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File:Portrait of Simcha Bunim of Peshischa from the Bergson Collection.jpg Woodcut picture of Simcha Bunim ca. 1824 at the approximate age of 59, commissioned by Temerl Bergson as part of the Bergson Warsaw collection. The image was confirmed by Yaakov Aryeh Guterman who was a disciple of Simcha Bunim.
Title	Rebbe Reb Binum (רבי ר׳בונם)
Personal
Born	Simcha Bunim Bonhardt c. 1765 Vodislav, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Died	4 September 1827 Przysucha, Congress Poland
Religion	Judaism
Nationality	German-Polish
Spouse	Rebeccah Auvergir-Kogov
Children	Avraham Moshe of Peshischa, Liba Bonhardt, Beyla Bonhardt.
Parents	Tzvi Hersh Bonhardt (father) Sarah Rachel (mother)
Occupation	Apothecary
Signature
Jewish leader
Predecessor	Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowicz
Successor	Avraham Moshe of Peshischa Menachem Mendel of Kotzk Yitzchak Meir Alter Israel Yitzhak Kalish Mordechai Yosef Leiner Chanokh Heynekh HaKohen Levin
Began	1813
Ended	1827
Yahrtzeit	12 Elul
Buried	Przysucha, Poland

Simcha Bunim Bonhardt of Peshischa (Yiddish: שמחה בונם בונהרט פון פשיסכע, [ˈsɪmχə ˈbʊnɪm ˈbʊnhaʁt ˈfʊn ˈpʒɪ'sχə]; c. 1765 – September 4, 1827) also known as the Rebbe Reb Bunim was the second Grand Rabbi of Peshischa (Przysucha, Poland) as well as one of the key leaders of Hasidic Judaism in Poland. The main disciple of Yaakov Yitzchak of Peshischa, from 1813 to 1827, he led the Peshischa movement of Hasidic thought, in which he revolutionized 19th-century Hasidic philosophy by juxtaposing the rationalistic thought of German Jewry with the spiritual nature of God defined by the Hasidic movement. He was instrumental in challenging the Hasidic status quo, in which he paired enlightenment philosophy with traditional Orthodox Judaism while controversially emphasizing the importance of the individual in regards to one's personal relationship with God. He outwardly challenged the dynastic and autocratic nature of Hasidic rebbes and encouraged the democratization of Judaism, which led to several unsuccessful attempts by contemporary Hasidic leadership to excommunicate him. Above all else, he believed that authenticity and self-honesty were the foundation of true piety, and that the pursuance of authenticity should always usurp the status quo. His teachings are the foundation for Kotzk Hasidism, Ger Hasidism, Amshinov Hasidism, Zychlin Hasidism, Aleksander Hasidism, Vurka Hasidism, Sochatchov Hasidim, Radzymin Hasidism, Lublin Hasidism, Strikov Hasidism and Izhbitza-Radzin Hasidism. Because his followers were among the most influential Hasidic figures in Poland, and because of his innovations in Hasidic philosophy many consider Simcha Bunim to be the father of modern Polish Hasidism as well as one of the most important Jewish philosophers of the Napoleonic era.

Early life

Early life and family

Simcha Bunim Bonhardt was born in Vodislav, Poland in either 1765 or 1767 to a German-Jewish non-Hasidic family. His father Tzvi Hersh Bonhardt was a German-born rabbi who became a leading rabbinic figure In Poland, authoring several works and studying medieval Jewish philosophy. Thus many of Simcha Bunim's rationalistic ideals were greatly influenced by his father, and grandfather, Judah Leib Bonhardt of Frankfurt who could both be considered traditional rational pietists. His mother, Sarah Rachel was the scion of a distinguished Ukrainian rabbinic family. Her father, Betzalel HaLevi of Zhovkva was a renowned Ukrainian rabbi known for his progressive halachic views. Through her father, Sarah Rachel was a descendant of the liberal Judaist, Joel Sirkis who in part was a descendant of the Jaffe family, and through her mother she was a descendant of Moses Bonems-Meisels who was a member of the Bonems-Meisels family and the great-grandson of the eminent posek, Moses Isserles, who was a descendant of the medieval Tosafist, Rashi. Hasidic literature recalls that Simcha Bunim had an unnamed sister, who was physically disabled, yet was later healed by David of Lelov.

