Abraham ben Abraham
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The history of Abraham ben Abraham, also known as Count Valentine (Valentin, Walentyn) Potocki (Pototzki or Pototski) is a controversial subject. According to Jewish traditions he is regarded as someone known even to the revered Jewish Talmudic sage, the Vilna Gaon (Rabbi Elijah (Eliyahu) Ben Solomon Kremer (1720-1797)). However historians have questioned the factual accuracy of this story because no other corroborating evidence of Potocki's existence has yet been discovered, and they state that most likely he did not exist.
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[edit] Background
(This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. )
Kraszewski relates that young Potocki and his friend Zaremba, who went from Poland to study in Paris, became interested in an old Jew whom they found poring over a large volume when they entered his wine-shop. His teachings and explanations of the Old Testament, to which they, as Roman Catholics, were total strangers. He so impressed them that they prevailed upon him to instruct them in Hebrew. In six months they acquired proficiency in the Biblical language and a strong inclination toward Judaism. They resolved to go to Amsterdam, which was one of the few places in Europe at that time where a Christian could openly embrace Judaism. But Potocki first went to Rome, whence, after convincing himself that he could no longer remain a Catholic, he went to Amsterdam and took upon himself the covenant of Abraham, assuming the name of Abraham ben Abraham.
After residing a short time in Germany, a country he disliked, he returned to Poland, and for a time lived among the Jews of the town of Ilye (government of Vilna), some of whom seemed to be aware of his identity. While in the synagogue of Ilye one day he was irritated into commenting severely upon the conduct of a boy who was disturbing those occupied in prayer and study. The boy's father was so enraged that he informed the authorities that the long-sought Ger Tzedek was in Ilye. Potocki was arrested; the entreaties of his mother and friends failed to induce him to return to Christianity; and after a long imprisonment and a trial for heresy he was burned alive in Vilna, on the second day of Shavuot. It was unsafe for a Jew to witness the burning; nevertheless one Jew, Leiser Zhiskes, who had no beard, went among the crowd and succeeded by bribery in securing some of the ashes of the martyr, which were later buried in the Jewish cemetery. A letter of pardon from the king arrived too late to save the victim.
Potocki's comrade Zaremba returned to Poland several years before him, married the daughter of a great nobleman, and had a son. He remained true to the promise to embrace Judaism and took his wife and child to Amsterdam, where, after he and his son had been circumcised, his wife also converted to Judaism; they then went to Palestine (Eretz Yisrael).
There is reason to believe that the actual teacher of Potocki, perhaps the one who induced the two young noblemen to embrace Judaism, was their own countryman Menahem Man ben Aryeh Löb of Visun, who was tortured and executed in Vilna at the age of seventy (July 3, 1749). Tradition has brought this Jewish martyr into close connection with the Ger Tzedek, but fear of the censor has prevented writers in Russia from saying anything explicit on the subject.
[edit] Historical evidence
Numerous secondary sources - encyclopaedias of Jewish history, religion and culture - include an entry on Potocki, a Polish magnate and member of the Potocki family, who converted to Orthodox Judaism in 18th century Netherlands. After his return to Vilna, he was tried by an Inquisition court which sentenced him to burning at the stake. This episode, which originated at the turn of the eighteenth century, was published in a Jewish periodical issued in London as "The Jewish Expositor and Friend of Israel" (vol. 8, 1822). Some allege that a literary form of it was created by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, the renowned author of numerous historical novels, who included the story about Potocki in the third volume of the history of Vilna (1841), Wilno od początków jego do roku 1750 (1840-1842), in which he claims to have followed a Hebrew original from 1766 (Hurwitz, Ammude bet Yehudah, Amsterdam). It was then popularised through Russian translations, and there is evidence that a cult of Potocki's grave in Vilna has existed until the Jewish graveyard (at Pióromont also known as Snipiszki quarter) was destroyed by Nazis during World War II and later by the Soviets (see Žirmūnai). Some sources claim his remains were rescued along with those of Vilna Gaon, though there is no modern monument or grave clearly identified as Potocki's in Vilna.
Polish and Lithuanian historians who have studied the story of Potocki believe it to be invented, although it is unknown when or by whom (some point to Kraszewski himself, who is known to have invented some tales he claimed were true). They state that the tragic fate of Potocki, passed through Jewish oral tradition, remains unconfirmed by eighteenth–century Polish or Jewish primary sources, that the book claimed as a source by Kraszewski does not exist in any known library, and that there is no evidence in any archives or genealogy tree that Potocki existed. [The book claimed as a source, however, does exist. It is available now in reprint and also mentions another church burning of a seventy year old Rabbi named Menachem Mann, killed a few months after the earlier incident. Dr. Sidney Leiman, professor at Brooklyn College owns a copy, as do several other people[citation needed]]. They also note that Polish szlachta was guaranteed the freedom of faith (by acts like Neminem captivabimus and the Warsaw Confederation), and capital punishment was extremely rare. They argue that the described fate should have caused an uproar among szlachta (consider, for example, the case of Samuel Zborowski), and would be the only historical example of execution by burning of szlachta member - yet no contemporary source from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth mentions this event in even a passing reference. In addition, they find it difficult to believe that the death at the stake of a Polish aristocrat, from one of the most powerful Polish magnate families, charged with a religious crime, was not echoed in any of the diaries or polemical writings concerning religion and tolerance, topics in which the szlachta, and the entire European Enlightenment were particularly interested. Polish historian Janusz Tazbir has concluded that "the court trial and death of Walentyn Potocki should be recognised as an historical legend deprived of all source–material foundations".
