Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog (Hebrew: יצחק אייזיק הלוי הרצוג; born 3 December 1888; died 25 July 1959), also known as Isaac Herzog, was the first Chief Rabbi
of Ireland
, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936. From 1937 until his death in 1959, he was Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the British Mandate of Palestine and of Israel
after its independence in 1948.
, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family in 1898, where they settled in Leeds
. His initial schooling was largely at the instruction of his father, Joel Leib Herzog, who was a rabbi in Leeds and then later in Paris.
After mastering Talmud
ic studies at a young age, Yitzhak went on to attend the Sorbonne
and then later the University of London
, where he received his doctorate. His thesis, which made him famous in the Jewish world, concerned his claim of re-discovering Techelet, the type of blue dye once used for the making of Tzitzit
.
Rabbi Herzog served as rabbi of Belfast
from 1916 to 1919 and was appointed rabbi of Dublin in 1919. He was a fluent speaker of the Irish language
. He was Chief Rabbi to the Irish Free State
from 1919 - this was prior to formal independence. He was known as "the Sinn Féin Rabbi" He went on to serve as Chief Rabbi of the Ireland between 1922 and 1936, when he immigrated to Palestine to succeed Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
as Ashkenazi
Chief Rabbi upon his death.
, the rabbi's son, was a general in the Israel Defense Forces
and later became president of Israel
. His son Yaacov Herzog was an influential figure in Israeli politics between 1948 and his untimely death in 1972. During that period he served as Israel's ambassador to Canada and later as Director General of the office of Prime Minister. He also accepted an offer to become Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth but due to ill health never took up that role. Currently, his grandson Isaac Herzog is a member of the Knesset
, Israel's parliament and the country's minister of welfare. He has previously served as housing and tourism minister.
During the first years of World War II, the British put out the white paper of 1939
. After leading a procession through the streets of Jerusalem, with an unusually united Jewish following from all sects, on the steps of the Hurva Synagogue
he turned and said: We can not agree to the white book. Just as the prophets did before me, I hereby rip it in two. About 50 year's later, in the 1980's president Herzog repeated his father's gesture with the UN resolution that Zionism is equal to racism.
During the second world war, he traveled with great risk to US, and back, not before he was able to secure a meeting with Roosevelt. Roosevelt smiled and did not reply to the Rabbi's pleadings for a promise to help the Jews of Europe. His biographer records that several people noticed that his hair turned white when he left the meeting, which he perceived as a failure. Following this, he immediately returned home, missing the ride on a ship that was sunk by a U-boat, and taking what was said to be the last civilian ship to cross the Atlantic during the war.
After the war, Rabbi Herzog dedicated himself to saving Jewish children especially babies and bringing them back from their places hiding throughout all of Europe, to their families or to Jewish orphanages. Many of these were hidden in Christian monasteries or by Christian families, and refused to return them. In his biography, he tells of the difficulties he had of meeting the Pope who avoided him, but did receive in the end assistance from the Vatican. In later years it was found that Pope John Paul
was the contact who helped the rabbi out. However, defenders of Pope Pius XII have asserted that Herzog had maintained friendly relations with the pontiff during and after the WW2. In 1945, he stated: “The people of Israel will never forget what His Holiness and his illustrious delegates are doing for our unfortunate brothers and sisters in the most tragic hour of our history, which is living proof of Divine Providence in this world.”
and the State of Israel. Indeed, his writings helped shaped the attitude of the Religious Zionist Movement toward the State of Israel. Rabbi Herzog authored:
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936. From 1937 until his death in 1959, he was Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the British Mandate of Palestine and of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
after its independence in 1948.
Biography
Rabbi Herzog was born in Łomża, 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...
, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family in 1898, where they settled in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. His initial schooling was largely at the instruction of his father, Joel Leib Herzog, who was a rabbi in Leeds and then later in Paris.
After mastering 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 studies at a young age, Yitzhak went on to attend the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and then later the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where he received his doctorate. His thesis, which made him famous in the Jewish world, concerned his claim of re-discovering Techelet, the type of blue dye once used for the making of Tzitzit
Tzitzit
The Hebrew noun tzitzit is the name for specially knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews. Tzitzit are attached to the four corners of the tallit and tallit katan.-Etymology:The word may derive from the semitic root N-TZ-H...
.
