Rabbi Simchah Bunim Bonhardt of Peshischa was born in 5527 (1767) to his father, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch. Already in his youth, he was recognized as a prodigy and was sent by his father to study at the yeshiva in Mattersdorf, Hungary, and also with Rabbi Mordechai Banet in Nikolsburg. After returning to Poland, he married Rivka, the daughter of Rabbi Moshe of Bendin. Following his marriage, he was drawn to the Chasidic movement under the influence of Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov and the Maggid of Kozhnitz, eventually becoming an ardent follower of the Kozhnitz tradition.
Rabbi Simchah Bunim was known as a wise and learned scholar and earned his livelihood throughout his life as a pharmacist. In his younger years, he was involved in commerce and managed the business affairs of the famous philanthropist Tamar’el Bergson. In this role, he brought many assimilated merchants in Western Europe back to Judaism by befriending them and appearing to be one of them. After a period in Kozhnitz, he became a disciple of the Holy Yid, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowitz of Peshischa (Przysucha, Poland). Both were disciples of the Choizeh [the Seer] of Lublin. Rebbe Bunim was known for his great wisdom, and the Choizeh of Lublin said about him in Yiddish, “Er iz meiner chochom,” meaning, “He is my wise man.” In 5574 (1814), after the passing of the Yid, Rabbi Simchah Bunim succeeded him as the leader in Peshischa.
During his leadership, the number of students at the Peshischa Beit Midrash increased significantly, but so did opposition to its intellectual approach, leading to a reconciliation at the "Great Wedding in Ostila" (of the grandson of the Ohev Yisrael of Apta). Rabbi Simchah Bunim passed away on the 12th of Elul, 5587 (1827) and was buried in Peshischa. His collected teachings were published in the books "Kol Simchah" and "Kol Mevaser."
Rabbi Simchah Bunim of Peshischa, of blessed memory, would proudly recount that in three situations he succeeded immediately and miraculously, beyond the natural order. He shared two of these stories with his chasidim:
Rabbi Bunim found himself in the company of Jews known as Deitschen (a term used for the Enlightened and assimilated Jews). They were drinking coffee with milk, while Rabbi Bunim drank his coffee without milk, due to concerns about the milk being from a non-Jewish source, which is forbidden by Jewish law. The Deitschen mocked him and asked why he refused to drink coffee with milk. He replied that it was due to the concern about the milk being impure, as stated in the Talmud.
They began to mock him, saying, “The farmer woman from whom we get the coffee with milk has fifteen pure cows in her herd. What concern is there here about milk from an impure animal?” Rabbi Bunim silently prayed to the Almighty, asking for heavenly assistance to prove his point. As they were still speaking, the farmer woman suddenly entered the room and asked if today’s coffee was particularly good. They responded affirmatively. The tzaddik immediately asked her, “What is different today? Why did you come today to ask if the coffee is better than usual?” The farmer woman replied, “Because today, I added camel’s milk to the coffee, and I wanted to know if you found the taste pleasant...” The Deitschen were filled with astonishment, realizing the profound wisdom of the sages!
The second story that Rabbi Bunim recounted about receiving assistance from Heaven beyond natural means was as follows:
During his time in Germany, when he was with the merchants before he became a Rebbe, he noticed that one of the merchants had a son who was exceptionally wise. Rabbi Bunim deeply desired to bring this young man under the wings of the Divine Presence, guiding him towards Torah and Chasidut, as he recognized that the boy had great potential. However, his efforts failed. The tzaddik then decided to spend more time with him and build a closer connection, hoping that through their friendship, he might be able to influence him positively.
Once, that young man went to play cards. Rabbi Bunim accompanied him and began playing cards with him and his friends. Rabbi Bunim remarked, “I didn’t know anything about the game, not even how it starts, but I succeeded beyond natural means, and every time, I ended up winning. I didn’t even realize if I was the winner, but when I saw that none of the other participants took the money that was on the table, I understood that the money must belong to me, so I took it each time.”
When the merchant’s son saw Rabbi Bunim’s great success, he thought that Rabbi Bunim must surely have some secret or wisdom on how to succeed in this game. He pleaded with him to reveal this secret, as playing cards was more precious to him than any other business in the world. But the rabbi continuously put him off, and the more he delayed his answer, the greater the young man's desire grew to learn Rabbi Bunim’s secret to success.
