The Establishment of Shikun Vizhnitz: Historic Document with Signatures of Vizhnitzer Tzaddikim Led by the ‘Imrei Chaim’
1948
A document of historic importance for the Vizhnitz dynasty – the first practical action in the Rebbe’s chain of activities to establish the famous ‘Shikun Vizhnitz’!
A document containing 15 signatures of individuals who agreed to manage the ‘Ahavas Yisrael V’Ohr HaChaim’ company, which built the important Chassidic neighborhood ‘Shikun Vizhnitz’.
* The first signatory is:
The Rebbe, the holy Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager of Vizhnitz, author of ‘Imrei Chaim’
* After him signed his brother:
The Rebbe, the holy Rabbi Baruch Hager of Seret-Vizhnitz, author of ‘Mekor Baruch’
* After them signed his son:
The holy Rabbi Moshe [Yehoshua] Hager, later the Rebbe, author of ‘Yeshuos Moshe’
* Also signed is the son-in-law of the ‘Imrei Chaim’:
The Rebbe, Rabbi Yidele Horowitz of Dzikov
* And his brother-in-law, son-in-law of the ‘Imrei Chaim’:
The holy chassid Rabbi Naftali Chaim Adler of Vizhnitz-Dzikov (father-in-law of the Admor of Slonim shlita)
* Additional signatures of: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gutman, Rabbi David Apel, Rabbi Asher Bartler, Rabbi Yisrael Michel Yahrndorf, Rabbi Fishel Feldman, Rabbi Meir Shalom Rosenberg, Rabbi Yeshaya Leib Rosner, Rabbi Pinchas Dovid Freidiger (son-in-law of Rabbi Akiva Sofer of Pressburg), Rabbi Moshe Schreiber Sofer and Rabbi Yosef Vizhnitzer.
Especially rare to find such a large concentration of important signatures on one paper!
1948, in the last months of the British Mandate in Eretz Yisrael.
Page Size: 21 x 32.8 cm.
Condition: good condition, holes at bottom of page affecting lower signatures. Filing holes and minor tears.
In an important ‘Kol Koreh’ that the Rebbe sent close to the time of signing this document before us, he writes:
"…as Hashem, may He be blessed, has increased His kindness upon us and saved us from the teeth of the devouring wolf, and terrifying news has been published of the great destruction of our nation, may Hashem avenge their blood, and those remaining alive wander and roam…. we must organize and concentrate our forces to begin practical work in the matter of settlement in our ancestral land…
From our side, we have begun in this direction to establish their dispersion as a settlement in Eretz Yisrael in the name of our master our holy father of blessed memory and in the name of our holy uncle [Rabbi Chaim] of Ottynia of blessed memory and it shall be called by the name ‘Ahavas Yisroel V’Ohr HaChaim’. Our trust is strong in the kindness of the one Above that this settlement will rise and be elevated for the sanctification of Heaven’s name and all the inhabitants of the world will recognize and know that we are strong, with Hashem’s help, and we have the strength and ability to accomplish great and wondrous things in the unity and organization of our forces…"
Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager author of "Imrei Chaim" was born in 1888 to his father the Rebbe Yisroel of Vizhnitz. He served as his father’s trusted aide throughout his lifetime and assumed the mantle of leadership following his passing. After the Holocaust, he rebuilt and reestablished Vizhnitz Chassidus. In 1947 he immigrated to Eretz Yisrael where he reestablished the Vizhnitz institutions. He was among the leaders of chareidi Jewry until his passing in 1972.