Simcha Bunim's childhood was defined by traditional Jewish values juxtaposed with the secular German cultural orbit. His father moved to Poland for financial reasons, yet he was known to have fervently held on to his German identity, often giving his sermons in German and dressing in modern German clothing. This ultimately had a great effect on Simcha Bunim, and was later used by his opponents, who portrayed him as an outsider because of his Germanic upbringing. Despite this, Simcha Bunim's father though not Hasidic, was friends with many early Hasidic masters, such as Yisroel Hopstein of Kozhnitz and David of Lelov. Hasidic literature describes an intimate and loving relationship between Simcha Bunim and his father, partially motivated by the fact that Simcha Bunim was considered by some to have been an Illui (child prodigy). At age five, a group of important guests came to his father's home and despite his age, his father asked him to give a sermon on the commandment of Hospitality. The young Simcha Bunim, went out to prepare bedding and cups for the ritualistic handwashing, he then brought the guests to the room he prepared and stated "this is the best way to expound on the commandment of hospitality". At age ten, he began studying at his local cheder, where he got into an altercation with the melamed who forced Simcha Bunim to leave after Simcha Bunim was caught not paying attention in cheder. Following this, Simcha Bunim began privately learning Gemara under a certain "Reb Abba" in the local Vodislav beit midrash. At age fourteen, his father sent him to Mattersburg, Austria, to learn at the Yeshiva of Jeremiah Mattersdorf, whom his father had learned under several years prior. After spending some nine years in Mattersburg, he briefly lived in Nikolsburg, Czechia, where he learnt under Mordecai Benet. After his studies, he returned to Poland, where he married Rebeccah Auvergir-Kogov (1776-1858), the daughter of the wealthy merchant, Moshe Auvergir-Kogov in 1791 in Będzin.

In that time in Poland, a bride and groom would usually see each other for the first time on their wedding day. Rebeccah, however, insisted on seeing Simcha Bunim before she married him. Several days before their wedding, when the Bonhardt family was arranging the fanatical details with the Auvergir-Kogov family in Będzin, Rebeccah had an opportunity to see Simcha Bunim before their wedding. She was apparently upset, after seeing his allegedly short stature and told her father she didn't want to marry him. Simcha Bunim apparently got light of this and told his family not to worry as the entire situation would be sorted after he finished davening Mincha in a local forest. According to several contemporary eye-witness accounts, a fire began to surround Simcha Bunim as be davened the Amidah and when he finished the fire went out. Apparently, after seeing this, Rebeccah realized what a great tzadik Simcha Bunim was and happily accepted the marriage. Simcha Bunim later went on to say that it was one of the three times when God responded immediately to his prayers. Simcha Bunim's Hasidim later said that if one prays for something in the spot in the forest near Będzin, their prayers will be answered no matter what. However, since the exact spot became unknown, disciples of Peshischa went to say that one who recalls the story of Simcha Bunim's wedding will have their prayers answered just as if they were standing in the same spot in the forest near Będzin. Over the course of a year or so, Simcha Bunim stayed in the home of his father-in-law, where he began to privately study Hasidic philosophy with Moshe Leib of Sassov, and later with Yisroel Hopstein.

