Rav Chanoch Henich HaKohen Levine

Early years

Rav Chanoch Henich HaKohen Levine zy"a, the Alexander Rebbe, was born in 1798 in Lutomiersk, Poland, the son of Rav Pinchas Levine. He was a descendant of Rav Shmuel Schotten HaKohen of Frankfurt, the Maharshashach, who was also the grandfather of the Chasam Sofer. After he supported the Polish revolution of 1830, he was compelled to change the family name from Schotten to Levin.

From his youth he was known for his brilliance and for the sharpness that marked the Peshischa and Kotsk schools. He was a leading talmid of Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa and of the Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa.

Torah and leadership

While he was still a young man, the Yehudi HaKadosh appointed him as a Rebbe. The Yehudi lifted the spodik (fur hat) from his own head, placed it on the head of his young talmid, and said, "This spodik suits you well." Yet Rav Henich hid his greatness. After the passing of Rav Simcha Bunim he placed himself under the authority of his colleague, Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotsk. After the Kotzker's passing, he followed his younger colleague, Rav Yitzchok Meir Alter of Ger.

He held rabbinic posts for close to forty years. He first served as Rav of Alexander and of Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki, and from 1859 as Rav of Proshnitz. In 1865 he left the rabbinate and returned to Alexander as a private person. His actions were all concealed and carried out with great wisdom. His sayings were sharp and full of humor, and he knew how to wrap lofty matters in jokes that only a few would understand. He was known for his wisdom in both the revealed and the hidden parts of Torah, and for davening aloud with great fervor.

He often quoted his teacher Rav Bunim, who said that all the negative commandments of the Torah can be reduced to one, "Do not be a fool," and all the positive commandments to one, "Be wise."

Only after the Chiddushei HaRim passed away in 1866 did Rav Henich, by then elderly, agree to lead as Rebbe. He led the chassidim of Kotsk and Ger, and most of the Chiddushei HaRim's many chassidim chose him as their Rebbe. He served in this way for four years. The Chiddushei HaRim's grandson, Rav Yehuda Leib, the future Sfas Emes, was pressed to take his grandfather's place. He felt unworthy, and went instead to Alexander to give his support to Rav Henich.

Teachings and seforim

His teachings are recorded in his sefer Choshvo LeTova, which is quoted widely. A new edition, Choshvo LeTova VeLikutim, was published by Mossad HaRim Levin in Jerusalem in 1990. It also records the testimony of his disciples and relatives to the ruach hakodesh (Divine inspiration) he had and the wonders he performed. His nephew related that he was present when souls came down from the upper worlds to ask Rav Henich for a tikkun (repair).

Later years and passing

Rav Henich passed away on 18 Adar 5630 (March 21, 1870) in Aleksandrow Lodzki. After his passing, Rav Yehuda Leib was left no choice but to accept the wishes of the chassidim and become the Rebbe of Ger.

Legacy

Rav Henich was one of the teachers of the Sfas Emes, whom he appointed as his successor. His descendants were leading figures in the Ger court, and his grandson Rav Chanoch Tzvi HaKohen Levin, Rav of Bendin, married a daughter of the Sfas Emes. Among his talmidim were many who became the leading Torah scholars and Rebbes of Poland, including Rav Zev Nachum of Biala and his son Rav Avrohom of Sochatchov, the author of Avnei Nezer, Rav Avrohom of Porisov, Rav Pinchas Menachem Justman, Rav of Piltz, Rav Yoav Yehoshua of Kintzk, the Chelkas Yoav, and Rav Yitzchok Feigenbaum of Warsaw.

The foreword to the new edition of his sefer describes the Alexander of Rav Henich as hidden for some seventy years, while Peshischa chassidus branched into seventy facets. For decades he stood as a talmid among his colleagues and accepted their authority, drawing on the Peshischa elevation in the hidden depths of his soul, until the crown of leadership was placed upon him. With rare wisdom he joined a circle of elite, truth-seeking chassidim into one body, and together they rose to high levels of Torah and avodah. He brought Peshischa, Kotsk and Ger under one roof, choosing the special light of each, and so made a center of Torah, chassidus, sharpness, holiness and total devotion.