Rabbi Yitzchak Meir – Chiddushei HaRim

Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter (Polish: Icchak Meir Rothenberg Alter, Hebrew: יצחק מאיר אלתר‬‎, was the first Rebbe of the Ger Chassidic dynasty, which he founded in the town of Góra Kalwaria (known as “Ger” in Yiddish), Poland. He headed the Kupat Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess Kollel Polen (Poland) Varsha (Warsaw) (Hebrew קופת רמבעה”ן כולל פולין ורשה / וארשא‬). He was also known as The Chiddushei HaRim (החדושי הרי”ם‬) for his Torah writings, and was sometimes fondly called Reb Itche Meir (Yiddish) by his followers.

Early Life

Rabbi Alter was born in Magnuszew, Poland in late 1799. He came from a very distinguished family of rabbis, among the most prominent in Germany and Poland. He was a descendant of Rashi and of the Tosafist, Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenburg.

He married Feigele Lipszyc, daughter of Moshe ‘Halfon’ Lipszyc, in 1811 and settled in Warsaw. They had fourteen children, according to most published sources, most of whom died in infancy.

Rabbi Alter became known as a Talmudic gaon. At first he was close to the rebbes of Kozhnitz. After some years, he was drawn to Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, whose close adherent he became. After the demise of Simcha Bunim, Alter became a disciple of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, known as the Kotzker Rebbe, who was famous for his acerbic wit and Talmudic brilliance. He was soon followed by a large number of Simcha Bunim’s followers. Alter and the Kotzer Rebbe eventually became brothers-in-law, when the latter married Chaya Lipszyc, the sister of Alter’s wife Feigele.

In 1830, he was forced to change his name [from Rotenberg] to Alter because of his support for the Poles during the November Uprising.

Rabbi Alter was succeeded as the Rebbe of the Ger Chassidim by his colleague and disciple, Rabbi Chanoch Henoch of Alexander.

One of his sons, Avraham Mordechai, and three daughters, Cyna Pesia, Leah Hudes, and Esther, survived to adulthood and married. However, by the time of Alter’s death on 23 Adar 5626 (1866), only one child (Esther) remained alive.

Published Works

Rabbi Alter is still well known for his Talmudic commentary, though he wrote on many other areas. Extant published works are:

• Chiddushei HaRim on Choshen Mishpat, Part 1 Part 3
• Chiddushei HaRim on Torah
  
• Chiddushei HaRim on Bava Batra 
• Chiddushei HaRim on Bava Metzia
• Chiddushei HaRim on Bava Kama 
• Chiddushei HaRim on Shavuot

Rebbes of Ger

1. Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter (1799–1866)
2. Chanoch Henoch of Alexander (1798–1870)
3. Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter (1847–1905)
4. Avraham Mordechai Alter (1866–1948)
5. Yisrael Alter (1895–1977)
6. Simcha Bunim Alter (1898–1992)
7. Pinchas Menachem Alter (1926–1996)
8. Yaakov Aryeh Alter (b. 1939)

May the merit of the tzaddik  Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter protect us all. Amen