It’s not often you come across genius.
Four years ago, 26 year-old Moshe Hammer, Z’L a Lubavitch Chasid and an intensely private artist, took a break from work on his drawings, and stepped outside for a long walk in Los Angeles—to clear his head. Moshe rambled miles from his apartment in the Fairfax district and at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Ave., Moshe was struck by a truck and instantly killed.
Moshe’s parents, Joan “Pessie” and Yosef Hammer, had not heard from their son for two days in the summer of 2004, and became frantic, searching the neighborhood, calling friends, trying to locate Moshe.
On July 15, there was a knock at the door, and a local rabbi, rebbetzin and police officer delivered the tragic news.
A few days later, Pessie Hammer went to clear out her son’s apartment. In the bottom drawer of his desk she discovered over 300 black and white ink drawings.
She knew that her son was a talented artist. As a child, Moshe drew comic books with superheroes and sold them to his classmates. But Pessie and Yosef had no idea that their son’s body of work was so massive and of such quality.
Sorting through Moshe’s work, Pessie discovered that Moshe had illustrated a Passover Hagadah, a Book of Esther, The Song of Songs, as well as the entire siddur.
Karen and I met the Hammer’s when Pessie wrote me an e-mail after reading an article about Ariel that I wrote for The Jewish Press. We lost Ariel Z’L a year earlier and of course, we understood exactly what the Hammer family was enduring.
Sitting in their comfortable Fairfax home Karen and I offered a measure of comfort to this fine family. The Hammer’s generously allowed us to examine Moshe’s drawings.
“What do you think?” Yosef asked me.
“Your son was a genius,” I said with no hesitation whatsoever.
Moshe Hammer’s art can best be understood as a modern version of medieval illuminated manuscripts crossed with an extremely sophisticated comic book sensibility. Hebrew letters dance like Chasidic Jews, the calligraphy and drawings reveal Moshe’s intensive study of the traditional commentaries of the holy texts.
The drawings are filled with mystical allusions, and the eye dwells on each beautifully resolved composition invariably discovering worlds within worlds. There are prophets on flying chariots, sleeping children being guarded by baby-faced archangels, there are Seraphim, and storm tossed ships, weeping Kiddish cups, and everywhere Moshe’s gentle humor.
Last night, on Moshe’s fourth Yahrtzeit, Karen and I were honored with an invitation to a memorial at the Hammer home. Several Rabbi’s delivered lovely and appropriate Divrei Torah.
Moshe Hammer’s art, lovingly framed, covered an entire wall.
The work just takes my breath away.
Staring at the work I could only imagine what the young and brilliant Moshe Hammer would have produced had he lived.
As I was lost in my reverie, one of the guests spontaneously started singing a Chasidic niggun of “Ani Ma’amin,” “I Believe… in the Coming of Moshiach.” His powerful voice soared, and soon all the guests joined in.
In an instant, I realized that though Moshe Hammer was taken away from this world his art would live forever and serve as a testament to a life interrupted—but an art of Jewish devotion that will live forever.
Smiling through my tears, I chatted with Pessie Hammer for a few minutes, pulled out my wallet, and displayed Moshe’s Wayfarer’s Prayer that Pessie reduced and laminated as a gift for me.
“I carry it everywhere,” I said.
Pessie smiled and told me how glad that made her.
Herewith, a few samples of Moshe Hammer’s art:
The Sh’ma, Hear O’ Israel, The Lord our G-d, The Lord is One
Hodu La’Shem, from Mincha L’erev Shabbat, Afternoon Prayer for Shabbat
Borchu, from Ma’ariv L’Shabbat, Evening Prayer for Shabbat
L’chu N’raninah, Welcoming the Sabbath
Havdalah, the prayer that ends the Sabbath and ushers in the new week
T’filat Ha’derech, the Jewish Wayfarer’s prayer, recited at the start of a voyage
May Moshe Yaakov ben Yosef’s neshama have an aliyah.
Ariel Chaim Avrech, ZT'L, May His Righteous Memory be a Blessing.
30 Comments
I can only daven that my little Moshe Hammer is as talented and eidel as was this moshe Hammer.
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Just wondering if we are related? Moshe and Yosef are names throughout my family tree.
Rabbi Yaakov M. Hammer
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Moshe’s drawings look as if they were created hundreds of years ago – with an eye and reverence for detail that the ‘old world’ only knew & expected. As I look at his drawings, I feel pulled into his sublime world, which is one filled with a higher mystical knowledge. Just beautiful! My condolences to the family for their great loss.
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Absolutely beautiful. It reminds me of some of Ben Shahn’s work, but with light and simcha instead of darkness.
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Pearl:
Brilliant ideas, and I’m going to make sure the Hammer family sees your comment.
Thanks so much.
