Rabbi Shimon Sholom Kalish of Amshinov

Rabbi Shimon Sholom Kalish of Amshinov (1882-1954) Yahrzeit - 19 Av Resting place - Tiberias, Israel   After the passing of Rabbi Yitzchak Kalish of Vorka, his son Rav Yaakov David traveled from Amshinov to Kotzk. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk asked him whether he had seen his father in a dream, and Rav Yaakov David answered that he had not. Rav Menachem Mendel then told him: “I saw your father. I sought him out in the Heavenly realm because I wanted to see him. So I asked where our rabbi Yitzchak could be found, and the ministering angels told me to go and look for him in a higher chamber. First I sought him among the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov, but they told me he was in a higher chamber. Then I looked for him in the chamber of the Acharonim, with the Beit Yosef and the Rema, but I did not find him there. Finally I went to the chamber of the Amoraim, and when I asked where our rabbi Yitzchak was, I was told he could be found by a river not far from there. I approached the river and found him standing, leaning on his cane, gazing at the water. ‘Rabbi Yitzchak,’ I asked him, ‘what are you doing here?’ He answered: ‘This river is made from the tears of the Jewish people. I cannot leave this place.’” This story is characteristic of all the Rebbes of Vorka and Amshinov, among them Rabbi Shimon Sholom Kalish of Amshinov. All these Rebbes possessed an extraordinary love for the Jewish people. Rabbi Shimon Sholom was born to Rabbi Menachem, the Rebbe of Amshinov. From an early age he displayed great intelligence and a heart full of kindness. Everyone loved him, but his father, Rabbi Menachem, loved him most of all. He would tell him: “Shimoli, my son, Chassidus has three principles: love of G-d, love of Torah, and love of Israel.” Indeed, Rabbi Shimon regarded these as the guiding principles of his life and strove with all his strength to attain them and make them an inseparable part of his character. In his youth he would go to his father's Beit Midrash and speak with the chassidim who came seeking help. He spoke to their hearts and encouraged them, making sure they had food and drink, as well as a place to sleep. Later he married the daughter of Rabbi Yeshaya Kalish of Przysucha, his uncle. In his father-in-law's house he advanced in Torah and Chassidus to such a degree that he became a great chassidic leader. After his father's passing, Rav Shimon Sholom inherited a portion of his chassidim. He settled in Otwock, near Warsaw, and led his community with great love. His chassidim bought him a house in the forest, and his Beit Midrash was always full of Jews who came there for his advice. The Rebbe knew a great deal about business and industry, and prominent industrialists came to him for business counsel. His noble appearance, long beard, and pleasant, smiling face made a great impression on all who saw him. He conducted himself with great humility. The Rebbe saw only good in people, and for him there were no wicked Jews — only embittered and unfortunate people deserving of great compassion. Whoever had troubles could find refuge with the tzadik of Amshinov. For nearly 30 years the Rebbe led the Beit Midrash of Otwock. Crowds of Jews streamed to his Beit Midrash on Shabbat and holidays, and his conversations with the chassidim revealed his immense love for every Jew. In 1934 he traveled to Eretz Yisrael, where he lived for more than a year. Upon returning to Poland, he constantly praised the Holy Land and would say, “I am a Jew of Eretz Yisrael.” He was preparing to move there permanently when the Second World War suddenly broke out, and the Rebbe was forced to flee Warsaw. He first found refuge in Lithuania, a center of the Misnagdim, but then something remarkable happened: the Misnagdim, too, began coming to him for advice and blessings! Many of them saw a chassidic Rebbe for the first time in their lives, and they were deeply impressed by the radiance of his face, his way of life, and his charisma. Many devoted themselves to him and became his followers. From Lithuania he moved to Shanghai, China, which was then under Japanese control, where he remained until the end of the war. His home was open to everyone, and yeshiva students who had managed to flee war-torn Europe gathered around him. He cared for these refugees with great devotion and provided them with food. He also kept them from losing hope, reminding them that redemption could come in the blink of an eye. Thanks to his good deeds, many were saved from destruction. At that time, 26,000 Jews lived there (the Shanghai Ghetto). Once, representatives of the Mir Yeshiva, which was also located in Shanghai, came to the Rebbe of Amshinov to ask what time Shabbat began there. The Rebbe answered that they should observe Shabbat for three days just to be safe (in case they had missed it). After the war, the Rebbe arrived safely in the United States. His chassidim bought him a house in Boro Park, Brooklyn, and there he reopened his Beit Midrash, this time on American soil. He planned to make aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, but he passed away before he could do so, on the 19th of Av, 5714. His coffin was brought for burial in Tiberias. Many articles of his Torah teachings have been collected in the books “Pure Words” and “The World Speaks.”   Sipurei Tzadikim Why the Germans Did Not Like the Jews The story of the miraculous rescue of Poland's largest yeshivos during the Second World War is well known. Among the many foreign nationals in the international trading city of Shanghai, several hundred students of Polish yeshivos survived the war safely. The Germans' repeated attempts to get their Japanese allies to fulfill their obligations toward them and carry out the “Final Solution” of the Jewish question came to nothing. The idea of seeking out and exterminating any Jews was completely foreign and incomprehensible to the Japanese. One day the Japanese nevertheless decided to convene a meeting on the Jewish question, to which they invited Jewish representatives. They were asked one question: what do the Germans want from you? The Jewish representatives gave various answers, but the Rebbe of Amshinov, who was among them, answered as follows: “Although we have lived in Europe for many centuries, the Germans cannot forgive us our Asian origin.” The Japanese were indignant and declared that this could not be so — Germany was a civilized, cultured country, and such racism could not be characteristic of it. To this the Rebbe reminded them that in the early 1930s, when a well-known figure of German culture married a Japanese woman, the entire press furiously attacked him, accusing him of defiling the purity of the “Aryan race.” One Japanese professor present said that he remembered this story and even had a file of newspapers from that time at home. The matter was closed, and the Jews survived the war safely. (Rav Yaakov Doctor, “At the Shabbos Table”)   May the merit of the tzadik protect Bnei Yisrael! (https://www.hevratpinto.org/tzadikim_eng/155_rabbi_shimon_shalom_kalish.html)