
This is a very special song, for several reasons.
First, it is a song that the Hasidim sang before the war in Poland on their way to their Rabbi in Góra Kalwaria, in a world that Hitler (y"s) brought to a murderous end, a world that no longer exists in Poland.
What is also special about it is that the Hasidim did not sing it in Hebrew or Yiddish, but they sang it in Polish.
The Gerrer Hasidim (Hasidei Gur in Hebrew) are no longer in Poland, but their song remains.
So I invite you to listen to the song of the Gerrer Hasidim - “Jadą Hassidim Do Góry”.
Let us move for a moment to pre-war Poland. Followers from all over the world come to the Tzaddik Rabbi Yehudah Arie Leib Alter from the Ger dynasty (Góra Kalwaria in Hebrew), often staying for a longer time to hear and study Torah in this magical city in the study hall or synagogue.
The Tzaddik's court is besieged, some young men climb trees or the roof of the court and stay there for hours just to be able to see the great Rebbe or experience the highest happiness - to hear the Rebbe speak.
The dream of many is to hear from the Rebbe even "shalom aleichem".
Rabbi Yehudah Arie Leib Alter, born in 1847, also known as "Sfas Emes" enjoyed incredible popularity among his Hassidim.
A pre-war paper Dziennik Poznański wrote about him as follows:
“Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter was immersed in the teachings of the Talmud. Hasidim from the farthest corners of the Kingdom and Empire, and even from abroad, would come to Góra Kalwaria for the ceremonies he performed.
"The Ger Hassidim would come to Góra two or three times a year, and these gatherings were so well-known that on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there would be as many as 10,000 Jews.”
The Hassidim gathered around the table, and even under the table, would follow and interpret his every word, every movement and gesture, competing for the remains of food, shirayim, from the Tzaddik's bowl.
The Hassidim would come to Góra Kalwaria primarily by the “kolejka”, a Warsaw–Góra Kalwaria–Grójec narrow-gauge train, but also by horse and even on foot. Among them were simple Hassidim.
Rabbi Alter supported poor Jews, often helped them, willingly talked, supporting them even with a word. Hasidim traveling from afar traveled to Warsaw, where they changed from other means of transport to the Grójec train. Therefore, the train sent train after train.
Alter's successor was his son, the Tzaddik Rabbi Abraham Mordechai Alter, "Imrei Emes" (1865-1948).
The Tzaddik Rabbi Abraham Mordechai Alter took over the legacy of the Góra Kalwaria court in 1905 and was the last tzaddik living in Góra Kalwaria.
The Tzaddikim/Rebbes of Góra Kalwaria became the most influential group of Hassidim in the lands of the Polish Kingdom.
In Israel today, they are the largest Hasidic group, concentrated in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Ashdod, and Arad, and numbering about 7000 families.
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For those of you that don’t understand Polish here is the translation of the lyrics:
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
Although they have everything in their house
They all run away to Ger
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
Although they have verything in their house
They forget about this world
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
On Thursdays and Fridays they don't sleep
Hasidism they discuss all night.
They are going,
They are going
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
Everyone has one wish
To stand close to the Rebbe's table.
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
They don't ask anyone anything
They just go out to meet the Rebbe
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
When the Rebbe gives out shirayim
From that they get the fear of heaven
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
They eat meat and they drink vodka
They beat the Yetzer Hara for atonement.
They are going,
They are going,
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
When the Rebbe says Torah
He teaches them how to serve the Creator
They are going,
They are going
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.
When they say goodbye to the Rebbe
They take the Hasidism with them
They are going
They are going
They are going.
The Hassidim are traveling/going to Ger
Old men and young.
They are going
They are going,
They are going.