Shlomo Rabinowicz
Encyclopedia
Shlomo Hakohen Rabinowicz (also spelled Rabinowitz, Rabinowich, Rabinovitch) (1801 – 16 March 1866) was the first Rebbe
of the Radomsk Hasidic
dynasty and one of the great Hasidic masters of 19th-century Poland. He is known as the Tiferes Shlomo after the title of his sefer
, which is considered a classic in Hasidic literature.
to Rabbi Dov Zvi (d. 1839), the av beis din (head of the rabbinical court) of Włoszczowa. Like most of the Jews of Poland, Rabbi Shlomo was called by his first name and patronymic
; his children were the first to begin using the surname Rabinowicz. He was a descendant of Rabbi Nathan Nata Spira
(1585 – 1633), a leading Polish Kabbalist
and author of Megaleh Amukos
.
Rabinowicz studied in the yeshiva in Piotrków Trybunalski
, where he was regarded as a prodigy. By his bar mitzvah he knew the entire Urim Ve'umin of Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshutz
by heart and had composed his own chiddushim (novel Torah thoughts). Late at night, he would study Kabbalah texts.
Later he became a talmid of Rabbi Meir of Apta, who was in turn a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. He became a Hasid of Rabbi Meir of Apta, Rabbi Fishele of Strikov, and Rabbi Yehoshua of Pshedburz. He also traveled to the Modzitzer
Rebbe, Rabbi Yechezkel of Kuzmir, and Rabbi Chaim Halberstam
of Sanz. Though he was born 14 years after the death of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk
, he also considered himself a disciple of the latter and visited his grave every year. Since as a Kohen
he was not allowed to come in contact with graves, he had a wall built around the area so that he could pray there.
in Włoszczowa while his wife ran a small store to support them. The store was not successful, however, and for this reason, when Rabinowicz was offered the position of Rav of the small Polish town of Radomsko
(Radomsk), his rebbe, Rabbi Meir of Apta, advised him to accept. Rabinowicz became Rav of Radomsk in 1834. His weekly salary was 15 Polish gulden (2 ruble
s and 25 kopek
s), an apartment, and an etrog
for Sukkot
. Later his salary increased to 6 rubles per week, and his wife was allowed to run her own business.
Under his leadership, the Jewish community of Radomsk grew in prestige and population. Rabinowicz founded the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty in 1843. When Rabbi Moshe Biderman of Lelov
moved to Jerusalem in 1850 and instructed his Hasidim to follow Rabinowicz, the latter's influence as a Rebbe grew significantly. He went on to attract thousands of Hasidim and Radomsk grew into a major center of Hasidut. The masses revered their Rebbe for his lofty prayers, beautiful singing voice, and benevolence towards their needs, while the more scholarly Hasidim admired his profound discourses in Halakha
and Kabbalah
. Rabinowicz was a master at interpreting Torah verses through gematria
and Hebrew letter permutations. Among his Hasidim were philosopher Aaron Marcus Verus and physician Chaim David Bernard of Piotrków.
Even as he served as a Rebbe to thousands, Rabinowicz paid special attention to the needs of the Jews of Radomsk proper. When local Jews were conscripted by the Czar's army, he and his gabbai
went door to door, collecting money
to bribe the officials to release them. He also collected money for the poor to buy firewood in the winter, and to make matzo
s at Pesach. He spoke out often on the challenges facing the Jewish people of his day, including assimilation
. In 1862 he pronounced a ban on the wearing of hoop skirts by Jewish women.
Rabinowicz had a beautiful singing voice and was renowned as a chazzan and composer of Hasidic music. His prayers were infused with both great emotion and great joy. He composed and sang new nigunim (melodies) each year for the High Holy Days
and Jewish holiday
s. He also had a practice of visiting a different tzadik
every Shavuot
. On one such occasion, he visited the Tzadik of Kuzmir, Rabbi Emanuel of Pashdeborz, and was asked to lead the Akdamut
piyyut
. Rabinowicz requested the accompaniment of 80 singers, and the resulting choir, with his voice soaring over all, had a powerful effect. Rabinowicz used his soul-stirring nigunim to rouse his Hasidim to great fervor on Shabbat
and Jewish holidays. He sent money to one of his Hasidim in Safed
, Israel so that the latter would organize a Radomsker Shalosh Seudos meal every Shabbat at which his niggunim would be sung.
prayers in the early-morning hours of Friday, 16 March 1866 (29 Adar
5626). He was buried later that day in an ohel on the grounds of the Jewish cemetery in Radomsk. His son and grandson were later buried in the same ohel. His death was part of a triple loss for Polish Jewy, as he, the Chiddushei Harim
, and the Tzemach Tzedek
died within a month of each other.
