As Hasidism became a popular movement, both the anxiety and the intensity that characterize a revolutionary movement in its early stages abated. In the fourth and fifth generations of the hasidic movement, the saintly leaders of the courts of Peshisĥa and Kotzk sought to restore the “edge” to Hasidism through a radical renewal of hasidic thought. They reestablished the focus on the individual hasid, his independence of thought, his aspiration to ascend in matters of holiness, and his obligation to seek out, and demand, the truth.

A group of outstanding followers gathered around these leaders. They were prepared to overturn all their prior assumptions and devote their lives to serving God. They would never accept any conceptual premise before scrutinizing and evaluating it fully. By the next generation, this approach, too, required a suitable framework in which there was a place for all the hasidim, but at the same time, where those on the highest spiritual levels could pursue their aspirations to ascend in their service of God.

Rabbi Simĥa Bunim of Peshisĥa (1765–1827) was born in Wodzisław, Poland, studied Torah in Nikolsburg, now in the Czech Republic, and in Mattersdorf, Austria, and served as the rebbe in Przysucha (Peshisĥa), Poland, where he died. His Torah discourses were compiled by his students in the books Kol Simĥa and Ramatayim Tzofim. He was known to be sharp-witted and clear thinking.

He was an anomalous figure on the hasidic landscape, both with regard to his way of life and what he taught. He worked as a timber merchant for the estate of one of the richest Jewish women in Poland, Temerel Bergson, and later completed his studies to become a licensed pharmacist. He spoke several languages and would dress in modern clothing (a short coat, as opposed to the traditional hasidic long coat), and would even engage in discussions with members of the Jewish Enlightenment in Lviv, Ukraine.

His approach emphasizes intellectual openness and the pursuit of the truth without any self-deception. He valued the in-depth study of the Talmud, as well as the works of Maharal, which make kabbalistic ideas more accessible.

From Rabbi Simĥa Bunim of Peshisĥa:

All the miracles that God performed were done so that all people would know and recognize that He is the Creator of everything and that He extends His providence to all creatures in the upper and lower worlds, acting upon them in accordance with His will. He puts this faith into people’s hearts, and that was the purpose of miracles. Nevertheless, such awareness was merely temporary; some time after a miracle was performed, people did not retain their understanding, but only a kind of memory…. But with regard to the Torah that God gave us, through it we grasp His godliness, His oneness, and the fact that He extends His providence to all creatures.

Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk (1787–1859), known as the Kotzker Rebbe, was born in Goraj, Poland, studied in Zamosc, and later spent time with the Seer of Lublin (Rabbi Yaakov Yitzĥak HaLevi Horowitz, 1745–1815), and with Rabbi Simĥa Bunim of Peshisĥa. He established his hasidic court in Tomaszow and then in Kotzk, where he died. His Torah discourses were compiled in the books Ohel Torah and Emet VeEmuna. He did not write any works himself, but many incisive statements, some of which are quite radical, have been quoted in his name. Some of these are cited by Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain in Shem MiShmuel.

Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel’s behavior was extreme; despite being a hasidic leader, he secluded himself in his room for around twenty years, refusing to see anyone who came to him. Nevertheless, his closest followers remained in his court. He was known to be a fierce critic of self-deception and falsehood. He always demanded the truth, and sought to devote his life to it. His hasidim were also independent, individualistic, and demanding of the truth, each on his own level. Nevertheless, because of the dissolution of leadership in his court, some of his hasidim left and became followers of Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef of Izhbitze. After Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel’s death, many of his hasidim became followers of Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir Alter of Ger. His own descendants led small courts.

From Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk:

“Beauty and eternity are the Eternal’s.” Anything beautiful in the world is beautiful only for one, two, or three moments, and afterward it loses its beauty and charm. But that which is His who lives forever possesses eternal beauty.

Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir Alter (1799–1866) was born in Magnuszew, Poland, and studied under the rebbe of Kozhnitz, Rabbi Simĥa Bunim of Peshisĥa, and Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk. Later, he established his court in the town of Ger (Góra Kalwaria), Poland, where he died. He was known to be sharp-witted and erudite, and wrote several books: Ĥiddushei HaRim (Rim is an acronym for Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir) on the Torah, Talmud, and Shulĥan Arukh, as well as a book of responsa. He earned his living as a book merchant. He was a student and close friend of Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk, and was the only one with whom the latter would agree to speak during his years of seclusion.

Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir was very involved in communal affairs. He represented the Jewish community before the Polish government in the face of anti-Semitic legislation, and managed charity funds in support of the Land of Israel. After the death of Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk, Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir led many of his hasidim, but he tempered the anarchic spirit of Kotzk, replacing it with the requirement that the individual study Torah with all his strength as the means of pursuing the truth. Ger Hasidism operates according to this principle until today.

From Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir Alter:

The main element of the performance of a mitzva is the command; this is higher than all intentions. Nadav and Avihu were people of greatness, and acted with intentions and unifications, but because God did not command them to act, they were punished. All the more so…when one performs a mitzva in order to fulfill the commandment of the Creator, even if he knows nothing, it is considered as though he has all the correct intentions.

Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef of Izhbitze (Izbica) (1800–1854) was born in Tomaszow and was a student of Rabbi Simĥa Bunim of Peshisĥa and both a student and friend of Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk. He started a hasidic court in Izhbitze, where he died.

His book, Mei HaShiloaĥ, contains sermons on the weekly parasha and festivals. These were compiled and printed after his death. It is evident from the work that he was an independent thinker. One of the topics discussed in the book is the relationship between free will and divine foreknowledge. According to Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef, rather than relating to a person’s actions, free will concerns the way in which one chooses to relate to life. This view influenced the thinking of Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef’s student, Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, although many others rejected it.

Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef left Kotzk Hasidism after a disagreement with Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel concerning whether to embrace students or to push them away, and what can reasonably be demanded of them. He replaced the extremism of the Kotzk way of life with radical ideology.

From Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef of Izhbitze:

Look to God in everything, and do not act by rote. Although one may have performed the same action yesterday, nevertheless, today, a person should not rely on himself, but on God; namely, that God will illuminate His will for him once again.

Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen (1823–1900) was born in Kreuzberg, Latvia to a non-hasidic family, and became a hasid of Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef of Izhbitze. Later, he became a rebbe in Lublin, where he died. He wrote many books across the range of Torah subjects: Tzidkat HaTzaddik, hasidic novellae; Peri Tzaddik, sermons on the Torah and festivals; Tiferet Tzvi on Shulĥan Arukh, Yoreh De’a; and Resisei Layla on dreams. In his books, his vast Torah knowledge is evident, as well as his depth, originality, and creativity.

He became a hasid when, in his youth, he was collecting the signatures of one hundred rabbis so that he would be halakhically permitted to divorce his wife even without her consent, though she ultimately did accept a divorce. Along the way, he met Rabbi Mordekhai Yosef, who persuaded him to become a hasid.

Rabbi Tzadok made a living from a clothing store belonging to his second wife, and became a rebbe in Lublin only toward the end of his life. Using funds from his hasidim, he established a Torah library and became an expert in identifying manuscripts. It is said that he had full command of every book in his possession.

From Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen:

The most essential part of repentance occurs when God illuminates one’s eyes to see that willful sins are like good deeds; namely, one understands that every sin he performed was also in accordance with God’s will.

Rabbi Avraham Bornsztain (1838–1910) was born in Bedzin, Poland, and served as the rabbi of Sochatchov (Sochaczew) and the rebbe of the local hasidim. He died in Sochatchov. His book Eglei Tal discusses the thirty-nine types of labor forbidden on Shabbat, and thoroughly analyzes their definitions according to the Talmud. His work Avnei Nezer is a book of responsa covering all areas of Torah.

