Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
Encyclopedia
Menachem Mendel Morgensztern of Kotzk
, better known as the Kotzker Rebbe (1787–1859) was a Hasidic
rabbi
and leader.
near Lublin
, Poland
, he became attracted to Hasidim in his youth. He was known for having acquired impressive Talmud
ic and Kabbalistic
knowledge at a young age. He was a student of Reb Bunim
of Peshischa
, and upon the latter's death attracted many of his followers. Morgensztern was well known for his incisive and down-to-earth philosophies, and sharp-witted sayings. He appears to have had little patience for false piety or stupidity.
From 1839 he lived in seclusion for the last twenty years of his life.
in Poland
is based, through the teachings of its founder Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter
.
One of his major students was Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner
of Izbica
.
He never published any works. He wrote many manuscripts, but he had them all burned before his death. Several collections of his sayings have been published, most notably Emes VeEmunah (Truth and Faith).
His eldest son, Rabbi Dovid Morgensztern, succeeded him as Kotzker Rebbe (1809–1893). The third Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Morgenstern (the Pilover Rebbe, 1840–1905). The fourth Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern (the Sokolover Rebbe, 1866–1940). In 1924, the Sokolover Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Zelig Morgensztern, visited Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron, Tiberias and Tel Aviv. He was accompanied on this trip by Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter (the Imrei Emes), Rabbi Hirsh Heynekh Lewin, and Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter. Over a six-week period, they visited Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron, Tiberias and Tel Aviv. The fifth Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Jacob Mendel Morgenstern (the Vengrov Rebbe, 1887–1939). Rabbi Shalom (Jonathan) Morgenstern, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Scarsdale, New York, is an 8th generation direct descendant of the Kotzker Rebbe. The Kotzker Rebbe's disciple Rabbi Avrohom Bornsztain
, author of Avnei Nezer and first Sochatchover Rebbe
, was his son-in-law (having married Sara Tzina Morgenstern, the daughter of the Kotzker Rebbe). The first Rebbe of Ger, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter
, known for his work as the Chidushei Harim, was a preeminent disciple of the Kotzker Rebbe.
"All that is thought should not be said, all that is said should not be written, all that is written should not be published, and all that is published should not be read."
"Where is God to be found? In the place where He is given entry"
"Just as it is the way of an ape to imitate humans, so too, a person, when he has become old, imitates himself, and does what was his manner previously." In other words, most of us, at some point in life, either consciously or not, become satisfied with who we are and what we've become. As such, we cease to strive toward attaining greater spiritual heights. We are content to live out our remaining days as a mere imitation of ourselves!
Kock
Kock is a town in eastern Poland, about 45 km north of Lublin and 120 km south-east of Warsaw. It lies in Lublin Voivodeship, in Lubartów County. It is the capital of the Kock Commune.As of 2004, its population numbered 3,509.-History:...
, better known as the Kotzker Rebbe (1787–1859) was a Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and leader.
Life
Born to a non-Hasidic family in GorajGoraj, Lublin Voivodeship
Goraj is a village in Biłgoraj County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Goraj. It lies approximately north of Biłgoraj and south of the regional capital Lublin....
near Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, he became attracted to Hasidim in his youth. He was known for having acquired impressive Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic and Kabbalistic
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
knowledge at a young age. He was a student of Reb Bunim
Simcha Bunim of Peshischa
Rabbi Simcha Bunim Bonhart of Peshischa was one of the main leaders of Hasidic Judaism in Poland. After studying Torah at yeshivas in Mattersdorf and Nikolsburg, he was introduced to the world of Hasidism by his father-in-law, and became a chasid of Rabbi Yisroel Hopsztajn , and then Rabbi...
of Peshischa
Przysucha
Przysucha is a town in Poland. Located in the Masovian Voivodeship, about 100 km southwest of Warsaw, it is the capital of Przysucha County. It has 6,762 inhabitants . Its name in Yiddish is פשיסחא or פשיסכא . It was home to a number of prominent Hasidic Rabbis, such as The Holy Jew and...
, and upon the latter's death attracted many of his followers. Morgensztern was well known for his incisive and down-to-earth philosophies, and sharp-witted sayings. He appears to have had little patience for false piety or stupidity.
