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A Paragon of Self-Sacrifice — Yisroel Yaakov DeHaan
by Rav Moshe Blau zt'l
R. Yaakov Yisrael DeHaan
[This week we commemorate seventy (now ninety-seven) years since the shocking murder on 28 Sivan, 5684 (1924)
of Dr. Yaakov Yisroel DeHaan z'l. We are presenting this article,
written not long after the event by Rav Moshe Blau zt'l, as a
memorial (excerpted from Kisvei Rebbe Moshe Blau).]
Every year we come to the Yahrtzeit of Dr. Yaakov Yisroel
DeHaan z'l, the political director of Agudas Yisroel in Eretz
Yisroel, who was murdered by his fellow Jews.
This day will forever remain one of mourning for Torah-loyal Jewry.
At this time the members of Agudas Yisroel, not only in Eretz
Yisroel, but also a great deal of those in the Diaspora, recollect
an eminent person who not only agreed to sacrifice himself entirely
for the religious community, but who also actually proved that the
benefit of the Chareidim was dearer to him than his own energetic
life, full of substance and spiritual toil in avodas
hakodesh.
Due to the high degree of gratitude characteristic of the Torah
community, tens of thousands of Jewish hearts send their heartfelt
thankfulness to this distinguished Jew. These multitudes mention
his name and remembrance with sincere reverence and awe. On this
day, all these thousands of Jews recall the abundant blessing he
brought about by freeing the Chareidim in Eretz Yisroel from their
oppressors through all his tremendous acts, dauntless political
appearances, and uncountable successes.
On Dr. DeHaan's Yahrtzeit the Torah-loyal community remembers
not only the beastly atrocity of his murder and the ghastly spasms
of excruciating pain that he suffered as he lay dying. We also
remember the deplorable methods used to commit this crime, the
conspiracies against him, and the depraved attacks of an
antagonistic press and of a youth cynically incited to violence.
Those who opposed him and the Torah-loyal community used such
shameless methods against him over a period of years.
Today's mourning serves also as a remembrance of the iniquity that
existed then. The lasting impression left by that era is one of
radical extremism, untamed fanaticism, and suppressed hatred — an
everlasting, ignoble memory. These forces ruled in the secular
circles in those days to such a great degree that they enabled the
cold-blooded murder of one Jew by another.
And the blood of Dr. DeHaan z'l has not yet come to rest!
Rabbi Moshe Blau
But when people of the settlement are vexed by the current
distorted political policy, by the chauvinism that pushes its
supporters to murder and bloodshed, we subconsciously throw our
minds back to the years when this very chauvinism ravaged us too.
We recollect that this unruly fanaticism once robbed us of one of
our elite children, the political pioneer of the Chareidi camp —
Prof. Yaakov Yisroel DeHaan z'l.
*
Others are reluctant for us to even mention him favorably; they
want us to be ungrateful. That is why whenever his Yahrtzeit
approaches they speak derogatorily of him at length. Their wrath
has not subsided; the abyss of perdition is still not satisfied;
their furious yetzer hora has not been gratified even by his
precipitate death, the result of their irresponsible instigation
when he was among the living.
But we will not be influenced by them. They will not infiltrate
into our hearts the slightest doubt of Dr. DeHaan's integrity, nor
in his probity of conduct and good faith.
We were intimately familiar with him. We knew him as a public
figure who stood at the head of our campaigns, and we were also
acquainted with him as an individual. We saw him in his private
life, in his behavior at home; we saw the way he conducted himself
in all walks of life. We did not see even the slightest defect.
His opponents spread lies and slander to somewhat lessen the
atrocity of their murder, in order to rid themselves of any
feelings of remorse that piqued the better of them. This is also
intended to diminish the dishonor that those who shot DeHaan hurled
upon their party, although they were their agents, agents of their
instigation.
In his public life we knew him as a person who was prepared to
sacrifice all that he possessed — even his own life — for a
spiritual goal. He had always known that; his heart revealed it to
him. The nature of the attack and harassments afflicted upon him
showed him his ultimate fate more clearly. He informed his
colleagues in avodas hakodesh of this, but did not balk;
DeHaan did not back out. He proceeded with his dangerous way of
life, and went on in this way until his fears materialized - until
the threats were transformed into reality.
We knew him and learned from him. We learned from him how not to
sell ourselves for monetary gains. Others, even those of a Torah-
loyal community, did not learn this lesson since they were not
privileged to have firsthand contact with the deceased, z'l. He
taught us not to alter our tenets or colors, something occasionally
not understood even by rabbonim who once served the Chareidi
community but who lacked the benefit of being acquainted with Dr.
DeHaan z'l. Although eminent spiritual giants greater than he were
in our camp, some of whom also taught us the way of self-sacrifice,
undoubtedly Dr. DeHaan's self-sacrifice influenced his colleagues.
Precisely because he originated from a different lifestyle, that is
why he was capable of influencing everyone and serving as a paragon
of self-sacrifice.
Torah-loyal Jewry still benefits today from the fruit of his deeds.
Every brick that is added to the edifice of Chareidi Jewry is
placed above the foundations fixed by the deceased, z'l. Torah
Jewry remembers this; it can never be forgotten.
Yehi zichro boruch - May his memory be blessed!
According to Wikipedia:
in 1952, Yosef Hecht, the first commander of the main Jewish pre- state self-defense organization, the Haganah, told the official Haganah historian in a testimony what had actually occurred. Hecht, in order to stop DeHaan's activity in London, discussed the issue with Zecharya Urieli, the Haganah commander in Jerusalem, and the resulting decision was to assassinate him. Two Haganah members, Avraham Tehomi and Avraham Krichevsky, were selected for the task. Hecht only informed the Yishuv's civilian leadership after the assassination, by contacting Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, a senior member of the National Council. Hecht stated that "he did not regret it and would do it again." (Nir Mann (9 May 2020). "He Laid the Foundation for Israel's Army. His Story Was Kept Secret - Until His Diary Turned Up". Ha'aretz)
The assassin, Avraham Tehomi, was interviewed in Hong Kong where he lived, on Israel TV, and freely admitted to being the murderer.
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