Tomorrow, on Lag BaOmer, celebrations honoring Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai will take place in Mt. Meron and various other locations. Prior to the Holocaust, Polish Jews marked this occasion with grand festivities held in the courtyard of the Rama Synagogue in Krakow, as Lag BaOmer coincides with the Yahrzeit of the Rama's passing. In commemoration of the Rama, it is noted that he lived for 33 years, authored 33 books, and passed away on the 33rd day of the Omer.
Krakow, renowned as one of Poland's most beautiful cities, boasts a charming Old Town center characterized by medieval architecture, quaint streets, and cobblestone squares. Additionally, the city offers verdant parks, recreational spaces, and vibrant shopping districts. However, our focus lies on Jewish heritage sites often overlooked by mainstream tourism.
No visit to Krakow is complete without exploring the Rama Synagogue, offering visitors a captivating spiritual experience and a glimpse into our rich Jewish culture and history.
Who was the Rama?
Rabbi Moshe Isserlish, known as the Rama, was a preeminent authority on Jewish law in Ashkenaz during the 16th century. He served as a Rosh Yeshiva and philosopher, author of numerous legal books. His most renowned contribution is his commentary on the "Shulchan Aruch," known as the "Mapah" (tablecloth), because it covers the "Shulchan" (table). In fact, the Rama began writing a comprehensive legal codex, and while composing the book, he learned that Rabbi Yosef Karo had already published the "Beit Yosef" in Safed, Eretz Israel. Consequently, he abandoned his manuscript and authored the commentary "Darchei Moshe" instead. Today, the commentaries of the "Beit Yosef" and "Darchey Moshe" are printed alongside each other in editions of the Shulchan Aruch.
His work "Torat Ha'Olah" is a seminal text on the laws of the Beyt Mikdash (Temple) and stands as a cornerstone for scholars delving into the intricate study of Temple practices and sacrifices.
During his lifetime, the Jewish community of Poland experienced Remarkable economic prosperity. Remarkably, he attained rabbinic ordination at the tender age of 13, a testament to his exceptional scholarly aptitude.
Adjacent to the Rama Synagogue's courtyard, where the Lag BaOmer celebrations were hosted, lies a spacious square known as 'Plac Nowy'. This square holds historical significance as it was initially fenced off by King Sigismund II Augustus at the request of the Rama.
Legend has it that within the king's palace, a Jewish tax collector, who was also a Cohen, sought to marry a divorcee. Refusing to officiate their union, the Rama declared that any rabbi who complied would face excommunication. Enraged, the Jew petitioned the king, who subsequently ordered the Rama to conduct the wedding.
Undeterred, the Rama resisted the royal decree. Soon, officers arrived at his residence, forcibly escorting him to the square where the couple eagerly awaited his blessing beneath the wedding canopy. Surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers, the Rama, sensing the gravity of the moment, sternly warned them to maintain their distance. As he began reciting the sanctification verses from Kabalah, a miraculous event unfolded before their eyes: the ground beneath the couple split open, swallowing them, reminiscent of the biblical tale of Korah and his assembly.
Upon hearing of this astonishing occurrence, the king, fearing the Rama's mystical powers, humbly sought his forgiveness. Eager to make amends, the king inquired how to atone for his actions. In response, the Rama requested the construction of a wall around the site of the couple's burial, as it was deemed forbidden for Cohens to traverse that area. This wall, erected by the king, stood as a lasting testament to divine intervention, sanctifying the name of God for generations to come.
The Rama Synagogue was built in 1553 and still serves for prayers to this day. Originally built from wood, it tragically succumbed to fire, but within four years, it rose again, this time fashioned from enduring stone. Often referred to as "The New Synagogue" to distinguish it from its elder counterpart down the street, its origins are steeped in familial devotion and legend.
