R. Simhah Bunem of Przysucha (Pshiskhah; 1765–1827), hasidic zaddik in Poland. His father, R. Zevi, was an itinerant preacher (Heb. Maggid) in Poland and Western Europe. In his youth, R. Simhah Bunem studied at the yeshivot of Mattersdorf under R. Jeremiah b. Isaac (d. 1805), author of Moda'ah Rabbah, and of Nikolsburg (Mikulov) under R. Mordecai Benet. Returning to Poland, he formed associations with Hasidim, notably the maggid R. Israel of Kozienice and R. Moses Leib of Sasov. He was employed as a clerk in a timber firm, and as such traveled to Leipzig and Danzig (Gdansk). At that time he spoke both Polish and German, dressed in a non-hasidic fashion, and attended the theater. Later he graduated in pharmacology in Danzig and, opening a pharmacy in the town of Przysucha in Radom province, he soon became prosperous. At the same time he continued his hasidic studies under R. David of Lelov, who influenced him to visit R. Jacob Isaac ha-Hozeh ("the Seer") of Lublin. There he became a friend and later a beloved pupil of the zaddik R. Jacob Isaac "the Jew" of Przysucha, whom he succeeded as zaddik.

Intellectual in outlook, R. Simhah Bunem based Pshiskhah Hasidism on Torah study. Scholarly young men gathered around him, many leaving their families for varying periods of time to live as Hasidim in Przysucha. His disciples studied Talmud and scholarly works, especially those of R. Judah Loew b. Bezalel of Prague. R. Simhah Bunem taught a spiritual, internalized attitude toward the performance of the mitzvot, thus carrying on the teachings of R. Jacob Isaac of Przysucha, including delaying of the time of prayer. His Hasidim prayed only when they had made spiritually ready for prayer through prior meditation. They opposed the externalized forms of the hasidic life-style. This attitude met with opposition, in particular from two prominent disciples of Ha-Hozeh of Lublin, R. Naphtali Zevi (Horowitz) Ropshitser and R. Meir Rotenberg of Apta. R. Simhah Bunem played an active part in the communal and political life of Polish Jewry, being elected representative of the Jews of the Sandomierz province and a member of the government commission on Jewish affairs, the Komitet Starrozankonnych. The essence of the teachings of Pshiskhah Hasidism is full and conscious sincerity with oneself; R. Simhah Bunem said that the Hasid must include himself in the injunction, "And ye shall not deceive one another" (Lev. 25:17). He stressed that all acts must be original. He is reputed to have said: "G-d's works are a mystery; reason is light, therefore reason is greater than works." In his later years R. Simhah Bunem went blind, but continued studying and teaching. He was succeeded by his son R. Abraham Moses, but real leadership of the group was assumed by R. Menahem Mendel of Kotsk. Outstanding disciples of R. Simhah Bunem included R. Isaac Meir of Gur (Gora Kalwaria), R. Mordecai Joseph of Izbica Lubelska, and R. Hanokh of Aleksandrow.

Hebrew Description:

חדושי תורה (פרשת בראשית-שופטים) מאת... מו"ה שמחה בונם זי"ע... מפרש'י'סחא אשר העתיקו מפיו... תלמידיו צדיקי דורנו וגם מעט מחדושי פלפולו [בש"ס ובפוסקים] העתקנו. הובא לבית הדפוס ע"י נכדי הרב... נדפס [באותיות]... כמו באמשטרדם.

ר' יוסף שאול נתנזון כותב בתשובה (ספר שואל ומשיב, מהדורא תליתאי, חלק ב, לעמבערג 1876, תשובה ט): ראיתי בספר שנדפס מחדש בווארשא ושמו קול שמחה מהרב... מהו' שמחה בונם ז"ל מפרשיסחא. אפשר שכוונתו להוצאה זו. עיין להלן בהוצאת פיעטרקוב תרס"ג. בדף האחרון: העתקות אגרת מק"ק פרשוסחא... לכבוד... הרב... מו"ה אלכסנדר זיסקינד" בחתימת ר' שמחה בונם מיום א תבוא תקפ"ו, ובסופה תוספת שורות אחדות בחתימת תלמידיו ובנו ר' אברהם משה. ר' אלכסנדר זיסקינד כהנא. היה המלקט והמסדר של הספר. הסכמות: ר' ישעי' מושקאט, פראגא, ב כסלו תרי"ט; ר' יצחק מאיר במור"י [ב"ר ישראל אלטער, פראגא], ב כסלו תרי"ט.