He left three sons and three daughters. His sons were: Aryeh Leibusz (1823–1890), a Torah scholar and businessman; Hirsz (Zvi) Meir (d. 1902), who presided as av beis din of Radomsk and succeeded his father as Rav of the town; and Avraham Yissachar Dov
, the Chesed LeAvraham (1843–1892), who succeeded his father as Radomsker Rebbe.
Rabinowicz's discourses on the Chumash and chagim (Jewish festivals) were published posthumously in Warsaw
in 1867–1869 as the two-volume Tiferes Shlomo. This work, considered a textbook of Hasidic thought, met with widespread acclaim and has been continuously reprinted.
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...
of the Radomsk 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...
dynasty and one of the great Hasidic masters of 19th-century Poland. He is known as the Tiferes Shlomo after the title of his sefer
Sefer (Hebrew)
Sefer in simple Hebrew is a word that means any kind of "book" It is derived from the same Hebrew root-word as sofer , sifriyah and safrut ....
, which is considered a classic in Hasidic literature.
Early life
Rabinowicz's year of birth is variously cited as 1795, 1796, 1800, 1801, or 1803. He was born in Włoszczowa, PolandPoland
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...
to Rabbi Dov Zvi (d. 1839), the av beis din (head of the rabbinical court) of Włoszczowa. Like most of the Jews of Poland, Rabbi Shlomo was called by his first name and patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
; his children were the first to begin using the surname Rabinowicz. He was a descendant of Rabbi Nathan Nata Spira
Nathan Nata Spira
Nathan Nata HaKohen Spira was a Polish rabbi and kabbalist. He had an important role in spreading Isaac Luria's teachings throughout Poland. Spira was the author of the Megaleh Amukot.Spira was a student of Meir Lublin....
(1585 – 1633), a leading Polish Kabbalist
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 author of Megaleh Amukos
Megaleh Amukot
Megaleh Amukot is a 1637 work by Rabbi Nathan Nata Spira who lived in Poland ....
.
Rabinowicz studied in the yeshiva in Piotrków Trybunalski
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...
, where he was regarded as a prodigy. By his bar mitzvah he knew the entire Urim Ve'umin of Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshutz
Jonathan Eybeschutz
Jonathan Eybeschutz , was a Talmudist, Halachist, Kabbalist, holding positions as Dayan of Prague, and later as Rabbi of the "Three Communities": Altona, Hamburg and Wandsbek. With Jacob Emden, he is well known as a protagonist in the Emden-Eybeschütz Controversy.-Biography:Eybeschütz's father was...
by heart and had composed his own chiddushim (novel Torah thoughts). Late at night, he would study Kabbalah texts.
Later he became a talmid of Rabbi Meir of Apta, who was in turn a disciple of the Chozeh of Lublin. He became a Hasid of Rabbi Meir of Apta, Rabbi Fishele of Strikov, and Rabbi Yehoshua of Pshedburz. He also traveled to the Modzitzer
Modzitz (Hasidic dynasty)
Modzitz or Modzhitz is the name of a Hasidic group within Orthodox Judaism that derives its name from Modrzyce, one of the boroughs of the town of Dęblin, Poland, located on the Vistula River...
Rebbe, Rabbi Yechezkel of Kuzmir, and Rabbi Chaim Halberstam
Chaim Halberstam
Chaim Halberstam of Sanz , known as the Divrei Chaim after his magnum opus on halakha, was a famous Hasidic Rebbe and the founder of the Sanz Hasidic dynasty....
of Sanz. Though he was born 14 years after the death of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk
Elimelech of Lizhensk
Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk , a Rabbi and one of the great founding Rebbes of the Hasidic movement, was known after his hometown, Leżajsk near Rzeszów in Poland...
, he also considered himself a disciple of the latter and visited his grave every year. Since as a Kohen
Kohen
A Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
he was not allowed to come in contact with graves, he had a wall built around the area so that he could pray there.
