The Circumcision that Took Place Close to Death – Cheshvan 3, 5701 (1940)

By: Yaakov Rosenfeld, Ganzach Kiddush Hashem

The holy Skverer Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Twersky z”l

The following description, if it were a legend, would be one of the children’s stories we grew up with and with which we put our little ones to bed with, but it is indeed a true story whose main hero is one of the greatest Rebbes and leaders of the generation, whose light has guided millions of Jews, and it took place exactly eighty-five years ago.

5701 (1940), in the fall, the city of Iasi in Romania.

The days of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which marked the end of the High Holidays, had just passed, and the heartbroken Jews of Iasi, were preparing for the cold European winter, in the shadow of the days of decrees and pogroms that had clouded the light of their daily lives, which they had long forgotten. “And my soul is far removed from peace, I have forgotten what goodness is” (Lamentations 3:17) – is the verse that can be said to have been created precisely for this period.

Sadness descended upon the world, a heavy gloom oppressed hearts, and no one knew what the day would bring. The lives of the Jews of Iasi, as well as their property and fortune, were in vain, and the smell of the disaster of the Jews of Poland was already felt in the air and horrified everyone. The regions of historical Romania were divided between the government of communist Russia and fascist Romania, and a sickening antisemitism was erupting frequently and striking mercilessly.

Admittedly, this year was still relatively calm, as the Germans had not yet invaded Romania and the Romanians had not yet openly joined the German plot to destroy, kill and murder; life went on to some extent as usual, and many of the city’s inhabitants found comfort in the shadow of the holy Rebbe of Skver, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Twersky z”l, who lived in the city of Iasi at that time, and showered encouragement and life upon broken hearts; Jews thirsty and hungry for a touch of Yiddishkeit (Judaism) and faith in the worst of times.

Then suddenly the news echoed and made hearts ring. A son was born to the Rebbe! The first son after three daughters.

The Rebbe was revered by the Jews of Iasi, and they were very happy about the Rebbe’s joy, as 15 years had passed since his marriage and he still had not had a male child. A reliable witness said that at the beginning of the war, the Rebbe sent a note (a “kvitel”) by messenger to his father’s grave in the city of Kiev with a special request that he be blessed with a son.

The joy spread throughout Iasi, and many Jews were overcome with joy. The Rebbe himself later said that “the joy was so great that people thought that the time of the Messiah was approaching.”

The night of the 3rd of Cheshvan 5701 (1940), was the “night of watching” in Iasi. It was the night before the circumcision, and the holy Rebbe was sitting in his study for the “Vach Nacht” meal (night of watching, when children come to recite Torah verses by the baby). Around his table were countless Jews, and joy filled the hall in an indescribable way. A ray of light of joy and gladness shone and illuminated hearts in the midst of the evil days, and broken-hearted Jews did not stop flocking to the illuminated study, whose walls were filled with streams of joy.

The Rebbe sat at the head of the table amidst the faithful of the Chosen People, and his face was like the rising sun in its might, and his mouth was full of poetry, and his tongue was sparkling and his eyes were shining, and the audience around him sat enjoying the light of the Shechina (G-d’s presence) and forgetting the bitter world and the troubles that filled it, and he gave his voice to the song, and the song rose and rose completely like on the sanctified Passover holiday, and the entire house resembled a paradise on earth.

Then suddenly the door opened and a group of Romanian policemen burst in, their eyes evil and their mouths full of curses. Rudely and savagely they approached the sanctuary and with their unclean hands they grabbed the Rebbe’s pure body and dragged him out with the speed of demons or angels of death, while crazed screams erupted from their throats:

“This is an illegal gathering! This is a violation of the emergency laws that require complete darkness at night and prohibit all gatherings. And not only that, but this is a gathering to signal the enemy, and for espionage in wartime there is a clear and understandable punishment: death!”

At that moment, the dream of the Jews of Iasi turned into dark mourning. No one knew what to do, and with tearful eyes, they accompanied the holy Rebbe on his way to the police car that was waiting outside and swallowed the holy Rebbe and his stern companions into it, solid and armed policemen who dragged the noble-spirited and gentle-minded Rebbe away like the worst of criminals.

This spectacle had the power to drive people crazy on any given day, let alone at such a special time, when everyone was eagerly awaiting the joy of the circumcision ceremony that would take place the next day in the beit midrash (study hall). How would the boy be circumcised without his father present?

Then began a series of vigorous efforts by the community, and eventually, the the afternoon, word spread: The Rebbe had returned safe and sound and the circumcision would soon take place.

This was the first time the Rebbe circumcised with his own hands, as it was the custom of his holy father to circumcise his sons and grandsons himself, and this day was always a good day for the Rebbe, the day of the circumcision of his precious and only son, who would later sit on his throne and take his place, namely, the great Skverer Rebbe.

Rebbe Yaakov Yosef on the way to the wedding of his son, the current Rebbe

This story took place exactly eighty-five years ago. After it, the Rebbe and his family faced many difficult and bitter days of sorrow and suffering (and in the next part we will present a few of the sources on the Rebbe and his family during the Holocaust), but by the grace of G-d, after the end of the war, the royal family emigrated to the United States, where the Rebbe founded the town of Skvereh (New Skver, near Spring Valley, New York) and the institutions of Torah and charity there. This small stone that the Rebbe, a Holocaust survivor, poured became a cornerstone, and today thousands and tens of thousands flock to this centre of chassidsm and draw from it the holiness, a generous spirit, advice, and resourcefulness, Torah, and the worship of G-d.

Ganzach Kiddush Hashem blessed the Rebbe, am ember from the ashes, one of the great men of this generation, with good and long years, complete health, and pride from his descendants.

“In order that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his sons, among Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:20)

“Add days to the days of the king, his years as every generation.” (Psalms 61:7)