Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter (1847-1905), leader of the
Ger chassidic dynasty. Rabbi Alter is better known as the "Sfas
Emes," the title of his book of insights into the Bible, Jewish
thought and holidays. Sfas Emes was orphaned as a baby and
raised by his grandfather, the saintly Chiddushei HaRim. At age
23, Sfas Emes was selected by the chassidim to become their
"rebbe," or spiritual leader. He built up Ger as the largest
chassidic group in Poland prior to the Holocaust, numbering
250,000. The son of Sfas Emes escaped the Nazis, and came to
Israel, where he oversaw the rebuilding of the Ger community,
which remains vibrant till today. Give Tzedakah! Help Aish.com
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