Some attribute its founding to the Rama's father, a rich Jew, who purportedly erected it in honor of his esteemed son. Others suggest it stands as a memorial to his first wife, who tragically passed at the tender age of 20. Initially, it served as a private prayer sanctuary for the Isserlish family and their inner circle. In subsequent centuries, renovations expanded its scope, transforming it into a communal house of worship, complete with a women's section.
Initially, it served as a private prayer room for the Isserlish family and their close associates. In the 18th-17th centuries, renovations were made to the building that altered the synagogue's appearance and added a women's section. Despite its relatively small size, it appears magnificent, adorned with beautiful wall paintings of flowers and verses from the Bible and Midrash. Its size suited the small Jewish community living in Krakow today, but not for a group of about 60 Israeli tourists. It's cramped, making it difficult for us to pray there.
During the dark days of Nazi occupation, the synagogue suffered desecration, repurposed as a fire station warehouse, and stripped of its sacred contents. However, in 1957, efforts to restore its sanctity began, painstakingly refurbishing the damaged furnishings.
Above the synagogue's entrance gate, the words "The New Synagogue of the Rama z"l" are etched in Hebrew, a testament to its enduring legacy.
Adjacent stands a stone charity box, inscribed with the biblical directive "Gold, silver, copper" (Exodus 35:5). Passing through a modest entrance foyer, visitors enter the prayer hall, bathed in natural light streaming through arched windows and radiant chandeliers.
The synagogue's pièce de résistance is its ancient Holy Ark, a marvel of Renaissance design. Though its original 300 years old doors now grace the halls of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, newer wooden doors adorned with botanical motifs adorn the ark. Crowned with a stone gate embellished with floral patterns, the Ark's apex bears the verse "In me kings shall reign" (Proverbs 8:15) in gleaming gold, flanked by a golden Star of David. Below, a rectangular frame cradles the Tablets of the Covenant, while along the walls, the sage words of Pirkei Avot serve as a solemn reminder of divine scrutiny: "Know what is above you, a seeing eye, a hearing ear, and all your deeds are recorded in a book" (Pirkei Avot 2:1).
To the right of the Holy Ark, a commemorative plaque honors the Rama, marking the spot where he used to pray. Inscribed with the words, "It is accepted among us that at this place, the Rama z"l stood to pray and pour out his heart before the Almighty," it preserves the sacred memory of his presence. Adjacent to this, a chair remains perpetually vacant, symbolizing the solemn decree: "And no one shall sit on his throne" (Jeremiah 36:30). On the opposite side of the Holy Ark, an eternal light bears the Hebrew inscription "Eternal light in memory of the Rama z"l."
Encircling the Torah reading platform is an ornate iron railing, meticulously restored post-Holocaust. Intricate carvings adorning one of its gates depict a pitcher from which branches and flowers sprout, crowned by a menorah.
Ascending to the second floor of an adjacent building, one finds the women's section. Stone plaques adorning its walls serve as poignant memorials to the Krakow Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
When I visit there with a group, we study a chapter of Jewish law with the commentary "Darchey Moshe". Many attest that this experience ranks among the most profound encounters during their travels in Poland. (Address: Szeroka 40).
The Jewish Cemetery
The Jewish Cemetery, located just two meters from the windows of the Rama Synagogue's women's section in Krakow, is one of the oldest in Europe. An inscription above the gate attests to its founding in 1552.
Within its sacred grounds lie generations of the faithful, including revered figures such as the Rama and his kin, Rabbi Nathan Nata Shapiro, author of the "Megaleh Amukot," Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller, known for "Tosfot Yom Tov" on the Mishnah, Rabbi Yoel Sirkis, author of "Bayit Chadash", and Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel, famed for "Magen Avraham." Also interred here is Yoselle the Holy Miser, whose legend has been immortalized through the tales of Rabbi Shlomo Karlibach.