From 1839 he lived in seclusion for the last twenty years of his life.
Students and legacy
He is considered to be the spiritual founder upon which the Ger dynastyGer (Hasidic dynasty)
Ger, or Gur is a Hasidic dynasty originating from Ger, the Yiddish name of Góra Kalwaria, a small town in Poland....
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
is based, through the teachings of its founder Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter
Yitzchak Meir Alter
Yitzchak Meir Alter , is considered to be the first Rebbe of the Ger Hasidic dynasty, which he founded in the town of Góra Kalwaria , Poland. He was also known as the Chidushei HaRim for his Torah books...
.
One of his major students was Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner
Mordechai Yosef Leiner
Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica was a rabbinic Hasidic thinker and founder of the Izhbitza-Radzyn dynasty of Hasidic Judaism.Rabbi Mordechai Yosef was born in Tomashov in 1801 to his father Reb Yaakov the son of Reb Mordechai of Sekul, a descendant of Rabbi Shoul Wahl. At the age two he became...
of Izbica
Izbica
Izbica is a village in Krasnystaw County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Izbica. It lies approximately south of Krasnystaw and south-east of the regional capital Lublin...
.
He never published any works. He wrote many manuscripts, but he had them all burned before his death. Several collections of his sayings have been published, most notably Emes VeEmunah (Truth and Faith).
His eldest son, Rabbi Dovid Morgensztern, succeeded him as Kotzker Rebbe (1809–1893). The third Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Morgenstern (the Pilover Rebbe, 1840–1905). The fourth Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern (the Sokolover Rebbe, 1866–1940). In 1924, the Sokolover Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Zelig Morgensztern, visited Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron, Tiberias and Tel Aviv. He was accompanied on this trip by Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter (the Imrei Emes), Rabbi Hirsh Heynekh Lewin, and Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter. Over a six-week period, they visited Jerusalem, Safed, Hebron, Tiberias and Tel Aviv. The fifth Kotzker Rebbe was Rabbi Jacob Mendel Morgenstern (the Vengrov Rebbe, 1887–1939). Rabbi Shalom (Jonathan) Morgenstern, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Scarsdale, New York, is an 8th generation direct descendant of the Kotzker Rebbe. The Kotzker Rebbe's disciple Rabbi Avrohom Bornsztain
Avrohom Bornsztain
Avrohom Bornsztain , also spelled Avraham Borenstein or Bernstein, was a leading posek in late-nineteenth-century Europe and founder and first Rebbe of the Sochatchover Hasidic dynasty. He is known as the Avnei Nezer after the title of his posthumously-published set of Torah responsa...
, author of Avnei Nezer and first Sochatchover Rebbe
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
, was his son-in-law (having married Sara Tzina Morgenstern, the daughter of the Kotzker Rebbe). The first Rebbe of Ger, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter
Yitzchak Meir Alter
Yitzchak Meir Alter , is considered to be the first Rebbe of the Ger Hasidic dynasty, which he founded in the town of Góra Kalwaria , Poland. He was also known as the Chidushei HaRim for his Torah books...
, known for his work as the Chidushei Harim, was a preeminent disciple of the Kotzker Rebbe.
His sayings
"If I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you. But if I am I because you are you and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you!""All that is thought should not be said, all that is said should not be written, all that is written should not be published, and all that is published should not be read."
"Where is God to be found? In the place where He is given entry"
"Just as it is the way of an ape to imitate humans, so too, a person, when he has become old, imitates himself, and does what was his manner previously." In other words, most of us, at some point in life, either consciously or not, become satisfied with who we are and what we've become. As such, we cease to strive toward attaining greater spiritual heights. We are content to live out our remaining days as a mere imitation of ourselves!
Sources
- Fox, Dr. Joseph (1988). Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk: A Biographical Study of the Chasidic Master. New York:Bash Publications Inc.
- Heschel, Abraham Joshua (1973). A Passion for Truth. New York:Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Raz, Simcha, Levin, Edward (trans.) (1995). The sayings of Menachem Mendel of Kotsk. Northvale, N.J.:Jason Aronson Inc.
External links
- http://itethics.tripod.com/ Fox, Joseph Dr., "Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk" A Biographical Study of the Chasidic Master, .pdf book download