Early business endeavours in Siedlce

After staying with his father-in-law for a year or so, Simcha Bunim and his wife left Będzin and moved in with a certain Kalman Shedlitzer, whose business interests Simcha Bunim was representing in Siedlce as a bookeeper. Hasidic literature recalls that one Shabbos in the home of Kalman Shedlitzer, Simcha Bunim was taking an exceedingly long time to join the family for Kiddush. Kalman Shedlitzer's wife, was fed up and barged into Simcha Bunim's room to find him dressed solely in white, adorning a Tallit. She immediately returned to her husband proclaiming that they had a great tzadik living in their home. Another story recalls how Simcha Bunim once brought home a certain Moshe Fischel who was an infamous gambler. The two men played cards and gambled for several hours, once again to the chagrin of Kalman Shedlitzer's wife. Simcha Bunim later revealed to his Hasidim that he did so, because he found out that Moshe Fischel was planing on sinning with a certain women that night, and that the only way to prevent it would be to preoccupy him with a long game of cards. This was later confirmed by Moshe Fischel himself, several years later. Finally, one day when Simcha Bunim and his wife were managing the shop of Kalman Shedlitzer, Polish soldiers came into the shop to ensure everything was tagged properly in regard to tax. Simcha Bunim's wife, Rebeccah told him that there were some items that were untagged and that if the soldiers found out, they would be severely punished. Simcha Bunim immediately ran to his study and seemingly stayed there for the duration of the soldiers' visit. The soldiers however, didn't notice the untagged items and left peacefully. Rebeccah then entered her husbands study to find him learning Gemara. She asked how he could be learning when their lives were in great danger, Simcha Bunim responded stating that "as it said in Psalms "the wicked have sought to destroy me and thus I will study the torah" and so I began to learn a certain Gemara which I couldn't understand because when one is in immediate danger, it is only then that they can understand an advanced torah concept, and it's only now that I was able to understand this advanced Germara." Simcha Bunim's disciples later revealed that Simcha Bunim's learning was so profound that the angles in heaven begged God to turn the soldiers away from Simcha Bunim's shop, lest he be arrested and his learning be stopped.

The court of the Seer

After working in Siedlce for about a year, David of Lelov, who was an old friend of Simcha Bunim's father convinced him that he should travel to Lublin to learn under Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz ("the Seer of Lublin").

When he arrived in Lublin, he was soon taken under the wing of the Seer who was deeply impressed with Simcha Bunim's remarkable intellect and vast Talmudic knowledge. However, while spending time at the Seer's Hasidic court, Simcha Bunim began to develop great disdain with the mannerisms and behaviour which had recently defined the culture of Hasidism. Particularly the role in which the rebbe played in his follower's lives. In Lublin and other Hasidic courts of his time, the rebbe had absolute control and say over his congregants and played the role of the impetus of God. This immeasurably disturbed Simcha Bunim who was a fervent exponent of religious individualism, believing that no rebbe, however holy, could ever usurp the role of the individual.

Business endeavours with Temerl Bergson

Simcha Bunim and his wife settled in Przysucha around 1793. It was during this time that he was employed by the wealthy businesswomen Temerl Bergson, who he had met though Yisroel Hopstein. She sent Simcha Bunim to represent her timber firm at the annual trading fairs in Danzig, where he was sent to sell her timber. Hasidic literature recalls, how on one of these trips to Danzig, Simcha Bunim stopped in a small Polish village to the annoyance of his colleague, who originally asked Simcha Bunim to "not mix Hasidism and business" as to not delay their arrival in Danzig. Despite this, Simcha Bunim walked through the village and found a sick Jew named Moshe who was on the brink of death. Simcha Bunim went out to a local forest and asked God to heal the sick Jew and soon after, Simcha Bunim saw Moshe walking through the village healthy as ever. Simcha Bunim later went on to state that this was the second of three times that God responded immediately to his prayers. Several days after his encounter with Simcha Bunim, Moshe was walking through a local forest and saw a non-Jewish boy bleeding out on the ground, Moshe carried him miles back to his home and restored him to health. The two men then went out for a drink at the local pub, and the pub owner recognized the boy as the son of the local Voivode, who had been lost for several days. The pub owner immediately brought the boy and Moshe to the mansion of the Voivode who in part rewarded Moshe with one hundred rubles for saving his son. The Voivode's son then responded stating "is that all my life is worth? One hundred rubles?". The Voivode responded asking his son what an appropriate compensation would be and his son told his father to build a luxurious inn for Moshe so that he could have an excellent income for the rest of his life. The Voivode agreed and Moshe became known as one of the wealthiest Jews in the region, whose success was entirely due to Simcha Bunim.