Rabbi Avraham was married to the daughter of Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk, who provided for him financially but did not want Rabbi Avraham to adopt practices of Hasidism, so that he would dedicate all his time to Torah study. In the introduction to Eglei Tal, Rabbi Avraham writes that he learned from Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel how to truly learn Torah, rather than merely engage in scholastic debate.

Rabbi Avraham believed that the time had come to fulfill the mitzva of settling in the Land of Israel. To this end he sent his son and son-in-law there to redeem land, but their efforts were unsuccessful due to the Ottoman Empire’s prohibition against selling land to citizens of other countries. Many of Rabbi Avraham’s students became eminent rabbis and halakhic authorities in Poland.

From Rabbi Avraham Bornsztain:

The essence of the mitzva of Torah study is to be joyful, happy, and to take delight in one’s learning. The words of Torah are then absorbed into one’s blood. Because the individual has derived pleasure from words of Torah, he is connected to the Torah.

Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain (1855–1926) was the son of Rabbi Avraham Bornsztain. He was born in Kotzk, served as rebbe and head of the yeshiva in Sochatchov, and died in Otwock. His main work was the comprehensive, multi-volume Shem MiShmuel, which comprises hasidic sermons on the Torah and festivals. In the work, he quotes his father and Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Kotzk, and consequently Shem MiShmuel is an invaluable historical source of their statements.

Like his father, Rabbi Shmuel encouraged immigration to the Land of Israel. Some members of his family did come to the Land of Israel, but most of his children remained in Poland and were murdered in the Holocaust.

From Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain:

One’s obstacles are not a disadvantage, God forbid; on the contrary, they are a great advantage, because when one casts his obstacles aside and disregards them, he reaches high levels of holiness.

Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter (1847–1905) was born in Warsaw and served as the rebbe in Ger, where he died. He wrote works under the title Sefat Emet on the Talmud and Bible, including hasidic sermons on the Torah. In his works, he returns to the same themes, such as the holiness of Shabbat and the holiness of the Jewish people, sharpening and varying his main ideas each year. His hasidic approach was in line with that of his grandfather, Rabbi Yitzĥak Meir Alter, emphasizing in-depth Talmud study. Many were drawn to this clear, orderly approach. Ger Hasidism grew during his time, and it was stated in jest that all the rabbis and wealthy men of Poland were hasidim of Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib.

He became the rebbe at a very young age, but never desired any honor for himself. He would not sit at the head of the table, nor at a special place in the study hall. He lived in a simple apartment and wore ordinary clothes. His wife supported the family by running a store that sold tea, sugar, and cigarettes.

From Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter:

In accordance with how much a person yearns for completion and feels its absence, he is given abundance from Heaven.

The eldest son of Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, Rabbi Avraham Mordekhai Alter (1866–1948) was born in Ger and died in Jerusalem. His book, Imrei Emet, is a compilation of his notes on Torah, but most of his writings, as well as his immense library, were buried in Poland at the beginning of World War II and have not yet been found. He led the Ger hasidim for almost fifty years and helped to establish Agudat Yisrael, the ultra-Orthodox political party, as well as the Beit Yaakov school system for girls and the Hamodia newspaper.

He traveled to the Land of Israel five times in order to support Jewish settlement there. He purchased land in Jaffa and Tiberias, and encouraged his hasidim to give money toward the settlement of the land and to settle there themselves, although he did not support the secular Zionist movement. After the German invasion of Poland, his hasidim managed to smuggle him to the Land of Israel. There, he went on to lead the survivors and rebuild Ger Hasidism. He died during the War of Independence and was buried near the Mahane Yehuda market because it was impossible to access the cemetery on the Mount of Olives during the war.

From Rabbi Avraham Mordekhai Alter:

A true servant of God must constantly engage in renewal…. Even in matters of holiness and fear of Heaven, one must constantly be renewing; otherwise, the matter will become habit…. Nature is in opposition to holiness. This is why the world was called olam, a word derived from the term he’elem, concealment; for holiness is concealed there.