficult for me...'"

After the Belzer Rebbe was saved and arrived in Eretz HaKodesh, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent a telegram to Rabbi Shaul Dov Zislin and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kuperstoch, requesting them to visit Rabbi Aharon and bless him in the name of the Frierdiker Rebbe with 'Boruchim Haboim', and for good and blessing in gashmius and ruchnius, and to report back to the Frierdiker Rebbe about his condition and that of his family members. On Sunday, 19 Shevat 1944 (ten days after Rabbi Aharon arrived in Eretz HaKodesh), the delegation traveled to Rabbi Aharon, which also included Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov, Rabbi Yitzchok Ornstein, and Rabbi Yehuda Leib Slonim.

Exchange of Letters with the Rebbe Rayatz[edit | edit source]

When the report about this visit reached the Rebbe Rayatz, which was sent by Rav Eliezerov on the 20th of Shvat, the Rebbe Rayatz thanked him for the visit.

On the 6th of Adar, the Rebbe Rayatz wrote a blessing letter to the Belzer Rebbe:

"To his holy honor, the righteous Rav, my relative, supreme friend and mighty companion, descendant of giants, who fears Hashem as his treasure, son of supreme holy ones, the Gaon Rabbi, our teacher Aaron shlita. Peace and blessing! Blessed is He who has kept us alive and sustained us to reach this time, that through the kindness of the Supreme G-d we merited to hear that Hashem our G-d saved his holy honor, my relative shlita. We bless Hashem our G-d for His kindness, and pray to Him, blessed be He, to strengthen the health of his holy honor, my relative shlita, and the health of his household members, may they live. May Hashem fulfill all the heart's desires of his holy honor, my relative shlita, in physicality and spirituality. I am his relative who seeks his peace, blessing him and being blessed by him."

The Rebbe Rayatz sent the letter to Rav Moshe Gurary in Tel Aviv and asked him to deliver it to Rabbi Aaron.

The Belzer Rebbe responded to his letter:

"27th of the counting of Bnei Yisroel, here in Tel Aviv. Best wishes to his holy honor, my relative, the famous righteous Rav, of holy lineage, sharp and brilliant, glory of Israel, etc., our teacher Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn shlita.

After seeking his holy peace with great love: I properly received his letter which is very precious to me. Thank G-d who performed wonders with us and brought us to the Holy Land, may it be built and established speedily in our days. May Hashem help that salvations continue with all good signs for all of Israel. I greatly enjoyed hearing about his good health and peace. I bless him with abundant peace and that he should be able to serve Hashem with expansive consciousness and satisfaction and all good, and to expand the boundaries of holiness, and to see much satisfaction from all his offspring, may they live. These are the words of his relative who seeks his peace and blesses him with all good, hoping that we all merit complete redemption speedily in our days with satisfaction. The small one, Aaron of Belz"

Correspondence and Interactions in 1944-1950[edit | edit source]

On 23 Sivan 1944, the Frierdiker Rebbe writes: "To all your blessings I answer Amen, so may Hashem say. How greatly I desire to hear from your honor's writing about the spiritual situation in Eretz Hakodesh, the state of the Bnei Torah in general and the youth in particular, and how it is possible to maintain proper and truly good chinuch according to Torah and mitzvos for the sons and daughters of Israel, and which educational institutions there are worthy of support."

Towards Rosh Hashana 1945, Rabbi Aharon responded to this letter from his residence in Tzfas, where he traveled for the month of Tishrei: "Greetings to my honorable relative and friend, the famous tzaddik... Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn shlita, the Rebbe of Lubavitch. After inquiring about your honor's wellbeing in these holy days, I hereby bless your honor with a gmar chasima tova, and may it be His will that we be blessed with a good and blessed new year, crowned with all salvations, and that we merit the complete geula speedily in our days."

Afterwards, Rabbi Aharon responded to the Frierdiker Rebbe's questions in his letter. The Rebbe answered his blessings in a letter from Rosh Chodesh Shevat 1945.

Additionally, while in Eretz Yisroel, the Rashag, son-in-law of the Nasi, visited the Belzer Rebbe, and they conversed for about an hour and a half. The Rebbe told the Rashag all the details about his rescue from Europe. This was the only time he spoke about the course of the historic journey in which he was saved from the Nazi oppressors, may their names be erased, as he generally avoided discussing these matters. Here, due to the honor of the Frierdiker Rebbe (whose son-in-law was the Rashag) and gratitude towards him, the Rebbe changed his custom and spoke about his rescue.

Personal Emissary to Farbrengen[edit | edit source]

For the 12 Tammuz farbrengen held in the zal of Yeshivas Toras Emes in Jerusalem in 1945, Rabbi Aharon sent his brother Rabbi Mordechai Rokeach as his personal emissary.

In "Kovetz Lubavitch" published that year, it is told about that farbrengen, and thus describes the words of the Rav of Bilgoray:

The Belzer Rebbe shlita could not participate personally in the simcha due to his weak health. His brother, the Rebbe of Bilgoray shlita spoke on his behalf and blessed in his name and in the name of the Belzer Rebbe shlita the Rebbe with a complete recovery and long good years. He emphasized that when the Lemberg region and large part of Poland were already surrounded by the Russians, the charedi communities there continued to exist and maintain Torah and mitzvos with mesiras nefesh, because of knowledge about the mesiras nefesh activities that the Rebbe operated and did in Russia.

"In this particular aspect of mesiras nefesh" - cried the Rebbe of Bilgoray - "we are all students of the tzaddik of Lubavitch. And this is the benefit of this celebration, the jubilee year 1895-1945 for the Rebbe's holy public activities, that he does not need this honor, rather this is a demonstration for us, so that we learn from him the mesiras nefesh for maintaining Torah and Yiddishkeit, as he did in the past and continues to do in the present."