Meanwhile, because Simcha Bunim stoped to prayer for Moshe, he and his colleague were late to the Danzig trade fair, and were in danger of not being able to cell their timber. Simcha Bunim went into the room he was staying at in Danzig, and asked God to help him sell his timber lest he come back empty handed to Temerl. That following day, Simcha Bunim became aquatinted with a certain English businessman whose accountant was crying. Simcha Bunim asked him in German why he was crying, and the accountant responded that there was a vital mistake in his accounting books and that if he didn't sort it out he would loose his job. Simcha Bunim then took a look at his books and was able to point out the accounting error. The accountant then brought the error back to his boss, and told him that Simcha Bunim single handedly saved their business. The English businessman then got into a conversation with Simcha Bunim who told the English businessman that he was having a hard time selling his timber. The English businessman responded stating that he was looking to buy timber and offered to entirely buy out Simcha Bunim's stock. On his way back to Przysucha, he instead on stopping to see how the sick Jew Moshe was doing, when he arrived in the Polish village, he was shocked to a brand new luxury inn and even more shocked to see Moshe running it. Moshe then, warmly greeted Simcha Bunim and told him about his entire ordeal with the Voivode's son. When Simcha Bunim became a rebbe, Moshe supported over a thousand of Simcha Bunim's Hasidim. During his time in Danzig, Simcha Bunim was known to have done imenese Kiruv, brining in hundreds of assimilated German Jews back to Orthodox Judaism. Hasidic literature recalls how one year in Danzig Simcha Bunim was accompanied by seven other German Jews who would often try to get Simcha Bunim to join them at the theatre. On one of these occasions, Simcha Bunim responded telling them that he already knew what the play was about just by reading the advertisement for the play. His German Jewish colleagues in disbelief asked him to tell them what the play was about. Simcha Bunim responded and his colleagues told him he was entirely incorrect, Simcha Bunim then responded stating "exactly! Just as I am not able to understand a play based on a few lines on an advertisement, so too are you, who refuse to join me in visiting the great tzadikim able to understand the Torah just by reading a few lines." Soon after Simcha Bunim said this, six out of his seven colleagues joined him in visiting local tzadikim and later became Hasidim of Peshischa.

Another year in Danzig, Simcha Bunim's German Jewish colleagues told him that if he attends a play at the Danzig Shakespeare Theatre with them, they will keep Shabbos. Simcha Bunim conflictedly agreed and joined them at the theatre. When the play began the actors came down in white gowns holding candles and Simcha Bunim began to scream, running out of the theatre. His colleagues ran after him and asked him why he reacted in such a way. Simcha Bunim responded stating "it is clear that those fellows dressed all in white are representations of angles, reminding us that it is Yom Kippur tonight and that we should be learning in anticipation for this holiest of holidays rather then spending are time at the theatre". Simcha Bunim's colleagues agreed and they all returned to the local Beit Midrash. Simcha Bunim later went on to state that it was these very colleagues whose descendants will be the greatest Hasidim. It was also during this trip to Danzig, that Simcha Bunim found himself playing chess with an assimilated Jew. During the course of the game, Simcha Bunim purposefully made a foolish move, and asked the assimilated Jew to allow him to take it back. Then close to the end of the game Simcha Bunim made another foolish move that would have led to a checkmate, he asked to take it back but his opponent said “this is the second time you have asked to take back a move and I will simply not allow it.” Simcha Bunim then responded quoting the Tefilat HaDerech stating "woe unto the man who had gone far astray and made many false moves, but is prevented from turning back", immediately after hearing this the assimilated Jew felt deeply ashamed and Simcha Bunim responded, telling him that it's not too late to do Teshuva, this Jew later became a Hasid of Peshischa. Unrelated to Kiruv, a story is told about a time that Simcha Bunim found himself in a local cafe in Danzig closing a deal with a timber merchant. When the waitress came out to give him his coffee, Simcha Bunim turned his head away from her as to not break the laws of tzniut as the waitress was dressed immodestly. The waitress, partially offended, quickly ran to the other side of Simcha Bunim to catch a glimpse of his face and thus Simcha Bunim turned his head the other way again. This continued for some time until Simcha Bunim sternly replied in German "Don't you know I'm a Hassid!", the waitress then left him alone and Simcha Bunim later went on to explain that in the verse in Psalms which states "Hashem protect my sole because I'm a Hassid", King David was asking God that he shouldn't have to scream out "I'm a hassid" in such a manner and that he was asking God to protect him from situations such as the one Simcha Bunim encountered.

