Hirsz [Cwi] Natan Wyloga

Mr. Hirsh [Cwi] Natan Wyloga,
May His Memory Be for a Blessing by Chaim Jehoshua Wyloga,
May His Memory Be for a Blessing, Miami Beach
 

Translated by Rivka Schiller 

Translation donated by Stephanie Shushan
 

It would be a huge injustice for me not to eternalize his name in our Yizkor book.
My father, Mr. Hirsh [Cwi] Natan Wyloga, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, was one of the few well–known wedding jesters [Yid. “Badchens”] in Poland and was loved in the Chasidic circles, who were amazed by his learnedness and his “interpretations” of various Chasidic [parts of the] Torah at rabbinic or Chasidic–rabbinic weddings.
I recall how he took me along, while still a child, to a rabbinic wedding. The majority of the in–laws were rabbinic scholars and communal leaders, each one in his long silk coat and with large fur hats on their heads.
While “singing” to the groom, as well as at the table during the wedding banquet, my father, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, presented his jester–ing. But in another mode, he really gushed with the sayings of the rabbis and demonstrated an amazing scholarly knowledge of the Torah, Prophets, and Later Writings, Talmud, Midrashim, and Gematriot without end, which demonstrated that this pair was a match from Heaven, and that this match would rise very nicely [or would go to Israel and be successful?]. He was so successful that after finishing up, a famous rabbi called him over, thanked him and blessed him that his entire life he be able to make Jews happy with his jester–ing.
It is understood that Jedrzejow was his regular place of residence, but practically the entire year (aside from the period of Sefira and the “Three Weeks”)^[1] he traveled across all of Poland. He would take two valises with him – in one of them he had his regular clothing and laundry, and in the second – clothing of various types, including the attire of a “Jewish Prince.”
How did my father come to Jedrzejow, if ultimately he was a native of Warsaw?
Well, come and here a story:
My father learned with the Lukow Rebbe, Rabbi Jerachmiel Moshe Mincberg, as a yeshiva student; and when the Lukow Rebbe, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, became the first Jedrzejow Rabbi, he took him [the author's father] along with him, and here he continued learning with him [the Rebbe].
A year later Mr. Akiva Beker, who was then already a wealthy Jew came to visit the Rabbi and asked him whether he perhaps had a “good young man” for him, whom he wanted to take as a groom for his daughter. The Rabbi recommended his taking my father as a son–in–law, and in this way, my father became a [settled] resident of Jedrzejow.
Our family, thank God, always grew; and when I was 18 years old, I understood that it was already worth my going out into the greater world. I left for Paris, and from there to America. When I needed to stand for military service, I returned to Jedrzejow, so that my father would not have to pay the penalty of 300 rubles (that was the penalty that the Russian
[Page 337]
government took from those who did not stand for military service).
My father went with me to the Bialobrzeg Rebbe, Rabbi Shraga Yair, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, so as to consult him regarding my conscription.
The Rabbi greeted me with “Shalom Aleichem” and said: “You did a big Mitzvah – fulfilled the Mitzvah of respecting your father by coming yet from America. In addition, you indeed wear glasses. You will certainly be absolved [from conscription]!”
The blessing was in fact fulfilled (I received a “blue note” that absolved one from military service), and after a short period I returned to America.
Later, my parents also came to America, where my father, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, died.

The family of Mr. Hirsh (Cwi) Natan Wyloga, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, in America
Among them, also his deceased son, Chaim Jehoshua, May His Memory Be for a Blessing, the author of this article.

 

Translator's footnote:
“Sefira” refers to the countdown period between Passover and Shavuot, whereas the “Three Weeks” is a period of mourning that culminates with Tisha B'Av.

Źródło / source:

https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Jedrzejow/jed318.html#Page336