The Goldschmidt Family

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg ( changed name toAlter)
Admur of Ger
Known as the Chiddushei HArim
the first Gerer Rebbe
(1799-1866)
Traced his lineage back to Rabbi Mier ben Baruch of Rothenberg (1215 -93)

Rabbi Itshe Meyer (Yitzchak Meir) of Warsaw was Born MOGNUSZEW 85 km fromWarsaw and 30 km from Garwolin

Had 14 Children & outlived them all , a tremendous personal tragedy. Hisdaughter Ester died just Days after the birth of her ninth child. OnheAring of her death, the Rabbi Said, "Only the Master of mercy can causesuch pain." Master of mercy. This is the essence of the Jewish approachto suffering.

He published a tractate on Chullin and Tushuvas Ha-Rim (responsa onShulchan Aruch) published 1892

He Forbade the Baking of Mattos with Machines
He was also Strongly of the view that Jews should be distinguished inwhat they wear from the non-Jewish Population, a tradition which iscarried on by Gerer Hassidim toDay.

He had a similar view on secular education vs. Torah True Learning, thatsecular Learning was a waste of time, which is another tradition carriedon toDay in Gerer toDay in Israel.

The Chiddushei HArim, (Rebbi Yitzchok Meir), was one of the mostimportant disciples of Rebbi Simcha Bunem of Pryschicha and then thefiery R' Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. At the insistence of the Chassidim,the RIM became Leader after the death of the Kotzker. At the first Chassidic gathering over which he presided he deClared, "Reb Simchah Bunem ledwith love, and R' Me nachem Mendel with fear. I will Lead with Torah!"

He succeeded in estAblishing a precedent of excellence in Torah studywhich is still a hallMark of the Gerrer Chassidim toDay.

His grandson, R' Yehuda Leib, known as the Sfas Emes, became Gerrer RebBeafter his grandfather.

Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of ROTTENBURG (Rothenburg)
Tracing his ancestry to the Great scholar, Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg (theMahara"m" m) of the thirteenth century

Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenburg was a Tosaphist (codifier andcommentator on the Talmud), as well as a liturgical poet. He is morepopularly called the Mahara"m, a title of honor derived from the Leadletters MHRM of the Hebrew, Morenu Harav Rabi Meir (Our teacher, theRabbi, Rabbi Meir). He has also been bestowed the title of Me'or haGolah(Light of the Exile), Along with Rash"i and Rabbenu Gershom. R. Meir wasborn in Worms around 1215, ultimately ending his life in prison atEnsisheim, Alsace beginning in 1286, Remaining there until his death in1293. Fourteen years later his body was ransomed and reburied in Worms

                                         Great Leaders of our People                    Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg Alter (TheChiddushei HArim) (1799-1866)

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir was the founder and first rebbe of the Ger dynasty,which at one time counted over 100,000 Chasidim, and to this Day Remainsone of the largest Chasidic groups. He was a child prodigy who was soughtafter by all the Great Polish Chasidic Leaders. The Rim’s mother ChayaSara, was an orphan who was raised by the Koznitzer Maggid, and theMaggid played a Great role in Yitzchak Meir’s early development. The Rimbecame a disciple of Rabbi Simcha Bunem of Pshischa and Rabbi Mendel ofKotzk. He once Said that “according to Pshischa Chasidus a person doesnothing with his external limbs, the main thing is the inner self, fromwhich one is inspired to act”.

Ger emphasized the centrality of Torah and self-development, theexternals of Chasidus were minimized or disdained. Though Pshischa andKotzk were elitist, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir showed how their principles couldbe embraced by all Jews. From Pshischa and Kotzk Ger absorbed a healthyskepticism of human motivation and the demands of the ego.

The Koznitzer admonished Rabbi Yitzchak Meir to propound chiddushim (newthoughts) every Day and one notes a freshness and dynamism in the Rim aswell as in other Polish rebbes. In his approbation to Rabbi Bunem’s KolSimcha printed just 33 years after the latter’s death, Rabbi YitzchakMeir expresses the Hope that “probably even toDay his words will inspirethe hearts”. Presumably he could only say “probably” because the newgeneration needed fresh inSpiration. He interpreted Hillel’s “if not nowwhen” to mean that each moment has its own fresh demands.

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir was a true Leader and was deeply involved in allpolitical events affecting his flock. His halachic writings arecharacterized by scintillating brilliance and his non-halachic thought byGreat depth and warmth. The custom to make siyyumim during the nine Dayswas seen by Rabbi Yitzchak Meir as motivated by a desire to bring Jewstogether in a harmonious spirit and thus rectify the sin of sinas chinamwhich had caused the destruction of the Temple.

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s personal life was filled with tragedy. All histhirteen children died in his lifetime. His daughter Ester died just Daysafter the birth of her ninth child. When he finally consented to assumeLeadership after the death of the Kotzker he ReMarked: “I am not a rebbe.I do not want money. I do not care for honor. All I want is to spend myyears bringing the children of Israel nearer to their Father in Heaven”.

Death confirmed Polish State Archive (PSA), Akt 6 of 1866