[edit] Jewish tradition
There are several versions of this story, especially among the Jews of Lithuania, Poland and Russia, who know and still refer to Potocki as the Ger Tzedek ("righteous proselyte") of Vilna. Virtually all Jewish sources agree that he was a Polish nobleman, who converted to Orthodox Judaism and was burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church at Vilna (Vilnius) on May 24, 1749 (7 Sivan 5509) because he had renounced Catholicism and had become an observant Jew.
Multiple oral histories, backed up by several 19th century and later printed versions of the story, from many Jewish communities over the past two hundred and fifty years, serve as evidence of Potocki's existence and story.
Jewish oral tradition teaches some most interesting details as well as outcome of Avraham ben Avraham's life and death. Upon coversion to Judaism, the ger tzedek fled his kingdom and inheritence from the authorities pursuing him and became close to the revered Goan me'Vilna. When finally apprehended by the authorities, and placed in prison awaiting his death - it was decreed he would burn alive at the stake - the Vilna Goan sent message (discussed below) offering to rescue him using Kabbala. Avraham ben Avraham refused, preferring instead to die 'al kiddish Hashem' and inquired of the Vilna Goan which blessing he should make immediately before his passing. The Vilna Goan answered "...M'Kadesh es Shimcha be'rabim" and sent an emissary to hear and answer "amen."
It is Jewish tradition that following Avraham ben Avraham's death, the Vilna believed that the spiritual constitution of the world had become altered in such a way that a Jew was no longer bound to wash his hands in the morning within four amos, as explictly taught in the Mishna Brura and other halachic works. Rather, a Jew's entire house would be considered as though four amos for this regard. This minhag, born from Avraham ben Avraham's death, commenced with the Vilna Goan and later became the practice of the Slobodka yeshiva in Europe becoming today the routine of many leading Rabbonim in Eretz Israel who follow the Slobodka tradition. This story was related by Rabbi Ostroff, posek and talmud of Rav Sternbuch in Jerusalem, as well as Rabbi Hadar Margolin and the Artscroll biography of the Vilna Goan.
[edit] Headline text
[edit] Response to criticism
As to why there are few full sources, the Jewish view is reflected as in the views published on the Shema Yisrael Torah Network:
- There are a few reasons why there are so few contemporary sources about the ger tzedek story. It can be assumed that the noble Pototzki family, which was a religious Polish- Catholic family, was not happy that one of their sons defected to Judaism. The Pototzki family was said to have generally dealt kindly with the Jews living on its lands. Mentioning the conversion would have been interpreted as an open provocation of the area's ruler, which would have not resulted in any good. In addition, undoubtedly the conversion of one of the upper- class gentiles aroused great interest among the populace, and his refusal to return to their faith caused them great embarrassment...Nevertheless, we believe the words of our rabbonim, which clearly indicate that there was a connection between the Gra (i.e. the Vilna Gaon) and the Ger Tzedek. [1]
A question that is debated internally is: Did the Vilna Gaon himself visit the Ger Tzedek in prison?:
- In the sefer ("book"), Ruach Eliyohu, Rav Eliyohu Moshe Bloch relates that he heard from HaRav Aharon Kotler that the Chofetz Chaim told him that the Gra (Vilna Gaon) sent a message to the Ger Tzedek that "he is prepared to save him through a mofes ("miracle"), and he answered that he doesn't want that." In the sefer, The Life and Deeds of the Chofetz Chaim, the author relates this very story in the name of HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Levinson, the Chofetz Chaim's son-in-law -- that the Vilna Gaon sent a message -- implying that he did not meet him personally. The same is written in Shimusha shel Torah. The only one who wrote that the Vilna Gaon did meet the Ger Tzedek in prison was Reb Chaikel Lunski in his aforementioned article, but he was careful with his words and prefaced the incident with, "The story goes." It seems that there is no reliable source for this detail. The fact that the Gra was buried in the same ohel as the Ger Tzedek also proves that they did have ties with each other. As far as is known, the story of the Ger Tzedek is not mentioned in the seforim ("Books") of the Gra's disciples. Perhaps there is a hint in the sefer Toldos Odom, which says that Reb Zalman once mentioned the words of the gemora in Brochos: When they took Rabbi Akiva out to be killed, it was time for krias Shema. They raked his skin with iron combs and in spite of everything, he accepted upon himself the yoke of Heaven with love and happiness and was not affected by his body's suffering. And he concluded with the following, "In this golus as well, Yisroel does not lack chachomim ("wise men") who suffered tortures more bitter than death, with happiness and joy like one going out with a flute to celebrate a holiday." The Ger Tzedek, Reb Avrohom ben Avrohom was burned al kiddush Hashem on the second day of Shavuos 5509 (1749). Until the Holocaust, all the batei knesses of Vilna commemorated his yahrtzeit...In 5712 (1952), the Russian government destroyed the ancient cemetery of Vilna. Only seven graves were moved to the new cemetery, including the Gra's and the Ger Tzedek's. A monument stands at the site of the old cemetery containing the following words in Yiddish: "Here were buried in the dust / Gedolei Yisroel / Including: / The Vilna Gaon -- / Eliyohu bar Shlomo Kramer / The Ger Tzedek -- / Graf Valentine Pototzki. Reb Chaikel Lunski Hy'd related that anyone who was in pain or suffering used to come to pour out his heart at the kever, to ask him to be a meilitz yosher for the nation for whose belief he sacrificed his life. [2]
[edit] Historical background
- See related articles: Sect of Skhariya the Jew and Christianity and anti-Semitism.
