Shem Mishmuel
Encyclopedia
Shem Mishmuel is the name of a nine-volume collection of homiletical teachings on the Torah
and Jewish holiday
s delivered by Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain, the second Sochatchover Rebbe
, between the years 1910-1926. A major work in Hasidic thought, it synthesizes the Hasidism of Pshischa and Kotzk in the style of Sochatchov, and is frequently cited in Torah shiurim (lectures) and articles to this day.
Bornsztain became known as the Shem Mishmuel after the title of this work, which was published posthumously.
on Shabbat
12:3, which describes the prohibition against writing on Shabbat
. The Mishnah teaches that if a Jew
wishes to write a whole name like Shimon (שמעון) or Shmuel (שמואל), but writes only the first two letters of these names, shin
(ש) and mem
(מ), he still transgresses the prohibition—for shin and mem spell a shorter name, shem (שם) (which literally means "name"). Bornsztain's choice of the Mishnaic expression shem miShimon o miShmuel (Shem from Shimon or from Shmuel) for his title reflects the classical rabbinic play on words
combining a rabbinic teaching with the author's own name.
Haggadah.
In addition to displaying a thorough familiarity with Talmud
, Midrash
, Kabbalah
, and other classic Jewish sources, Bornsztain presents many of the ideas of his father, Rabbi Avrohom Bornsztain
, the first Sochatchover Rebbe, who was known as the Avnei Nezer after the title of his major work.
, the third Sochatchover Rebbe, in Piotrków
in 1927. Rabbi Dovid published the rest of the volumes between 1927 and 1932, with funding provided by Rabbi David Parshinowski. Bornsztain's other son, Rabbi Chanoch Henoch Bornsztain
, who had immigrated
to Israel in 1924 and became the fourth Sochatchover Rebbe after Rabbi David's death in the Warsaw Ghetto
in 1942, published the second edition of Shem Mishmuel in Jerusalem in 1950 with the aid of Rabbi Avraham Parshan, son of Rabbi Parshinowski.
Rabbi Parshan also assisted with the publication of a third edition in 1965. The third edition of the volume dealing with the Hagaddah included an additional section containing chiddushei Torah (new Torah thoughts) on the Hagaddah which had been penned by Rabbi Dovid and which had survived the war, entitled Chasdei Dovid. Other editions followed; the seventh, corrected edition used by Rabbi Zvi Belovski in his English
translation for Targum Press
was published in Israel in 1988 by the Parshan family trust in memory of Rabbi Parshan.
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and Jewish holiday
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
s delivered by Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain, the second 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...
, between the years 1910-1926. A major work in Hasidic thought, it synthesizes the Hasidism of Pshischa and Kotzk in the style of Sochatchov, and is frequently cited in Torah shiurim (lectures) and articles to this day.
Bornsztain became known as the Shem Mishmuel after the title of this work, which was published posthumously.
Title
The title comes from the MishnahMishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
on Shabbat
Shabbat (Talmud)
Shabbat is first tractate in the Order of Moed, of the Mishnah and Talmud. The tractate consists of 24 chapters.The tractate primarily deals with laws relating to Shabbat , and the activities prohibited on Shabbat and distinguishes between Biblical prohibitions and Rabbinic prohibitions...
12:3, which describes the prohibition against writing on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
. The Mishnah teaches that if a Jew
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
wishes to write a whole name like Shimon (שמעון) or Shmuel (שמואל), but writes only the first two letters of these names, shin
Shin (letter)
Shin literally means "Sharp" ; It is the twenty-first letter in many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician , Aramaic/Hebrew , and Arabic ....
(ש) and mem
Mem
Mem is the thirteenth letter of many Semitic abjads, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic...
(מ), he still transgresses the prohibition—for shin and mem spell a shorter name, shem (שם) (which literally means "name"). Bornsztain's choice of the Mishnaic expression shem miShimon o miShmuel (Shem from Shimon or from Shmuel) for his title reflects the classical rabbinic play on words
Word play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
combining a rabbinic teaching with the author's own name.
Content and structure
The first eight volumes of Shem Mishmuel cover lessons on each of the parshiyot (weekly Torah readings). In traditional Hasidic style, they are not printed according to the sequence of the parshiyot, but in the order in which the Rebbe delivered these lessons to his followers. The ninth volume deals exclusively with the PassoverPassover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
Haggadah.
In addition to displaying a thorough familiarity with 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....
, Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
, Kabbalah
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...
, and other classic Jewish sources, Bornsztain presents many of the ideas of his father, 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...
, the first Sochatchover Rebbe, who was known as the Avnei Nezer after the title of his major work.
Printing history
The volume on the Pesach Haggadah was published first by Bornsztain's son and successor, Rabbi Dovid BornsztainDovid Bornsztain
Dovid Bornsztain , also spelled Borenstein, Bornstein and Bernstein, was the third Rebbe of the Sochatchov Hasidic dynasty. He succeeded his father, Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain , as Rebbe upon the latter's death in 1926.-Early life:Bornsztain was born in the Hebrew month of Elul 5636 in Nasielsk, Poland...
, the third Sochatchover Rebbe, in Piotrków
Piotrków Trybunalski
Piotrków Trybunalski is a city in central Poland with 80,738 inhabitants . It is situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , and previously was the capital of Piotrków Voivodeship...
in 1927. Rabbi Dovid published the rest of the volumes between 1927 and 1932, with funding provided by Rabbi David Parshinowski. Bornsztain's other son, Rabbi Chanoch Henoch Bornsztain
Chanoch Henoch Bornsztain
Rabbi Chanoch Henoch Bornsztain , also spelled Borenstein or Bernstein, was the fourth Rebbe of the Sochatchov Hasidic dynasty. He acceded to the position of Rebbe following the death of his older brother, Rabbi Dovid Bornsztain, the third Sochatchover Rebbe, who died in the Warsaw Ghetto during...
, who had immigrated
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel in 1924 and became the fourth Sochatchover Rebbe after Rabbi David's death in the Warsaw Ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
in 1942, published the second edition of Shem Mishmuel in Jerusalem in 1950 with the aid of Rabbi Avraham Parshan, son of Rabbi Parshinowski.
Rabbi Parshan also assisted with the publication of a third edition in 1965. The third edition of the volume dealing with the Hagaddah included an additional section containing chiddushei Torah (new Torah thoughts) on the Hagaddah which had been penned by Rabbi Dovid and which had survived the war, entitled Chasdei Dovid. Other editions followed; the seventh, corrected edition used by Rabbi Zvi Belovski in his English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation for Targum Press
Targum Press
Targum Press is an Orthodox Jewish English-language publishing company based in Jerusalem. It claims to be the third largest Judaica publisher after Artscroll and Feldheim. In addition to publishing books on Jewish law and philosophy, translations of classic texts, and fiction, it has played a...
was published in Israel in 1988 by the Parshan family trust in memory of Rabbi Parshan.
External links
- Shem Meshmuel A synopsis of the teachings of Bornsztain's school of thought
- Shem Mishmuel Citation Index A citation index of Tanach and Talmudic sources to the Shem Mishmuel