Sholom Noach Berezovsky
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky served as Slonimer
Rebbe
from 1981 until his death. He is widely known for his teachings which he published as a series of books entitled Nesivos Sholom.
Rabbi Berezovsky was a prolific writer. Through his writings he was among the most influential of contemporary chasidic rebbes, among chasidim and non-chasidim alike. A leading non-chasidic rosh yeshiva
has referred to the Nesivos Sholom as the "Mesillat Yesharim
of our times".
(today in Belarus
), to his father, Moshe Avrohom, head of the local Jewish community and his mother, a granddaughter of Hillel, a brother of the first Slonimer rebbe, known by the title of his work Yesod Ho'Avoda.
In 1933 he married a daughter of Rabbi Avrohom Weinberg of Tverya, later to become Slonimer Rebbe (Bircath Avrohom).
Toras Chessed in Baranovitsh. The rosh yeshiva
, Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Hirshovitz was a grandson of Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
of Telz
, and its mashgiach, Rabbi Moshe Midner was a grandson of the Yesod Ho'Avoda and a student of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik
; the Yeshiva thus combined the Lithuanian
Talmudic style of the Misnagdic yeshivas with the Chassidic approach.
In approximately 1930, the then-Slonimer Rebbe appointed Sholom Noach to commit to memory and subsequently write up the discourses which he (the Rebbe) delivered every Shabbos. These notes were subsequently published under the name Beis Avrohom.
In 1940, Rabbi Sholom Noach was appointed rosh yeshiva of Achei Temimim, the Lubavitcher yeshiva
in Tel Aviv. In 1941 he opened the Slonimer yeshiva in Jerusalem with just five students. On Friday nights rabbi Berezovsky would sit with the students for hours on end, teaching them the traditional Slonimer melodies.
The chasidus of Slonim was virtually wiped out in the Holocaust; the yeshiva in Jerusalem served as the focus for its revival. As part of his effort to rejuvenate Slonimer chasidus, Rabbi Sholom Noach was responsible for collecting the oral traditions ascribed to previous Slonimer rebbes (who did not commit their teachings to writing) in works such as Divrei Shmuel and Toras Ovos.
In 1954, Rabbi Berezovsky's father-in-law agreed to assume the mantle of the Rebbe. Rabbi Sholom Noach wrote up his discourses, too; they were subsequently published as Birkas Avrohom.
Rabbi Sholom Noach also authored many volumes of his own teachings, including his magnum opus, the seven-volume Nesivos Sholom as well as numerous smaller works on educational issues, marital harmony and other issues.
He succeeded his father-in-law as Slonimer Rebbe following the latter's death in 1981, serving in that capacity for almost twenty years.
He is succeeded by his son, Rabbi Shmuel.
, August 18, 2000, p. 24 and Marbitzei Torah Me'olam Ha'chasidut Vol. I, p. 177 and Vol. III, p. 167, quoted in Hama'yan
Slonim (Hasidic dynasty)
Slonim is a Hasidic dynasty originating in the town of Slonim, which is now in Belarus.Today, there are two Slonimer Rebbes, both in Israel: one resides in Jerusalem and the other in Bnei Brak...
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...
from 1981 until his death. He is widely known for his teachings which he published as a series of books entitled Nesivos Sholom.
Rabbi Berezovsky was a prolific writer. Through his writings he was among the most influential of contemporary chasidic rebbes, among chasidim and non-chasidim alike. A leading non-chasidic rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
has referred to the Nesivos Sholom as the "Mesillat Yesharim
Mesillat Yesharim
The Mesillat Yesharim is an ethical text composed by the influential Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto . It is quite different from Luzzato's other writings, which are more philosophical....
of our times".
Biographical details
Sholom Noach was born on 18 August 1911 (4 Av 5671 in the Hebrew calendar) in BaranovitshBaranovichi
Baranovichi , is a city in the Brest Province of western Belarus with a population of 173,000. It is a significant railway junction and home to a state university.-Overview:...
(today in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
), to his father, Moshe Avrohom, head of the local Jewish community and his mother, a granddaughter of Hillel, a brother of the first Slonimer rebbe, known by the title of his work Yesod Ho'Avoda.
In 1933 he married a daughter of Rabbi Avrohom Weinberg of Tverya, later to become Slonimer Rebbe (Bircath Avrohom).
Torah and Chassidus
Sholom Noach studied in the Slonimer yeshivaYeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
Toras Chessed in Baranovitsh. The rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
, Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Hirshovitz was a grandson of 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:...
of Telz
Telz
*Telz can refer to the town of Telšiai, in Lithuania.*Telz is also used as the abbreviated name for:**Telshe yeshiva originally in Lithuania that was transplanted to Cleveland, Ohio....
, and its mashgiach, Rabbi Moshe Midner was a grandson of the Yesod Ho'Avoda and a student of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik
Chaim Soloveitchik
Chaim Soloveitchik , also known as Reb Chaim Brisker, was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the popular Brisker approach to Talmudic study within Judaism. He was born in Volozhin in 1853, where his father, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik served as a lecturer in the famous...
; the Yeshiva thus combined the Lithuanian
Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks are Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:...
Talmudic style of the Misnagdic yeshivas with the Chassidic approach.
In approximately 1930, the then-Slonimer Rebbe appointed Sholom Noach to commit to memory and subsequently write up the discourses which he (the Rebbe) delivered every Shabbos. These notes were subsequently published under the name Beis Avrohom.
In 1940, Rabbi Sholom Noach was appointed rosh yeshiva of Achei Temimim, the Lubavitcher yeshiva
Tomchei Temimim
Tomchei Temimim is the central Yeshiva of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement...
in Tel Aviv. In 1941 he opened the Slonimer yeshiva in Jerusalem with just five students. On Friday nights rabbi Berezovsky would sit with the students for hours on end, teaching them the traditional Slonimer melodies.
The chasidus of Slonim was virtually wiped out in the Holocaust; the yeshiva in Jerusalem served as the focus for its revival. As part of his effort to rejuvenate Slonimer chasidus, Rabbi Sholom Noach was responsible for collecting the oral traditions ascribed to previous Slonimer rebbes (who did not commit their teachings to writing) in works such as Divrei Shmuel and Toras Ovos.
In 1954, Rabbi Berezovsky's father-in-law agreed to assume the mantle of the Rebbe. Rabbi Sholom Noach wrote up his discourses, too; they were subsequently published as Birkas Avrohom.
Rabbi Sholom Noach also authored many volumes of his own teachings, including his magnum opus, the seven-volume Nesivos Sholom as well as numerous smaller works on educational issues, marital harmony and other issues.
He succeeded his father-in-law as Slonimer Rebbe following the latter's death in 1981, serving in that capacity for almost twenty years.
He is succeeded by his son, Rabbi Shmuel.
Sources
HamodiaHamodia
Hamodia is a Hebrew language daily newspaper, published in Jerusalem, Israel. A daily English language edition is also published in the United States, and weekly English-language editions in England and Israel. A weekly edition for French readers debuted in 2008. The U.S. version is the first...
, August 18, 2000, p. 24 and Marbitzei Torah Me'olam Ha'chasidut Vol. I, p. 177 and Vol. III, p. 167, quoted in Hama'yan