Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk (Talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch)

Rabbi Avraham HaCohen of Kalisk (passed away on 4 Shvat 5570), was among the talmidim of the Maggid of Mezritch and one of the leaders of the Chassidic aliyah to Eretz Yisroel in 5537. From 5548, after the passing of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, he led the Chassidic settlement in Eretz Yisroel. In later years, he strongly disagreed with the Alter Rebbe regarding the dissemination of Chassidus.

Life History

He was born in the Lithuanian town of Kalisk to his father Rabbi Alexander. In his youth, he became known as an iluy and was among the greatest and most famous talmidim of the Vilna Gaon. Later, he became close to the Maggid of Mezritch through the Baal Shem Tov's talmid, Rabbi Chaim HaParush, who settled in Kalisk.

From 5528, he began gathering talmidei chachamim who followed his path, which was characterized by great enthusiasm and supreme deveikus. To nullify their yeshus, they would perform various actions, such as wearing strange clothing or rolling in the streets, thus degrading themselves. The unusual behavior of his chassidim aroused bewilderment and strong opposition from those around them, both non-Jews and Jews. When he went to debate with the misnagdim in Shklov together with the Alter Rebbe and was asked about his chassidim's behavior, he had no answer, which led to an intensification of the conflict over Chassidus. Later, the Alter Rebbe claimed that the immoderate behavior of his chassidim was among the factors that led to the cherem placed on chassidim in Lithuania. Only the Maggid's rebuke helped stop their behavior. Rabbi Avraham stopped leading chassidim and completely submitted himself to his teacher and friend Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Horodok.

In Chabad tradition, there exists to this day a Yiddish saying regarding the conduct of Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk's chassidim in 5530, which says "תל״ק iz nisht kein tolk" (the conduct of 5530 is not a purpose). His chassidim were called "Chassidei Tolk."

He married Ruchama, the sister of the Maggid of Mezritch and widow of Rabbi Noach Altschuler (whose son is Rabbi Shalom Shachna Altschuler, father of the Tzemach Tzedek). In 5537, he joined the group of olim led by his friend-teacher Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and stood by his side in leading the large group. His signature can be found on most letters sent abroad alongside the signature of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk.

Rabbi Avraham remained in Tzfat even after 5541 when the Chassidim were forced to leave the city and move to Tverya. He himself joined the Chassidim in Tverya only after two years. In Tverya, he established an independent beis medrash, although the relationship between the two leaders was always friendly.

When they both made aliyah to Eretz Yisroel, they both wrote letters to the Chassidim in White Russia telling them not to seek other Admorim besides the Alter Rebbe, as he was the leader of the Chassidic community in Russia.

After the passing of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk in 5548, Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk led the Chassidic community in Eretz Yisroel. As leader of the Chassidic settlement in Eretz Yisroel, he earned great respect from Chassidic leaders in Eastern Europe. In a letter sent by the Alter Rebbe after the passing of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, he mentions with admiration "the holy Rav, our teacher Rabbi Avraham HaCohen HaGadol, may he live, who fills the place of our holy Rebbe's holiness in wisdom and fear."

For 22 years, Rabbi Avraham of Kalisk was the crowned leader of the settlement and did much to expand and establish it. His many preserved letters provide a clear picture of Chassidic life in Tverya during his time. In his letters, he urged chutz laaretz Chassidim to support their brothers in Eretz Yisroel and was among the founders of the Kupat Maot Eretz HaKodesh (Holy Land Fund), and also provided them with spiritual guidance.

He also continued writing letters stating that the Alter Rebbe was the leader of the Chassidim and they should only follow him.

The Dispute with the Alter Rebbe

In 5557 (1797), the Alter Rebbe published the Tanya and began delivering maamarim (chassidic discourses) in a more expanded and explained manner. He also appointed young married men to spread and explain Chassidus in a way that would be understood by simple people. The Tanya was a tremendous innovation for its time because it was the first book to present Chassidus in an expanded and explained format.

When Rabbi Avraham heard about this, he strongly opposed this approach. Rabbi Avraham argued that this work deviated from the original path of the Chassidic movement. According to him, the Alter Rebbe had departed from the leadership path established by "our Rebbes" - meaning the Maggid of Mezritch and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk "who were very careful and cautious in their words not to let most Chassidim, nearly all of them, hear except in the way of mussar and to bring them into the covenant of emunas chachamim."