Legend has it that when the Rama discovered that Rabbi Joseph Caro had preceded him in the composition of a Jewish law tome, the Rama made a clandestine to this cemetery in the middle of the night and buried his manuscript under a small tree. Only the watchman witnessed his nocturnal visit. Over time, the sapling burgeoned into a mighty tree, its roots cradling the buried manuscript. Prior to his passing, the Rama expressed his wish to be buried under this tree's branches.
As decades passed, the tree flourished, casting a wide canopy. At one juncture, community elders resolved to remove the tree, citing its obstruction to the throngs of pilgrims who flocked to the Rama's gravesite on Lag BaOmer. Yet, as laborers arrived armed with saws and axes, a great storm erupted on the spot, halting their efforts. Thereafter, no further attempts were made to disturb it.
Centuries later, the Nazis descended upon Krakow, destroyed the cemetery, and stole the tombstones to use them for paving and construction. Legend has it that the tree's branches bowed protectively over the Rama's grave, thwarting the Nazis' reach.
Post-Holocaust, archaeological excavations unearthed hundreds of tombstones and fragments, not those destroyed by the Nazis but from earlier epochs. Historians speculate Jews had intentionally interred them to safeguard against marauding Swedes in 1704. Some fragments were restored and reinstated, while many were embedded within the cemetery's wall, now dubbed the "Wall of Tears," serving as a poignant memorial to Krakow's Jewish community.
Further Synagogues in Krakow
The Rama Synagogue lies ensconced within the historic Jewish quarter of Kazimierz in Krakow, a Jewish enclave since the 14th century, referred to affectionately as "Koshmir." During the Rama's era, Krakow boasted a thriving Jewish populace of approximately two thousand. The community flourished for generations, swelling to 45,000 Jews before the Holocaust, with 300 synagogues dotting the cityscape. Some of the surviving houses and synagogues, nestled along Szeroka Street and Isaac Street, bear testament to this rich legacy. Among them stands the "Old Synagogue", erected in the 15th century at the street's southern terminus. Seized by the Nazis, its interior was gutted, repurposed as a military depot. Following World War II, the synagogue was meticulously restored, reborn as the Krakow City Museum, featuring a dedicated section chronicling Jewish history.
The "Tall" Synagogue earns its moniker due to its unique layout, with the prayer situated on the second floor, a strategic safeguard against anti-Semitic aggressors. Among Krakow's other notable synagogues are the Popper Synagogue, distinguished for its opulence, and the synagogue of Isaac Jakubowicz, renowned for its grandeur. The "Kupah" Synagogue derives its name from its construction funded by the Jewish community, rather than affluent patrons. Krakow boasts its most exquisite Temple Reform synagogue, boasting a stunning marble-adorned ark and intricate vitrages.
Exploring Krakow's Jewish heritage is incomplete without a visit to these synagogues, each offering a rich narrative and architectural allure, succinctly outlined in this piece.
Additional Jewish Landmarks in Krakow
Just a brief stroll from the Rama Synagogue, other historic sites beckon exploration:
12 Józefa Street served as a backdrop for scenes in Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List." (The actual factory lies a short distance away, necessitating transportation). Oskar Schindler, who passed away in 1974, lies interred on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the sole German buried there.
In the Jewish Quarter, many interesting wall paintings and graffiti adorn the walls of numerous buildings.
The former Jewish school has been converted into residential homes, but Hebrew inscriptions still remain on its walls.
At Plac Bohaterów Getta (Heroes of the Ghetto Square), also known as "Hell Square," harrowing selections were made during the Holocaust, determining fates between labor camps and Auschwitz, merely 100 km distant. Two decades ago, monumental metal chairs were installed in the square, symbolizing the absence of Jews due to the Holocaust.
A poignant stop is the memorial bench of Jan Karski, a righteous gentile who joined the Polish resistance during the Holocaust, bravely exposing the atrocities within the Krakow ghetto and Nazi concentration camps.
Photo: Jacob Maor, Wikimedia Commons, and the Krakow Tourism Office. Utilized under Section 27a.