Shimon Zvi Dubiansky
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Shimon Zvi Dubiansky was born in approximately 1893 in the city of Kupishuk, to parents Rabbi Yehoshua and Bassheva Dubianski. In his youth they moved and settled in the city of Kritzev.
At the early age of 13, he already entered into the Talmudic academy of the Slabodka Yeshiva Gedolah "Knesses Yisroel", where he was known as "R' Shimon Kritzever". He became one of the closest disciples of his "rebbe muvhak", the renowned Alter of Slabodka, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka), where he was known as an "Iluy", a Talmudic scholar, diligent in Torah study, and for his great piousness.
Due to his great leadership qualities, and his ability to have an influence on others, Rabbi Dubiansky was chosen by his rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, along with a small elite group, to go to the Yeshiva in Telz for a short while to help its Dean, Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
, to implement the study of "Mussar" (ethics) in the Yeshiva Gedolah of Telz.
In 1914 Rabbi Dubiansky married his pious wife, Alta Tzirel Kir, the daughter of the philanthropist Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kir, of Pagir, Lithuania. Due to the outbreak of World War One later that year, which forced the Slabodka Yeshiva to leave Lithuania and to relocate to Krimatzuk, Rabbi Dubiansky and his wife left Lithuania as well and returned to his father's home in Kritzev for the remainder of the war.
Upon his return to Lithuania after World War One, Rabbi Dubiansky settled in Keidan, and was thenceforth known as "R' Shimon Keidaner". There he established and served as the Rosh HaYeshiva (Dean) of the Yeshiva of Keidan for the ensuing 12 years, until his Rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, requested that he return to Slabodka to serve as the third in the Hanhalla of Yeshiva Gedolah Knesses Yisroel, alongside Rabbi Eizek Scher and Rabbi Avrohom Grodzenski. When the Rav of Ponevez, Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
, heard that Rabbi Dubiansky was leaving Keidan for Slabodka, he requested that he first come for a time to Ponevez to help him establish the Yeshiva Gedolah of Ponevez, Rabbi Dubiansky answered his call and agreed to come to Ponevez for a period of three years. There he served as the Mashgiach Ruchni of the Yeshiva. Upon the completion of the agreed upon three-year period, during which the Yeshiva Gedolah of Ponevez was successfully established, Rabbi Dubiansky continued on to Slabodka, to answer the call of his Rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, to join the Hanhalla of the Sladodka Yeshiva, due to the Alter's relocating to Israel to establish the Yeshiva of Chevron.
Upon Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky's arrival in Slabodka he began giving weekly discourses in Mussar (ethics) in the Yeshiva Gedolah "Kenesses Yisroel" of Slabodka, and was also appointed Rosh Kollel (Dean) of the prestigious Kovno Kollel. Rabbi Yecheskel Berenstein, author of sefer Divrei Yecheskel, who headed Yeshivas Toras Moshe (which was also located in Slabodka) sent the students of his highest shiur to Rabbi Dubiansky for a weekly "Shiur K'loli" (Talmudic lecture) as well. Rabbi Dubiansky's talmudic greatness, keen intellect, and piousness, had a great impact on every facet of life in Slabodka.
During the month of February 1939 all the great rabbis of Lithuania, students of the Alter, gathered in the City of Slabodka, for a meeting to strengthen Judaism and Torah study throughout Lithuania, many proposals were set forth, and it was decided that a small committee of outstanding Rabbis be selected to make the decisions and to ensure their implementation. To this prestigious Vaad was chosen Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky along with 4 other great Rabbis.
During World War Two, Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky and his family were confined to the Kovno ghetto, where they endured horrific horrors under Nazi rule. When the ghetto was liquidated, Rabbi Dubiansky and his son Binyomin (who was an outstanding Talmudic Scholar) were sent to Dachau concentration camp, while his wife and three daughters were sent to Stutthof concentration camp. There Rabbi Shimon Zvi Dubiansky perished a few months later on December 23, 1944 (7 teveth 5705). His son Binyomin perished several months later on 25 April 1945 (12 iyar). His wife Rebetzin Alte Tzirel Dubiansky perished in Stutthof on 2 March 1945 (14th of adar).
He was survived by three daughters who settled in America after the war (Reb. Sarah Kenigsberg, Reb. Rivka Zeldes, and Reb. Bassheva Kravitz), where they established Rabbinic Torah families.