He believed that the general guidance of Chassidim should be based on emunas chachamim and simple yiras shamayim, while the study of razei Torah, which Rabbi Shneur Zalman revealed in his sefer, should be limited to elevated individuals. He based his words on the pasuk "tzaddik be'emunaso yichyeh" - don't read it as yichyeh (will live) but as yechayeh (will give life), meaning that through the tzaddik's knowledge of razei Torah, he exempts the people from needing to learn them, and they only need to believe in the tzaddik. The Alter Rebbe responded to this. The Alter Rebbe's approach was that everyone should contemplate Chassidus themselves and allow it to influence them rather than relying on the tzaddik's avodah.

In 5560 (1800), Rabbi Avraham published a letter retracting his opposition and agreeing that the Alter Rebbe's approach requiring everyone to contemplate Chassidus was truth and "is the path of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid... and how could one think to dispute this."

During those years, Rabbi Avraham suffered greatly from one of the Alter Rebbe's chassidim in Eretz Yisrael named Elazar Disner. This Elazar harassed Rabbi Avraham in various ways and severely disgraced him. He would regularly say that whoever doesn't follow his path is an apikores. He slandered him to Rebbe Yaakov Shimshon of Shepetivka, who was a moderate opponent of Rabbi Avraham, but the latter was shocked by his words and sent to Rabbi Avraham that he should be excommunicated. However, Rabbi Avraham opposed this because he feared Elazar would cause real damage through informing if they excommunicated him.

This Elazar wasn't satisfied with verbal abuse but also caused actual damage when he told the Sephardic chacham Rabbi Yitzchak Abulafia about the details of the dispute between Rabbi Avraham and the Alter Rebbe. He added that the Alter Rebbe didn't intend to continue sending support funds to chassidim in Eretz Yisrael, causing the Sephardim to avoid lending money to chassidim for fear they wouldn't find means to repay. This also caused a diminishment of the honor of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid in the eyes of the Sephardic chachamim.

Elazar attributed all his words to a great authority, saying that the Alter Rebbe harbored deep hatred for Rabbi Avraham. Thus in 5561 (1801), Rabbi Avraham sent a letter to the Alter Rebbe describing the entire chain of events, asking him not to accept lashon hara from this Elazar. In this letter, he again asked mechila for all matters of dispute between them. Yet even in this letter, his criticism of the Rebbe's approach is subtly hinted at, as he quotes the Sephardic chacham's wonder at how razei Torah could be revealed to someone with such bad middos as Elazar.

Later Years and Final Dispute

In subsequent years, the shadarim (fundraising emissaries) for Eretz Hakodesh funds reignited the dispute, both regarding the Chabad approach and regarding the Eretz Hakodesh fund, claiming the Alter Rebbe wasn't transferring all the money, and Rabbi Avraham again came out against the Alter Rebbe. During this period, the general Chassidic movement split and many chassidim went to Polish Rebbes. Then the Alter Rebbe became the leader of Chabad Chassidus alone rather than general Chassidus. This also led to the establishment of a separate Eretz Yisrael fund for Chabad chassidim apart from general Chassidus.

The dispute that erupted after the printing of the Tanya in 5557 (1797) grew and branched out, and over the years the great Chassidic Rebbes of that time became involved. Rabbi Baruch of Mezhibuzh and Rabbi Asher of Stolin joined Rabbi Avraham while Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev supported the Alter Rebbe. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov also tried to make peace between the sides during his visit to Eretz Yisrael in 5559 (1799). The Alter Rebbe also tried to end the dispute in a journey he made to the great Rebbes in 5570 (1810) but the talks did not resolve the dispute.

Final Days

It appears that over the years Rabbi Avraham suffered from various tragedies that affected his family members. Rabbi Avraham HaKohen of Kalisk passed away on 4 Shevat 5570 (1810) and was buried in the ancient Jewish cemetery in Tiberias. On his matzeiva was written: "Here is buried our master, teacher and Rebbe, the great and holy Rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Avraham son of Rabbi Alexander, Kohen to the Most High God."

His kuntres "Chesed L'Avraham" was printed at the end of the sefer "Chesed L'Avraham" by Rabbi Avraham HaMalach.