Life in Przysucha

After working for Temerl Bergson for several years, Simcha Bunim became increasingly bothered

and studying pharmacology, enlightenment philosophy, European languages and natural science. He eventually received his apothecary diploma after passing an exam before a board of doctors in Lviv.

later opening up an apothecary shop. He soon became well known for his medical ability and several Polish nobles came to Simcha Bunim for their pharmaceutical needs. It was also around this time, that he became the main disciple of the Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowicz (the Holy Jew of Peshischa) and his newly formed Hasidic school of thought. Unlike his Hasidic contemporaries, the Holy Jew preached individuality and authenticity, which attracted Simcha Bunim to his movement. Before his death, the Holy Jew appointed Simcha Bunim to succeed him as the Peshischa Rebbe, which he did in 1813.

Rabbinical position

Simcha Bunim was an atypical Hasidic leader, after succeeding the Holy Jew, Simcha Bunim brought Peshischa to its highest point and kickstarted a counter-revolutionary movement which challenged the Hasidic norm. While under the Holy Jew, Peshischa was closer to a philosophy whereas, under Simcha Bunim it was transformed into a religious movement. Under Simcha Bunim's leadership, centers were created across Poland that held ideologically alliance to Peshischa. These centers preached Simcha Bunim's ideals of rationalism, radical personhood, independence and the constant quest for authenticity, which challenged contemporary Hasidic leadership. Simcha Bunim was adamantly against the autocratic nature which had defined Hasidic leadership of his time and he encouraged his students, to think critically and to be independent of him. He believed the role of the rabbi was that of a teacher who helped his disciples develop their own sense of autonomy and not of an enforcer or impetus of God. Those students who are unable to accept responsibility for themselves were considered unfit to be part of Peshischa. This sentiment spread throughout Poland, leading to several attempts by Hasidic leadership of his time to excommunicate Simcha Bunim.

In 1822, at the wedding of Avraham Yehoshua Heshel's grandson in Ustyluh, Ukraine, an attempt was made by the majority of the Hasidic leaders of Poland and Galicia to excommunicate Simcha Bunim. Several dignitaries such as Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov and Naftali Zvi of Ropshitz, came to the wedding to publicly speak out against Simcha Bunim, in hopes that Avraham Heshel along with other leading rabbis, would agree to excommunicate Simcha Bunim and the Peshischa movement. Knowing that he would be slandered, Simcha Bunim sent his top students, mainly Menachem Mendel of Kotzk and Yitzchak Meir Alter, to go to the wedding and defend the Peshischa method. Originally, he wished to go himself to defend his movement, however, his students advised him, that his appearance would be too controversial. During the course of the festivities, a public debate was held in which combatants of Peshischa appealed to Avraham Heshel to decide whether to ban Peshischa or not. They described Peshischa as a movement of radical intellectual pietists (misnagdim) and non-conformists who endangered the Hasidic establishment. They also criticized Simcha Bunim for dressing in contemporary German fashion as opposed to the traditional Hasidic garb, claiming that his German pedigree debarred him from being an

adequate Hassidic leader. His critics mockingly called him "der deutschle" (lit. 'the little German'), which he is still sometimes referred to in communities like Bobov and Satmar who often bind works relating to Simcha Bunim. Nearing the end of the debate, Avraham Heshel turned towards Yerachmiel Rabinowicz, the son of the Holy Jew, and asked him what he thought of Simcha Bunim. Yerachmiel responded in approbation towards Simcha Bunim, and thus Avraham Heshel ended the debate. Ultimately no negative came out of this event, but quite the opposite accrued, following the intense debates at the wedding, hundreds of young Hasids flocked to Peshischa, after hearing of the enlightened and unconventional approach of Simcha Bunim, seeing it as reminiscent of the unique ideals of the Baal Shem Tov.

