by Ben Baruch

The following article is from Der Nei Gekumener, issue No. 41, published by the Jewish Cultural Group of Vineland, New Jersey, July, 1963   THE PIONEER FARMER - Moshe Bayuk by H. Kuperwaser In America, where money is the highest expression of success and recognition and where the importance of a person is determined in accordance with his ability in business rather than by his learning and knowledge, the important thing is, how much money a person has made. This being the situation, it is rare to come across a person of our younger generation here who takes special price in the spiritual greatness of his forbears. On the contrary, this generation thinks of the spiritual achievements of their parents as something insignificant and of no importance. Many are even ashamed to mention their fathers and grandfathers. Also, with our newcomers there is hardly visible a true tie to the past generations. Some of them change their names, thereby automatically erasing the family remembrance. The process of acclimation and adjustment to American life progresses much too rapidly. Too much effort is made to emerge from the category of a "greenhorn" ... They wish to free themselves from the traditional and spiritual raiment of a Jew all too rapidly. This is also true of communal life. One seeks to outdo the other with exaggerated boasting of material attainments. They feel that in this manner they would achieve higher social status. Even they believe in the rule "Whoever has the "matbeah" - even a counterfeit one - has the "deah". It was thus a very pleasant surprise to us, when during a conversation with the well-known attorney and public figure, I. Harry Levin, to hear how the grandson of the famous Bayuk family is proud of his learned grandfather, Moshe ben Yakov Bayuk, whose family tree extends to the sainted Gaon Elijah of Vilna. Also Bayuk himself was the author of numerous scholarly books. Moshe Bayuk, among the first of the Alliance pioneers, was born in 1843 in Bialystock, White Russia, and died in 1932 in Norma, N.J. He was one of the spiritual leaders of the "Am Olam" movement, who in the 80's came to America in order to engage in agriculture and begin a new productive life. When Bayuk chose Norma as the place in which to settle with his large family, he was already of middle age and had behind him the experience of a law practice in his home city of Bialystok. The successful lawyer had, by virtue of his knowledge and intellectual prowess, many opportunities to work himself up here in America. He had the best opportunities to make a career in business or in the rabbinate, in which calling he was offered positions. However, rather than thinking of making money and becoming wealthy, the learned Moshe Bayuk had different ideas entirely. He remained on his farm and became a tiller of the soil, working in the fields during the daylight hours, and writing his books by kerosene lamp late into the night. He wrote "Emunos Toras Moshe", "Or Toras Moshe", "Likutte Toras Moshe" and "Elokus Toras Moshe", all of which were published in the 20's. He also engaged in the study of astronomy and showed an unusual knowledge of mathematics. In his books, commentaries of the Torah, he endeavors to explain in a rationalistic manner the miracles and other events of a similar nature spoken of in the Bible. Harry Levin still remembers the conversations with his grandfather about Professor Einstein's theory of relativity. What Moshe Bayuk at that time wrote about Einstein's theory is still in manuscript and is highly valued and preserved by his grandson. In 1913, Bayuk visited Palestine and other lands in the Middle East. During his trip he engaged in scholarly research, that even today have not lost their value. Bayuk left a rich heritage in books and scholarly works in astronomy, and mathematics, dearly cherished by his grandson. The good name of his grandfather is always mentioned by Harry Levin with reverence and pride. It should be mentioned that the grandson has inherited some qualities from his forebear. Each Sunday, Harry may be found with a spade or hoe, working the ground near his home. Quiet and modest was the life of the Jewish scholar, Moshe Bayuk. He was not influenced by the desire for wealth, but worked hard and lived off the toil of his own hands and dedicated his life to spiritual creativity. May his memory be blessed. H. K. Back to the Vilna Gaon family tree Search terms: Moshe Bayuk, Moses Bayuk, J. (Yehuda) Moses Bayuk, Joseph Moses Bayuk, Yehuda Moshe Bayuk, Yehuda Moses Bayuk