הרב שמחה בונים מפשיסחא

Rav Simcha Bunim Bonhardt of Peshischa (c. 5525/1765–12 Elul 5587/1827), the Rebbe Reb Bunim, was the rebbe who brought the Peshischa path to its height as successor to the Yid HaKadosh. He was born in Wodzislaw to Rav Tzvi Hirsh, a maggid and author of Eretz Tzvi; through his mother he descended from the Bach. He learned in the yeshivot of Rav Mordechai Banet in Nikolsburg and of Rav Yirmiyahu of Mattersdorf, and in his early years earned his living in commerce — managing the timber trade of the wealthy Bergson family — before qualifying as an apothecary and opening a pharmacy in Peshischa.

Drawn toward chassidus after his marriage, he traveled to Rav Moshe Leib of Sassov and Rav Yisrael of Kozhnitz, and became a talmid of the Chozeh of Lublin and then of the Yid HaKadosh, Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowicz. On the passing of the Yid HaKadosh in 5574/1813 he took up the leadership. The Peshischa he shaped set the searching study of Gemara, Tosafot, the Rambam and the Maharal beside a demand for inner truthfulness in avodat Hashem, and it drew both a great following and strong opposition, until a reconciliation was reached at the large wedding held in Ustila.

In his last years he lost his sight. From his beit medrash came the leaders of the next generation of Polish chassidus — Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, who succeeded him; Rav Yitzchak of Vorki; Rav Yitzchak Meir Alter, the Chiddushei HaRim and founder of Ger; and Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner, the Mei HaShiloach. He was niftar on 12 Elul 5587 and buried in Peshischa; his teachings were gathered by his talmidim in Kol Simcha and Kol Mevaser.