Jewish History Soundbites

The Emergence of a Leader: The Life of the Chazon Ish Part III

In part 3 of the story of Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (1878-1953), the Chazon Ish, his path is traced from his relative obscurity to his emergence as a leader. From expressing halachic positions for the Poalei Agudas Yisrael agricultural settlements, to building yeshivos across the new yishuv, the Chazon Ish soon emerged as a well known posek with the psak he issued regarding the International Dateline. 

While losing much of his family during the Holocaust and suffering other personal challenges during the 1940’s, the decade saw him become an address for many seeking his advice and blessing as his fame began to spread. With the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, the Chazon Ish was at the cusp of his final position in the Jewish world - an undisputed leader.

 

Check out the earlier episodes about the Chazon Ish here:

Part 1: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/a-guiding-light-the-life-of-the-chazon-ish-part-i/

Part 2: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/a-guiding-light-the-life-of-the-chazon-ish-part-ii/

 

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Iron Yid: The Story of Zishe Breitbart

Zishe or Siegmund Breitbart (1893-1925) was a circus strongman, and a Jewish folk hero of his day. Having grown up in an observant home in Strykov in Poland, his remarkable strength eventually led him to the Busch circus in Germany, where he toured the world, bending iron, and holding incredible weights on his chest, among other feats of strength. 

To the Jewish masses of Eastern Europe, he was a superhero. He was proud of his Jewish identity and never shied away even in the face of anti-Semitism. His generosity to Jewish causes knew no bounds, and he continued to affiliate with his community. At age 32, at the height of his fame, a work accident led to an infection and he passed away in Berlin in 1925. 

 

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The Haflaah: The Life & Legacy of Rav Pinchas Horowitz

Rav Pinchas Horowitz (1731-1805), known by his most enduring literary work ‘the Hafla’ah’, was unique in the respect that the varied aspects of his legacy enjoyed a broad consensus across the Jewish world. He served for 33 years at the helm of the Frankfurt rabbinate. His works Hafla’ah, Makneh and others on Shas have become classics in the yeshiva world, while his Torah commentary Panim Yafos enjoys enduring popularity as well. His relationship with the Maggid of Mezritch and the level of Rav Pinchas’s identity as a chassid has been a matter of dispute, and has also come to define his legacy. 

 

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Come on and Ride the Train: Railroads & Jews

The development of the railroad and the laying of rail track across the Russian Empire in the late 19th century, had a tremendous impact on traditional Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement. The railroad brought economic changes, implosion of communal structures and challenges to traditional norms. It enabled information to travel and for the spread of ideas, and for isolated shtetl’s to have access to wider society. 

Among other things, the development of the railroad in Russia enabled the spread of anti-Semitism and pogroms. It also played a crucial role in facilitating the Great Immigration. Without the railroad, emigrating would be relegated to an unachievable dream for most. With the railroad, the cost and time for travel was significantly reduced. 

 

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Chabad & Zionism Part I: The Rashab

Rav Sholom Dovber Schneerson (1860-1920), better known as the Rashab, as the fifth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, was one of the leaders of Russian Jewry at a time when it confronted many challenges of modernity. One of those challenges was the new Jewish nationalism as expressed in the nascent Zionist movement in the late 1890’s. The Rashab decided to confront what he understood to be a danger to traditional Judaism, by initiating a project which would present a united Orthodox front in opposition to Zionism.

To that end he partnered with Yaakov Lifshitz and the ‘Lishka Hashechora’ in Kovno. In January 1900, a pamphlet entitled Ohr Layesharim was published, which included a letter of the Rashab clarifying his opposition to Zionism. He expressed theological opposition - evoking for the first time the violation of the ‘three oaths’ by attempting to force the redemption prior to Moshiach’s arrival. He also expressed concern regarding the secular nature of the Zionist leadership, and even raised practical challenges the movement would confront which he believed would prevent its goals from being realized.

 

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The Legacy of the Vilna Gaon

The Vilna Gaon, or the Gra, or Hagaon Hachassid, were just several of the titles by which Rav Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman (1720-1797) was known during his lifetime and to posterity. It would be difficult to find many others who had the influence and impact on Jewish life which the Gaon had and continues to have on Jewish society. This episode will examine some of the aspects of the Vilna Gaon’s legacy, both during his own lifetime and through the more than two centuries since his passing. 

 

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Modesty & Majesty: The Tolna Dynasty

The Tolna chassidic dynasty is a branch of the Chernobyl dynasty founded in Ukraine in the 19th century. Rav Dovid Twersky of Tolna (1808-1882) was one of the most influential leaders of chassidic Ukraine in the mid 19th century, spreading his influence throughout the Kiev area. He was succeeded by his grandson Rav Menachem Nochum, who in turn was succeeded by his three sons, all of whom immigrated to the United States. 

The prominent Tolna Rebbe of modern times was Rav Yochanan Twersky (1906-1999). Presumably the first active Rebbe in Montreal, he had an impact on Canadian Jewry until his move to Israel in the 1950’s. It was there that he modestly acted as a chassid of the Ger Rebbes, while attempting to stay out of the limelight. Despite his attempts, he gained a significant following, and was a beloved leader to his chassidim. He was succeeded by his grandson Rav Yitzchak Menachem Weinberg, the current Tolna Rebbe and by other descendants. 

 

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Rosh Yeshiva & Rebbe: The Pnei Menachem of Ger

Rav Pinchas Menachem Alter (1926-1996), known as the Pnei Menachem of Ger, led an interesting career in public leadership. Born into prewar Polish chassidic aristocracy, he escaped with his father the Ger Rebbe following the outbreak of the war. He eventually became the rosh yeshiva of the flagship Sfas Emes Yeshiva, and later the head of Agudas Yisroel in Israel. 

In his last years, he served as the Rebbe of Ger for just over three years before his passing in 1996. Renowned for his Torah scholarship, warmth, modesty and accessibility, he was beloved well beyond the confines of the Ger court. 

 

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A House Divided: The Partitions of Poland & the Jews

The three partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 & 1795 ended the Polish Kingdom (or the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), and divided it between Austria, Russia and Prussia. This had far reaching consequences for the largest Jewish community in the world which had resided within the borders of the kingdom. 

Their new rulers desired a more central authority, and much of the Jewish autonomy was curtailed as a result. The Jewish communities of each empire found themselves under new political entities, new laws, new language and culture, and they now were on a different trajectory than their brethren who were on the other side of an international border.

In the last years of the Polish Kingdom the Four Year Sejm took place between 1788-1792. The reforms which were raised in regards to Jews economic opportunity and political status, would echo through the Jewish communities of partitioned Poland throughout the upcoming 19th century. 

 

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According to Rav Tikochinsky.... The Live of Rav Yechiel Michel Tikochinsky

One of the leaders and influential poskim of the Old Yishuv in Jerusalem, Rav Yechiel Michel Tikochinsky (1871-1955) had an outsized impact on the world of halacha, especially in regards to zmanim-  halachic time. As the long-time administrator of the Eitz Chaim Yeshiva and accompanying institutions, he oversaw its move to the new city in Yerushalayim, where it entered an era of expansion and growth.

He pioneered many areas of halacha, including the laws of mourning, shmittah, the halachic international dateline, laws of Jerusalem and the Bais Hamikdash. Having cultivated both a love as well as a keen understanding of astronomy from a young age, he arrived at formulas for calculating the various zmanim in halacha. In 1905 he initiated the publication of what was to became an incredibly influential calendar where he presented his views on zmanim and customs of Jewish life.

 

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