When the Frierdiker Rebbe became ill in mid-1945, the Belzer Rebbe wrote him a blessing for a complete recovery, to which the Frierdiker Rebbe responded in a letter from 23 Iyar.

The final letter from the Belzer Rebbe to the Frierdiker Rebbe is from 1950, with New Year's blessings.

His Connections with the Rebbe[edit | edit source]

His Meetings with the Rebbe[edit | edit source]

When the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka lived in Berlin, one day it became known that Rabbi Aharon had arrived in Berlin and many people were going to greet him. The Rebbe, who was then a young avrech, wanted to meet him and asked his friend, a Ger chassid who lived in Berlin named R' Itche Meir Furstenberg, to accompany him. However, he made a condition that he should not reveal his identity (as was his way during that time, conducting himself modestly and privately). However, upon arriving there, they encountered Rav Chaim Schneerson from Chevron who was traveling as a shadar from Eretz Hakodesh. When the Rebbe noticed R' Chaim, he also asked him not to reveal his identity to anyone, and R' Chaim promised him this.

At the Admor's lodging, there was a long line of Jews waiting to give "sholom". He gave "sholom" with his hand wrapped in a towel, and his head bowed downward. When the Rebbe approached and extended his hand in greeting, he raised his holy eyes, removed the towel from his hand, and grasped the Rebbe's hand. The holy Rabbi Aharon held the hand for an extended time and asked: "Ver iz der yungerman?" ["Who is this young man?"]. "A giveynlicher yungerman" [="A simple young man"], the Rebbe answered. The Belzer Rebbe responded and said: "A vareme hentaleh. Yungerman, fun undz behalt men zich nit" [="A warm hand. Young man, from us one cannot hide"].

When R' Chaim Schneerson revealed to the Belzer Admor that the young man was the son-in-law of Admor HaRayatz, the tzaddik said: "Yo yo, ich ze ich ze. Ich hob gefilt az dos iz an eidele hant" [="Yes yes, I see I see, I felt that this is a pure hand"]. The Belzer Rebbe continued holding the Rebbe's hand and spoke with him this way for about ten minutes.

Rav Yechezkel Besser related that when he told R' Itche Meir that he had a yechidus with the Rebbe, he asked him to mention him to the Rebbe. When he spoke with the Rebbe and conveyed regards from Itche Meir Furstenberg, the Rebbe said in surprise: "Oh, Furstenberg, is he still so sharp?!.. I appreciate the regards, give him warm regards in my name, he after all took me to the Belzer Rebbe!"

A similar story happened again at a different time and in a different city. Rav Elchanan Halperin, president of the United Orthodox Communities in London, told Rabbi Sholom Dov Ber Wolpo about a story that Rav Elimelech Rimpler from Vienna (who later lived in London) told him, an event that occurred in his presence. When the Belzer Admor came to Vienna for eye treatment, as he left his house on his way to the doctor, two young men came before him to receive his blessing of peace. To the first one (who was the Rashag) he returned his blessing as was his way and custom three times, and to the second he held his hand for about fifteen minutes, and was in great deveikus. Rav Rimpler himself was present at the time along with other chassidim, and he said that those who were there were amazed, as they had never seen such conduct from their Rebbe. And everyone spoke then that the Belzer Admor felt that this was a pure and holy hand. And this young man was the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

"Playing with Fire"[edit | edit source]

In the early years of his leadership, the Rebbe sent a general letter to several Admurim to encourage them about making a farbrengen in honor of Yud Tes Kislev, the Chag HaGeulah of the Alter Rebbe, or to conduct a farbrengen themselves. Among the Admurim, the Rebbe sent a letter to the Belzer Rebbe. After the Belzer Rebbe's secretary read the letter, he said: "This young Rebbe is starting to give instructions to the great tzaddikim of the generation." When the Belzer Rebbe heard this, he told the secretary: "You are playing with fire. Go quickly, wash your hands and say three times 'I regret it, I regret it, I regret it.'"

The Rebbe's Relationship with Him[edit | edit source]

Rabbi Yechezkel Besser relates that once when he was with the Rebbe and mentioned Belz regarding a certain matter, the Rebbe said that Rabbi Aharon of Belz was a great tzaddik and extremely knowledgeable in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, and the Rebbe added that he received shirayim from him.

In 1956, the twelve shluchim that the Rebbe sent to Eretz Yisrael visited Rabbi Aharon of Belz. The visit took place on the 23rd of Menachem Av. In the report they wrote to the Rebbe, the shluchim relate that when they conveyed regards from the Rebbe, he answered: "The regards are very important to me, and give the Rebbe my regards. May you succeed in your shlichus, and may you be able to conduct yourselves in Eretz Yisrael as necessary."

On the night of Monday, 10th of Adar I 1973, his nephew the Belzer Rebbe visited the Rebbe, and the Rebbe told Admur Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz that he had met his uncle, the Belzer Rebbe Rabbi Aharon Rokeach, and saw that he was "a form without matter, completely separated from the physical."

About a month after Rabbi Aharon's passing, the Rebbe wrote a response to someone who asked whether the beginning of the redemption had already started. The Rebbe's answer was that as known there is no beginning of redemption until the time of Moshiach's coming, and added a sentence referring to Rabbi Aharon's passing: "We are now in an exile of doubled and redoubled darkness even more than previous generations since several gedolei Yisrael have gone to their rest, etc."

His Family[edit | edit source]

Great-grandfather - Rabbi Shalom Rokeach of Belz
Brother - Rabbi Mordechai Rokeach - the Admur of Bilgorai
Nephew - Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach - the Admur of Belz