Rabbi Herzog served as rabbi of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
from 1916 to 1919 and was appointed rabbi of Dublin in 1919. He was a fluent speaker of the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. He was Chief Rabbi to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
from 1919 - this was prior to formal independence. He was known as "the Sinn Féin Rabbi" He went on to serve as Chief Rabbi of the Ireland between 1922 and 1936, when he immigrated to Palestine to succeed Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook was the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine, the founder of the Religious Zionist Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, Jewish thinker, Halachist, Kabbalist and a renowned Torah scholar...
as Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
Chief Rabbi upon his death.
Legacy
Rabbi Herzog's descendants have continued to be active in Israel's political life. Chaim HerzogChaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog served as the sixth President of Israel , following a distinguished career in both the British Army and the Israel Defense Forces .-Early life:...
, the rabbi's son, was a general in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and later became president of Israel
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
. His son Yaacov Herzog was an influential figure in Israeli politics between 1948 and his untimely death in 1972. During that period he served as Israel's ambassador to Canada and later as Director General of the office of Prime Minister. He also accepted an offer to become Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth but due to ill health never took up that role. Currently, his grandson Isaac Herzog is a member of the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, Israel's parliament and the country's minister of welfare. He has previously served as housing and tourism minister.
During the first years of World War II, the British put out the white paper of 1939
White Paper of 1939
The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over it, was a policy paper issued by the British government under Neville Chamberlain in which the idea of partitioning the Mandate for Palestine, as recommended in...
. After leading a procession through the streets of Jerusalem, with an unusually united Jewish following from all sects, on the steps of the Hurva Synagogue
Hurva Synagogue
The Hurva Synagogue, , also known as Hurvat Rabbi Yehudah he-Hasid , is a historic synagogue located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem....
he turned and said: We can not agree to the white book. Just as the prophets did before me, I hereby rip it in two. About 50 year's later, in the 1980's president Herzog repeated his father's gesture with the UN resolution that Zionism is equal to racism.
During the second world war, he traveled with great risk to US, and back, not before he was able to secure a meeting with Roosevelt. Roosevelt smiled and did not reply to the Rabbi's pleadings for a promise to help the Jews of Europe. His biographer records that several people noticed that his hair turned white when he left the meeting, which he perceived as a failure. Following this, he immediately returned home, missing the ride on a ship that was sunk by a U-boat, and taking what was said to be the last civilian ship to cross the Atlantic during the war.
After the war, Rabbi Herzog dedicated himself to saving Jewish children especially babies and bringing them back from their places hiding throughout all of Europe, to their families or to Jewish orphanages. Many of these were hidden in Christian monasteries or by Christian families, and refused to return them. In his biography, he tells of the difficulties he had of meeting the Pope who avoided him, but did receive in the end assistance from the Vatican. In later years it was found that Pope John Paul
Pope John Paul
Pope John Paul is the name of two Popes of the Roman Catholic Church:*Pope John Paul I , who named himself in honor of his predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. Pope John Paul I reigned for only 33 calendar days....
was the contact who helped the rabbi out. However, defenders of Pope Pius XII have asserted that Herzog had maintained friendly relations with the pontiff during and after the WW2. In 1945, he stated: “The people of Israel will never forget what His Holiness and his illustrious delegates are doing for our unfortunate brothers and sisters in the most tragic hour of our history, which is living proof of Divine Providence in this world.”
Works
Rabbi Herzog was recognised as a great rabbinical authority, and he wrote many books and articles dealing with halachic problems surrounding the TorahTorah
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 the State of Israel. Indeed, his writings helped shaped the attitude of the Religious Zionist Movement toward the State of Israel. Rabbi Herzog authored:
- Main Institutions of Jewish Law
- Heichal Yitzchak
- Techukah leYisrael al pi haTorah
- Pesachim uKetavim
- The Royal Purple and the Biblical Blue
See also
- History of the Jews in IrelandHistory of the Jews in IrelandThe history of the Jews in Ireland extends back nearly a thousand years. Although the Jewish community has always been small in numbers , it is well established and has generally been well-accepted into Irish life.-Early history:The earliest reference to the Jews in Ireland was in the year 1079...
- History of the Jews in Northern IrelandHistory of the Jews in Northern IrelandThe Jews of Northern Ireland have lived primarily in Belfast, where the Belfast Hebrew Congregation, an Ashkanasi orthodox community, was established in 1870...
- HerzogHerzogHerzog may refer to:* Herzog , German title of nobility* The surname Herzog, derived from the above-Athletes:* Andreas Herzog , Austrian soccer player* Dieter Herzog , German soccer player* Whitey Herzog , U.S...
- Shmuel WosnerShmuel WosnerRabbi Shmuel Wosner is a Haredi rabbi and posek living in Bnei Brak, Israel....
- List of Israel Prize recipients