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An idea for the Hammer family re. Moshe’s work: even if they would not print and publish machzorim or Haggadot or any larger works of their son’s, they should consider copying some of their favorite pieces and printing them up on notecards with blank interiors. These notecards could be sold via Judaica shops or shul gift stores, via organizations (eg. donation cards for Chabad or mishloach manot cards, or “in honor/in memory” cards for any other worthy organizations. It would even be wonderful to have bookplates designed with some of Moshe’s artwork, to be placed in siddurim and chumashim and other seforim). Their son’s work will benefit worthy causes while bringing new fans to his gifts of creation and interpretation.
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Rachel:
You are absolutely right when you say that Moshe’s drawings are touched by G-d. I feel it every time I study their intricate detail.
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Shira:
Will let you know if the family decides to sell any of Moshe’s art.
BTW, if your Powerbook is an older model, without the new dual core chip, I think you might better off without Leopard. The new software tends to eat up space and really slow up the older computers.
Just saying.
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Elizabeth:
Thanks so much for the kind words. We greatly value the friendship and support of our Christian friends and I’m sure that the Hammer family is deeply moved by your sentiments.
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Robert,
Thank you so much for bringing our attention to this amazing work. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of artist – how heartbreaking for his family! His timeless drawings were truly touched by G-d.
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These are absolutely incredible! The attention to detail is remarkable. Can you please also let me know if the Hammer’s would be willing to sell any prints of his work? Thank you!
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I’m Evangelical but found this site because I read the news of Israel every day. I now have a site to refer my secular and Reform Jewish friends. May Moshe and Ariel continue to teach and instruct us.
This young man’s work is indeed the work of a genius, it is not only masterful but it is also original and completely fresh in conception and execution. When the holy young are whisked away from this earth even strangers must ask if deep travail is not near. In this age of carnival, the most ubiquitous and vacuous age of idolatry ever known in the history of mankind, I have to applaud the Chassidic community and Moshe’s parents who have sacrificed so that this very consciousness could survive intact to convict us of the evil of our banality. This is the work of a prophet, or a seer to be exact. If he was an angelic messenger in life how much more is the splendor of his holiness now manifest in eternal form. My deepest sympathy and prayers are extended to his parents.
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Jake:
I’ll find out if there is a Machzor. There very well could be. The amount of art left behind is enormous.
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Mata Hari:
I have spoken to the Hammer’s. At the moment their policy regarding sales has not been formulated. I’ll let you know (and the others who have contacted me privately) if the family decides to sell any of Moshe’s OBM work.
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Yaakov Ben Moshe:
Thanks so much for the kind words.Coming from the Breath of the Beast, one of the most important blogs in the universe, well, I’m knocked out.
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dear robert,
amen!
alan d. busch
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Are any of them available for sale?
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Yes, unbelievable! I can just imagine how great it would have been if Moshe ciuld have designed a High Holiday Machzor.
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Robert,
Thank you for once again bringing something unique and healing to the internet. My heart goes out to the Hammers, if it is any comfort to them, their brilliant son now lives on in another heart.
Your sensibility and your understanding are a gift and a blessing. Out of chaos and pain comes beauty and order- This is the sacred presence in the world- it is always with us but often we need people like you to see it and direct our attention to it. You do this so gently, my friend.
YBM
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May Moshe Yaakov have an aliyah for his neshama.
His work is inspiring and beautiful.
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truly beautiful…thanks for sharing those Robert. I
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Everyone:
The Hammers are deeply moved by all your kind and generous comments. They thank you for bestowing on the Hammer family, on this, Moshe Yaakov’s OBM fourth Yahtzeit, a measure of comfort that was completely unexpected.
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Wow. Thanks for sharing, Robert. These are amazing…
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Another devastating loss. May he and Ariel be melitzei yosher for Klal Yisrael.
The nigun, Ani Maamin is particularly appropriate. It was composed on a train to Treblinka. The Modzitzer Rebbe said “With this niggun, the Jewish People went to the gas chambers. And with this niggun, the Jews will march to greet Moshiach.”
See the story behind the nigun at http://modzitz.org/story001.htm
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Moshe z”l must’ve spent hours on one small piece of work–such fine, intricate details to capture the eye…the spirit…and the heart.
Beautiful indeed.
A great loss to kehillat Yisroel.
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Gorgeous…and very different.
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Wow, those are great.
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Absolutely amazing; I’ve never seen anything like it. Not only did Moshe have tremendous talent, but he clearly put such time and effort into his work that it really conveys a deep spiritual message.
Thank you and his parents for sharing.
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Please, Robert, encourage them to publish these. At a minimum, this could be used to fund a tzedaka in his memory.
For sure, the hagadah would sell, making his memory a blessing for even more people (those who get the artwork, and those who benefit from it.)
If there is any way I can help make this happen, please let me.
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Unbelievable. It really is something special. Truly a work of Art!!!
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