Another aspect of Simcha Bunim's life which challenged Hasidic leadership was his belief in the importance of self authenticity. He adamantly believed that one could not stand with any sense of integrity before God unless one first had some clarity of who one really was. Contemporary Hasidic leaders saw his emphasis on individualism as a form of Hedonism, while Simcha Bunim insisted that, for one to fulfill the Mitzvot, they must first work on themselves, and that by working to better one's self, one fulfills a major mitzvah, in his own right. He believed that the pursuance of authenticity should usurp the status quo, and only those who have developed an understanding of themselves can begin to pursue personal authenticity. He taught that all actions have to be done with sincerity in a state of personal truthfulness and that performing a mitzvah for the sake of personal interest or for the sake of conformity, results in the mitzvah having less weight. He believed that emotional and physical preparation for prayer is crucial for one to be able to fulfill the mitzvoth authentically and that personal analysis and self-honesty are integral for this process, which should be prioritized over halakhic restrictions of time.

Simcha Bunim saw that the ultimate purpose of the Torah and the mitzvoth is to draw a person close to God, though an approach that can only be achieved with humility and joy, and that a critical and intellectual interpretation of the Torah is crucial for enlightenment. He thus concluded that the service of God demanded both passion and analytical study. During his time, there was little to no study of Kabbalah and the emphasis was not on trying to understand God, but on trying to understand the human being. He also encouraged his students to study the secular sciences and the writings of the Rambam, which were unprecedented for a Hasidic community. Simcha Bunim believed that Religion was not simply an act of adopting a system of beliefs, but that test and trial were needed, and one had to ascertain through introspection whether one's beliefs were genuine or not and whether one acted out the truth or lived a life of pretense. He encouraged questioning and reflection and was he was not afraid of doubts of deliberations that might lead one astray. Simcha Bunim believed that a person must not search for the truth by imitating another, however pious, but rather by going inside his inner being. He believed that those whose piety was motivated by what others think or say were unable to develop a real connection to God. Yet it was those who first were able to recognize their weakness and frailty that were able to be authentic. Nearing the end of his life, Simcha Bunim became involved in the politics of Polish Jewry, being elected in 1825 as a representative of the Sandomierz Province as a member of the government commission on Jewish affairs. He was strongly opposed to the committees agenda and fought against it. Besides Hasidism Simcha Bunim's teachings also influenced early Zionist thinkers such as Martin Buber

Legacy

Gravesite of Simcha Bunim in Przysucha, Poland.

After Simcha Bunim's death in 1827, Peshischa split into two factions, those who supported Menachem Mendel of Kotzk as Simcha Bunim's successor and those who supported Simcha Bunim's son, Avraham Moshe Bonhardt. Generally speaking, those who supported Menachem Mendel of Kotzk such as Yitzchak Meir Alter, were the more radical of Simcha Bunim's followers who argued that Simcha Bunim was adamantly against Hasidic dynasties and never wanted his son to succeeded him. On the other hand, those who supported Simcha Bunim's son, such as Israel Yitzhak Kalish, were the less radical of Simcha Bunim's followers who were turned off by the intense and fierce demeanour of Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. Originally Simcha Bunim's son never wanted to succeeded his father, however after much pressure from the community he took over as the leader of the divided Peshischa community, only dying a year later in 1828. After his death, Israel Yitzhak Kalish took Avraham Moshe's fraction of the community and gradually incorporated them into his own Hasidic dynasty based in Warka. Menachem Mendel of Kotzk did the same, incorporating his fraction of the community into his own Hasidic dynasty based in Kock. Even though Peshischa ceased to exist as a separate movement, its ideals still exist as the foundation for a large percentage of modern Hasidic groups. Amongst Simcha Bunim's devout followers were:

• Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, the founder of the Kotzk dynasty.
• Yitzchak Meir Alter, the founder of the Ger dynasty.
• Israel Yitzhak Kalish, the founder of the Vurka dynasty.
• Mordechai Yosef Leiner, the founder of the Izhbitza-Radzin dynasty.
• Chanokh Heynekh HaKohen Levin, second Ger Rabbi.
• Shraga Fayvel Dancyger, the founder of the Aleksander dynasty.