Research by certain scholars has revealed the depth of the struggle between Judaism and Christianity for the hearts and minds of the local non-Jewish population over many centuries in Russia, Poland, and Lithuania. For example, Jacob S. Raisin in The Haskalah Movement in Russia (Jewish Publication Society, 1913) states that:
- The "heresy" (of Judaism) spread over many parts of the empire, and the number of its adherents constantly grew. Archbishop Nikk complains that in the very monastery of Moscow there were presumably converted Jews, "who had again begun to practice their old Jewish religion and demoralize the young monks." In Poland, too, proselytism was of frequent occurrence, especially in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The religious tolerance of Casimir IV (1434-1502) and his immediate successors, and the new doctrines preached by Huss and Luther, which permeated the upper classes of society, rendered the Poles more liberal on the one hand, and on the other the Jews more assertive. We hear of a certain nobleman, George Morschtyn, who married a Jewess, Magdalen, and had his daughter raised in the religion of her mother. In fact, at a time when Jews in Spain assumed the mask of Christianity to escape persecution, Russian and Polish Christians by birth could choose, with little fear of danger, to lead the Jewish life. It was not till about the eighteenth century that the Government began to resort to the usual methods of eradicating heresy. Katharina Weigel, a lady famous for her beauty, who embraced Judaism, was decapitated in Cracow at the instigation of Bishop Peter Gamrat. On the deposition of his wife, Captain Vosnitzin of the Polish navy was put to death by auto-da-fé (July 15, 1738). The eminent "Ger Zedek," Count Valentine Pototzki, less fortunate than his comrade and fellow-convert Zaremba, was burnt at the stake in Vilna (May 24, 1749), and his teacher in the Jewish doctrines, Menahem Mann, was tortured and executed a few months later, at the age of seventy. But these measures proved of little avail. According to Martin Bielski, the noted historian, Jews saved their proselytes from the impending doom by transporting them to Turkey. Many of them sought refuge in Amsterdam. For those who remained behind their new coreligionists provided through collections made for that purpose in Russia and in Germany. (See more from this page at the Ebookversion [3])
[edit] Note
Because Gerim (Jewish converts) often feel a close Identity with Avraham, seen by many as the first convert, it is a common choice of name at conversion. As all converts are considered the children of Avraham, any such convert would become Avraham ben Avraham. There are several semi-famous converts with the same name, including one from Japan and one from Germany.
[edit] References
[edit] Jewish
- Potocki (Pototzki), Count Valentine, (Abraham B. Abraham) This article is based on article by Herman Rosenthal and Peter Wiernik from the Jewish Encyclopedia (published circa 1906) . The original text is now in the public domain.
- Al Kiddush Hashem: R' Avrohom Ben Avrohom (article by Rabbi Dov Eliach)
- Who is buried in the Vilna Gaon's tomb? (By Professor S.Z. Leiman)
- The Haskalah Movement in Russia, by Jacob S. Raisin, 1913 (2005 Project Gutenberg eBook)
[edit] Modern
- Janusz Tazbir, The Mystery of Walentyn Potocki, Kwartalnik Historyczny, 3/2003, online abstracts from that issue
- Jacek Moskal, Legenda Sprawiedliwie Nawróconego: Historia zatajona czy zmyslona?, Zwoje 3/31, 2002, online original in Polish
[edit] Historic
- Fuenn, Kiryah Ne'emanah, p. 120, Wilna. 1860
- Gersoni, The Converted Nobleman, in Sketches of Jewish, Life and History, pp. 187-224, New York, 1873
- Judah ben Mordecai Ha-Levi Hurwitz, 'Ammude bet Yehudah, p. 46a, Amsterdam, 1766
- Kraszewski, Józef Ignacy , 'Wilno od poczatkow jego do roku 1750', 1841 (Russian transltion: Yevreyskaya Biblioteka, iii., pages 228-236')hy
- B. Mandelstamm, Chazon la-Mo'ed, p. 15, Vienna, 1877
