Antelman to eliminate the opiate vol1

Police, which spoke against Jewish religious leaders and key
merchants, villagers or innkeepers whose morals or integrity
they could not compromise. These letters charged rebellion,
contempt for Christianity, misappropriation of taxes, violation
of the restricted areas, which only Jews may inhabit,
smuggling, bribery and usury. 22
On one occasion, Lillienthal attempted to impress Count
Uvarov, the Minister of Culture. He stated that the Rabbis
condone all sorts of unethical iniquities with Gentiles, including
usury and misrepresentation. In addition, he accused the
Rabbis of preaching a policy of separatism from the good
Gentile neighborhoods, and he claimed that the most
notorious offender was the saintly Tzemach Tzedek. 23
Lillienthal continued to gather support and enlist people
who were either dedicated to the Communist ideal or had been
swayed by his nihilistic rhetoric. One such person thus
influenced was an intellectual of high reputation whose name
was M. A. Gunsburg. Unfortunately for Lillienthal, Gunsburg
was an intellectually honest person. He undertook a six
months journey to study the Chasidic Jews in their own com-
munities. As a result of Gunsburg's investigation he was
convinced that the Rabbis were men of fine character and
unusual intellect. He also noted that the laymen were mostly
merchants and artisans who crowded the synagogues three
times a day and all studied the Torah, Mishna, Talmud and
Jewish Law on their own level. He found piety and virtue mani-
fested everywhere he went. He came to the conclusion that
"Their respect and awe of the Rabbi are rooted in the depths
of their souls."
At a special meeting of Maskilim (seekers of enlightenment)
of the Vilna chapter, Dr. Lillienthal was expecting great things,
but when he called upon Gunsburg, the Secretary of the
Lithuanian Maskilim, to give his report on the Chasidim, he
was quite depressed. Gunsburg, during his trips had come to
the conclusion that his German mentors were full of
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