Simcha Bunim's son, Avraham Moshe Bonhardt married Braindel Faiga Raphael's, the maternal granddaughter of the Holy Jew. The couple had two children, Tzvi Hersh Mordechai Bonhardt, who married the daughter of Israel Yitzhak Kalish and headed his own Hasidic court in Przysucha and Sarah Hadas Bonhardt who married Fischel Samuel Heller, a disciple of Simcha Bunim and great-grandson of Chaim Chaika Levin. Simcha Bunim also had a pair of twins, Liba and Beyla. Liba married Levi Yitzchak Dancyger the son of Shraga Fayvel Dancyger, however Levi Yitzchak died at a young age, before the couple had any children. Beyla married Elimelech Austricher a disciple of Simcha Bunim and the son of Itchila Austricher of Łódź. The couple had one son, Yitzhak Simcha Bunim Austricher whose son Tzvi Hersh Austricher was the Av Beit Din of Lipsko. Beyla died only two years after her brother, and her husband Elimelech married Avraham Moshe's window, Braindel Faiga.

Works

File:Sefer Kol Simcha.jpg

Front page of the 1859, Breslau edition of Kol Simcha.

During his life, Simcha Bunim wrote no works of his own, but many of his teachings were transmitted orally and published, much later on after his death. The following are collections of Simcha Bunim's oral teachings:

• Kol Simcha (קול שמחה) – Published by Simcha Bunim's disciple, Rabbi Alexander Zusha in 1859 in Breslau. Later being published again in 1877 in Przemysl. The work is a collection of Simcha Bunim's oral commentaries on the Torah and Talmud. However, the work was severely criticized by his contemporaries as being totally inadequate.
• Ramataim Zofim (רמתיים צופים) – Published by Samuel of Sieniawa in 1882 in Warsaw. The work is a general collection of oral teachings from Hasidic masters, with Simcha Bunim being mentioned several times.
• Simchat Yisrael (שמחת ישראל) – Published in 1910 in Piotrkow, the work recalls oral commentaries of Simcha Bunim.
• Midrash Simcha I and Midrash Simcha II (מדרש שמחה) – Published in 1975 in Jerusalem, the work recounts oral Midrashim given by Simcha Bunim.

Stories and oral teachings

One of the more famous oral teachings attributed to Simcha Bunim is:

Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so that he can reach into the one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket, and, there, find the words: "For my sake was the world created." But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: "I am but dust and ashes."

A story attributed to Simcha Bunim is:

A man once complained to Simcha Bunim, saying "The sages of the Talmud say that, 'One who runs away from greatness, greatness pursues him.' Well, I've been running away from greatness all my life, yet greatness has not pursued me!" Simcha Bunim replied: "I'm sure that greatness is indeed pursuing you, as our sages promise. The problem is that when you turn around to check if it is running after you, you frighten it away."

Simcha Bunim used to tell this story to his followers the first time they visited him:

There was once an impoverished man by the name of Isaac ben Yakil of Krakow. He lived in poverty for many years, not knowing where his next crust of bread would come from. Still, Isaac had implicit faith that God would not let him starve, and that one day his suffering would end. One night, he dreamed that there was highly valuable buried treasure under a specific bridge in Prague. At first, he paid the dream no attention, assuming it was mere wishful thinking. After all, who doesn’t dream of riches? But when the dream repeated itself night after night after night, he began to reconsider. Perhaps there was something to it? Could it possibly be true? So, he set off to Prague—a long and tiring journey, only to discover that the bridge was right near the royal palace and thus heavily guarded at all hours. Soldiers marched up and down, alert and ready, looking for any signs of danger or unusual activity. Digging under the bridge was clearly out of the question. But Isaac was not going to give up that easily. He returned to the bridge day after day until the guards began to recognize him. Soon they became curious. “Why do you come to the bridge every day?” one of the guards asked him. “Are you waiting for someone?” Isaac knew they wouldn’t believe some half-hearted excuse, so he told them about his dream. The guard listened, threw back his head, and laughed heartily. “You can all this way because of a silly dream? You fool! I had a dream that a certain Jew, Isaac Ben Yakil, has buried treasure under his stove, but do you see me going on a wild good choose? Of course not!” and he laughed uproariously. Meanwhile, Isaac hurried off to buy a ticket for the first train back to Krakow. Now he knew where to look. Sure enough, when he arrived he immediately shoved the iron stove out of the way and began digging at the hard dirt floor. And, to his great joy and astonishment, after some effort he uncovered a chest of gold coins! He used the money to build a magnificent synagogue which bore his name, known as the Izaak Synagogue.