Move to Radomsk
Rabinowicz married Gitele, a pious woman who fasted every Monday and Thursday. She lived to the age of 92. After his marriage, he studied in the beth midrashBeth midrash
Beth Midrash refers to a study hall, whether in a synagogue, yeshiva, kollel, or other building. It is distinct from a synagogue, although many synagogues are also used as batei midrash and vice versa....
in Włoszczowa while his wife ran a small store to support them. The store was not successful, however, and for this reason, when Rabinowicz was offered the position of Rav of the small Polish town of Radomsko
Radomsko
Radomsko is a town in central Poland with 50,618 inhabitants . It is situated on the Radomka river in the Łódź Voivodeship , having previously been in Piotrków Trybunalski Voivodeship . It is the capital of Radomsko County....
(Radomsk), his rebbe, Rabbi Meir of Apta, advised him to accept. Rabinowicz became Rav of Radomsk in 1834. His weekly salary was 15 Polish gulden (2 ruble
Ruble
The ruble or rouble is a unit of currency. Currently, the currency units of Belarus, Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, and, in the past, the currency units of several other countries, notably countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, are named rubles, though they all are...
s and 25 kopek
Kopek
Kopek or Köpek may refer to:*A Kopek, 1/100th of a Ruble*A Kopek, 1/100th of a Ukrainian hryvnia*Kopek , an Irish rock band*Sa'd al-Din Köpek , court administrator under Seljuq Sultans of Rum...
s), an apartment, and an etrog
Etrog
Etrog refers to the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jews on the week-long holiday of Sukkot.While in modern Hebrew this is the name for any variety of citron, its English usage applies to those varieties and specimens used as one of the Four Species...
for Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
. Later his salary increased to 6 rubles per week, and his wife was allowed to run her own business.
Under his leadership, the Jewish community of Radomsk grew in prestige and population. Rabinowicz founded the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty in 1843. When Rabbi Moshe Biderman of Lelov
Lelov (Hasidic dynasty)
Lelov is the name of a Hasidic dynasty which traces its origins to Rabbi Dovid of Lelów, Poland.The Lelover dynasty migrated from Poland to Jerusalem when Rabbi Dovid's son, Rabbi Moshe Biderman , moved there in the last year of his life. Rabbi Moshe Biderman of Lelov was the son-in-law of Rabbi...
moved to Jerusalem in 1850 and instructed his Hasidim to follow Rabinowicz, the latter's influence as a Rebbe grew significantly. He went on to attract thousands of Hasidim and Radomsk grew into a major center of Hasidut. The masses revered their Rebbe for his lofty prayers, beautiful singing voice, and benevolence towards their needs, while the more scholarly Hasidim admired his profound discourses in Halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
and 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...
. Rabinowicz was a master at interpreting Torah verses through gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
and Hebrew letter permutations. Among his Hasidim were philosopher Aaron Marcus Verus and physician Chaim David Bernard of Piotrków.
Even as he served as a Rebbe to thousands, Rabinowicz paid special attention to the needs of the Jews of Radomsk proper. When local Jews were conscripted by the Czar's army, he and his gabbai
Gabbai
A Gabbai is a person who assists in the running of a synagogue and ensures that the needs are met, for example the Jewish prayer services run smoothly, or an assistant to a rabbi...
went door to door, collecting money
Pidyon Shvuyim
The Mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim is to bring about the release of any Jew held captive by gentiles. It is considered an important commandment in the Jewish Halakha.- Source :...
to bribe the officials to release them. He also collected money for the poor to buy firewood in the winter, and to make matzo
Matzo
Matzo or matzah is an unleavened bread traditionally eaten by Jews during the week-long Passover holiday, when eating chametz—bread and other food which is made with leavened grain—is forbidden according to Jewish law. Currently, the most ubiquitous type of Matzo is the traditional Ashkenazic...
s at Pesach. He spoke out often on the challenges facing the Jewish people of his day, including assimilation
Jewish assimilation
Jewish assimilation refers to the cultural assimilation and social integration of Jews in their surrounding culture. Assimilation became legally possible in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.-Background:Judaism forbids the worship of other gods...
. In 1862 he pronounced a ban on the wearing of hoop skirts by Jewish women.
Rabinowicz had a beautiful singing voice and was renowned as a chazzan and composer of Hasidic music. His prayers were infused with both great emotion and great joy. He composed and sang new nigunim (melodies) each year for the High Holy Days
High Holy Days
The High Holidays or High Holy Days, in Judaism, more properly known as the Yamim Noraim , may mean:#strictly, the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ;...