At the early age of 13, he already entered into the Talmudic academy of the Slabodka Yeshiva Gedolah "Knesses Yisroel", where he was known as "R' Shimon Kritzever". He became one of the closest disciples of his "rebbe muvhak", the renowned Alter of Slabodka, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka), where he was known as an "Iluy", a Talmudic scholar, diligent in Torah study, and for his great piousness.
Due to his great leadership qualities, and his ability to have an influence on others, Rabbi Dubiansky was chosen by his rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, along with a small elite group, to go to the Yeshiva in Telz for a short while to help its Dean, Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
Eliezer Gordon
Eliezer Gordon also known as Reb Laizer Telzer, served as the Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva of Telz, Lithuania.-Early years:...
, to implement the study of "Mussar" (ethics) in the Yeshiva Gedolah of Telz.
In 1914 Rabbi Dubiansky married his pious wife, Alta Tzirel Kir, the daughter of the philanthropist Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kir, of Pagir, Lithuania. Due to the outbreak of World War One later that year, which forced the Slabodka Yeshiva to leave Lithuania and to relocate to Krimatzuk, Rabbi Dubiansky and his wife left Lithuania as well and returned to his father's home in Kritzev for the remainder of the war.
Upon his return to Lithuania after World War One, Rabbi Dubiansky settled in Keidan, and was thenceforth known as "R' Shimon Keidaner". There he established and served as the Rosh HaYeshiva (Dean) of the Yeshiva of Keidan for the ensuing 12 years, until his Rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, requested that he return to Slabodka to serve as the third in the Hanhalla of Yeshiva Gedolah Knesses Yisroel, alongside Rabbi Eizek Scher and Rabbi Avrohom Grodzenski. When the Rav of Ponevez, Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman , יוסף שלמה כהנמן, was an Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh yeshiva. He was a renowned Torah and Talmudic scholar.- Biography :...
, heard that Rabbi Dubiansky was leaving Keidan for Slabodka, he requested that he first come for a time to Ponevez to help him establish the Yeshiva Gedolah of Ponevez, Rabbi Dubiansky answered his call and agreed to come to Ponevez for a period of three years. There he served as the Mashgiach Ruchni of the Yeshiva. Upon the completion of the agreed upon three-year period, during which the Yeshiva Gedolah of Ponevez was successfully established, Rabbi Dubiansky continued on to Slabodka, to answer the call of his Rebbe, the Alter of Slabodka, to join the Hanhalla of the Sladodka Yeshiva, due to the Alter's relocating to Israel to establish the Yeshiva of Chevron.
Upon Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky's arrival in Slabodka he began giving weekly discourses in Mussar (ethics) in the Yeshiva Gedolah "Kenesses Yisroel" of Slabodka, and was also appointed Rosh Kollel (Dean) of the prestigious Kovno Kollel. Rabbi Yecheskel Berenstein, author of sefer Divrei Yecheskel, who headed Yeshivas Toras Moshe (which was also located in Slabodka) sent the students of his highest shiur to Rabbi Dubiansky for a weekly "Shiur K'loli" (Talmudic lecture) as well. Rabbi Dubiansky's talmudic greatness, keen intellect, and piousness, had a great impact on every facet of life in Slabodka.
During the month of February 1939 all the great rabbis of Lithuania, students of the Alter, gathered in the City of Slabodka, for a meeting to strengthen Judaism and Torah study throughout Lithuania, many proposals were set forth, and it was decided that a small committee of outstanding Rabbis be selected to make the decisions and to ensure their implementation. To this prestigious Vaad was chosen Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky along with 4 other great Rabbis.
During World War Two, Rabbi Shimon Dubiansky and his family were confined to the Kovno ghetto, where they endured horrific horrors under Nazi rule. When the ghetto was liquidated, Rabbi Dubiansky and his son Binyomin (who was an outstanding Talmudic Scholar) were sent to Dachau concentration camp, while his wife and three daughters were sent to Stutthof concentration camp. There Rabbi Shimon Zvi Dubiansky perished a few months later on December 23, 1944 (7 teveth 5705). His son Binyomin perished several months later on 25 April 1945 (12 iyar). His wife Rebetzin Alte Tzirel Dubiansky perished in Stutthof on 2 March 1945 (14th of adar).
He was survived by three daughters who settled in America after the war (Reb. Sarah Kenigsberg, Reb. Rivka Zeldes, and Reb. Bassheva Kravitz), where they established Rabbinic Torah families.