A story about Simcha Bunim and his followers is:

During the period when Israel Yitzhak Kalish was a disciple of Simcha Bunim, he once set out on a journey in order to meet with Mordechai Twersky of Chernobyl. On his return to Przysucha, his colleague Menachem Mendel of Kotzk asked him: "Well, what did you see over there in Chernobyl?"

"Why, I saw the Baal Shem Tov's table" said Rabbi Kalish.

"You saw a table that is about a hundred years old," countered his friend, "while our Rebbe Simcha Bunim, constantly shows us things that are six thousand years old: he shows us the creation of heaven and earth.

Lastly, Simcha Bunim is also known for a story recalling his travels:

Hearing that Rabbi Simcha Bunim was about to visit a certain town, his Hasidim at once arranged for him to be the guest of a family who lived in an impressive stone mansion. On his arrival he sat on a bench in the lobby while his belongings were being unloaded from his carriage. Then quite unexpectedly he asked his attendant to accompany him: he was going to leave this house. Taken quite by surprise the Hasidim did the best they could, and all they could find for their rebbe at this stage was a lean room in the home of the local butcher. To make things worse, it was midsummer and it was unpleasant to stay in the confines of that crowded room. When Simcha Bunim returned to his home in Przysucha he realized that the Hasidim had assumed that he left the first house because he had seen something unsavoury. Not wishing them to remain with this mistaken impression, he decided to explain to them what had happened. "I left the mansion" he said, "in order not to transgress the prohibition against coveting. And it is to precisely such a case that the commandment chiefly refers to. For it is inconceivable that a person should out right covet his neighbour's house. As far as lodgings are concerned, though, this could be a practical question for since the accommodation, is only temporary, one needs to be especially on one's guard.

References

Bibliography

Rosen, Michael (2008). The Quest for Authenticity: the thought of Reb Simhah Bunim. Urim Publications. ISBN 9789655240030. OCLC 190789076. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Zevin, Rabbi Shlomo Yosef (1981). A treasury of Chassidic tales on the festivals: A collection of inspirational Chassidic stories relevant to the festivals. Mesorah Publications Ltd / Hillel Press. ISBN 0899069134. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Rabinowitz, Zvi Meir (1997). From Lublin to Przysucha. Ḳesharim. OCLC 40125130. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Rosenstein, Neil (2017). The unbroken chain : biographical sketches and genealogies of illustrious Jewish families from the 15th-21st centuries, MaHaRaM of Padua and MaHaRaL of Prague. JAMRY Publishing, LLC. ISBN 9780961057893. OCLC 1020680930. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Hellinger, Rabbi Shimon (2012). Reb Bunim of Pshischa (PDF). Merkaz Anash. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Pinto, Rabbi Haïm (2015). Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pshischa. Heverat Pinto Institutions à la mémoire de Rabbi Haïm Pinto. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Brill, Alan (1997). Grandeur and humility in the writings of R. Simhah Bunim of Przysucha. Michael Sharf Publication Trust of the Yeshiva University Press. OCLC 63663566. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Dynner, Glenn (2005). "Merchant Princes and Tsadikim: The Patronage of Polish Hasidism". Jewish Social Studies. 12: 64–110. doi:10.1353/jss.2006.0003. ISSN 1527-2028. S2CID 159674036. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Grossman, Rabbi Levy (1943). Sefer Shem v-Sharit. hebrewbooks.org. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Heschel, Abraham Joshua (1995). A Passion for Truth. Jewish Lights. ISBN 9781879045415. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Faierstein, Morris M (2010). Simḥah Bunem of Pshiskhe. YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Rosensaft, Menachem Z (2018). The Democratic Genius of Pshyskhe’s Hasidic Masters. Tablet magazine. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Braun, Chananya Yom Tov Lipa (1930). Chidos Simcha. hebrewbooks.org. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Category:18th-century rabbis Category:1765 births Category:1827 deaths Category:Hasidic rebbes Category:Polish Orthodox rabbis Category:Hasidic rabbis in Europe Category:Davidic line Category:German Orthodox rabbis