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. He also had a practice of visiting a different tzadik
Tzadik
Tzadik/Zadik/Sadiq is a title given to personalities in Jewish tradition considered righteous, such as Biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ṣadiq, is ṣ-d-q , which means "justice" or "righteousness", also the root of Tzedakah...
every Shavuot
Shavuot
The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan ....
. On one such occasion, he visited the Tzadik of Kuzmir, Rabbi Emanuel of Pashdeborz, and was asked to lead the Akdamut
Akdamut
Akdamut, or Akdamus or Akdamut Milin, or Akdomus Milin , is a prominent Aramaic liturgical poem recited annually on the Jewish holiday of Shavuos by Ashkenazi Jews...
piyyut
Piyyut
A piyyut or piyut is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services. Piyyutim have been written since Temple times...
. Rabinowicz requested the accompaniment of 80 singers, and the resulting choir, with his voice soaring over all, had a powerful effect. Rabinowicz used his soul-stirring nigunim to rouse his Hasidim to great fervor 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...
and Jewish holidays. He sent money to one of his Hasidim in Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, Israel so that the latter would organize a Radomsker Shalosh Seudos meal every Shabbat at which his niggunim would be sung.
Death and legacy
Rabinowicz died after reciting the Tikkun ChatzotTikkun Chatzot
Tikkun Chatzot is a Jewish ritual of lamentation that is recited after midnight in memory of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a highly praiseworthy observance which is not universally observed. Over the past few years, there have been attempts to revive the custom of Tikkun...
prayers in the early-morning hours of Friday, 16 March 1866 (29 Adar
Adar
Adar is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a winter month of 29 days...
5626). He was buried later that day in an ohel on the grounds of the Jewish cemetery in Radomsk. His son and grandson were later buried in the same ohel. His death was part of a triple loss for Polish Jewy, as he, the Chiddushei Harim
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...
, and the Tzemach Tzedek
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn also known as the Tzemach Tzedek was an Orthodox rabbi and the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement.-Biography:...
died within a month of each other.
He left three sons and three daughters. His sons were: Aryeh Leibusz (1823–1890), a Torah scholar and businessman; Hirsz (Zvi) Meir (d. 1902), who presided as av beis din of Radomsk and succeeded his father as Rav of the town; and Avraham Yissachar Dov
Avraham Yissachar Dov Rabinowicz
Avraham Yissachar Dov Hakohen Rabinowicz was the second Rebbe of the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty. He was the youngest son and successor of Rabbi Shlomo Rabinowicz , who founded the dynasty in the Polish town of Radomsko in 1843...
, the Chesed LeAvraham (1843–1892), who succeeded his father as Radomsker Rebbe.
Rabinowicz's discourses on the Chumash and chagim (Jewish festivals) were published posthumously in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in 1867–1869 as the two-volume Tiferes Shlomo. This work, considered a textbook of Hasidic thought, met with widespread acclaim and has been continuously reprinted.
Rebbes of Radomsk
- Shlomo Hakohen Rabinowicz, the Tiferes Shlomo (1801–1866)
- Avraham Yissachar Dov Hakohen RabinowiczAvraham Yissachar Dov RabinowiczAvraham Yissachar Dov Hakohen Rabinowicz was the second Rebbe of the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty. He was the youngest son and successor of Rabbi Shlomo Rabinowicz , who founded the dynasty in the Polish town of Radomsko in 1843...
, the Chesed LeAvraham (1843–1892) - Yechezkel Hakohen RabinowiczYechezkel RabinowiczYechezkel Hakohen Rabinowicz was the third Rebbe of the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty. He was the grandson of the founder of the dynasty, Rabbi Shlomo Rabinowicz, the Tiferes Shlomo, and the second son of the second Radomsker Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Yissachar Dov Rabinowicz...
, the Kenesses Yechezkel (1864–1910) - Shlomo Chanoch Hakohen RabinowiczShlomo Chanoch RabinowiczShlomo Chanoch Hakohen Rabinowicz was the fourth and last Rebbe of the Radomsk Hasidic dynasty. He was the eldest son of the third Radomsker Rebbe, Rabbi Yechezkel Hakohen Rabinowicz and great-grandson of the founder of the dynasty, Rabbi Shlomo Hakohen Rabinowicz, the Tiferes Shlomo...
, the Shivchei Kohen (1882–1942)