Abba Berman
Encyclopedia
Rabbi
Abba Mordechai Berman (1919–2005) was a renowned Talmud
ist and Rosh Yeshiva
of Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud.
Reb Abba was born on Tu BiShvat 5679 (1919) in Lodz, Poland to his father, Rabbi Shaul Yosef Berman, rosh yeshiva
of Toras Chesed in Lodz and a student of the Chofetz Chayim. As a young child, Reb Abba's greatness was recognized by the Chofetz Chaim. The Berman family were descendants of Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz
http://www.chinuch.org/Iyyar.php.
Following his Bar Mitzvah, Reb Abba learned in Yeshivas Mir
where he became especially close to the mashgiach
Rabbi Yerucham Leibovitz
. Along with most of the student body of the Mirrer Yeshiva, Reb Abba fled to Shanghai during World War II and eventually migrated to America
where he became one of the founding members of the Mir
Yeshiva in Brooklyn
. There he married Rebbetzen Itka Greenberg. He established Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud in Beach 17th Street, Far Rockaway. After several years, he emigrated
to Israel
and re-established Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud in Bnai Brak. The yeshiva then relocated to Jerusalem, and finally to Israeli settlement
Kiryat Sefer in the West Bank
. In his final years he served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchok of Chadera-Kiryat Sefer.
Reb Abba is recognized a Gadol
, despite never having accepted a significant leadership post.http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol16/v16n034.shtml#08. He is supposed to have coined the idiom
, "“From your viewpoint, you’re right. It’s your viewpoint that’s wrong.”http://reformclub.blogspot.com/2006_04_30_archive.html
He died on May 12, 2005 corresponding to the 3rd of Iyar
, 5765. His Talmudic lectures were published posthumously under the title "Iyun HaTalmud" (עיון התלמוד).
He was survived by his wife and daughters. His wife died at the end of Cheshvan, 5770.
One of his daughters runs the Hadar Seminary for Women in Jerusalem. She is married to one of his six sons-in-law, Rabbi Mosheh Twersky, the elder son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky
of Boston, and a grandson of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, who lectures at Yeshivas Toras Moshe.
R' Yisroel Eliyahu Weintraub
is a student of his.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Abba Mordechai Berman (1919–2005) was a renowned 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....
ist and 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...
of Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud.
Reb Abba was born on Tu BiShvat 5679 (1919) in Lodz, Poland to his father, Rabbi Shaul Yosef Berman, 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...
of Toras Chesed in Lodz and a student of the Chofetz Chayim. As a young child, Reb Abba's greatness was recognized by the Chofetz Chaim. The Berman family were descendants of Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz
Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz
Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz was a rabbi, poet and Torah commentator, best known for his Torah commentary Keli Yakar.-Biography:...
http://www.chinuch.org/Iyyar.php.
Following his Bar Mitzvah, Reb Abba learned in Yeshivas Mir
Mir yeshiva (Poland)
The Mir yeshiva , commonly known as the Mirrer Yeshiva or The Mir, was a Haredi yeshiva located in the town of Mir, Russian Empire...
where he became especially close to the mashgiach
Mashgiach
In Judaism, a Mashgiach is a person who supervises the kashrut status of a kosher establishment.A mashgiah may supervise any type of food service establishment, including slaughterhouses, food manufacturers, hotels, caterers, nursing homes, restaurants, butchers, groceries, or cooperatives...
Rabbi Yerucham Leibovitz
Yerucham Levovitz
Rabbi Yeruchom Halevi Levovitz , also known by his hundreds of students simply as The Mashgiach, was a famous mashgiach ruchani and baal mussar at the Mir yeshiva in Poland....
. Along with most of the student body of the Mirrer Yeshiva, Reb Abba fled to Shanghai during World War II and eventually migrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he became one of the founding members of the Mir
Mir yeshiva (Brooklyn)
The Mir yeshiva , commonly known as the Mirrer Yeshiva or The Mir, is officially registered with the College Board as the Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute. It is a prominent, Haredi yeshiva located in Brooklyn, New York known for its excellence in talmudic studies.Its long-time Rosh Yeshiva was...
Yeshiva in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. There he married Rebbetzen Itka Greenberg. He established Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud in Beach 17th Street, Far Rockaway. After several years, he emigrated
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
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and re-established Yeshivas Iyun HaTalmud in Bnai Brak. The yeshiva then relocated to Jerusalem, and finally to Israeli settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
Kiryat Sefer in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. In his final years he served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchok of Chadera-Kiryat Sefer.
Reb Abba is recognized a Gadol
Gadol
Gadol or godol גדול , is a Hebrew term used mostly by Haredi Litvish Jews to refer to the most revered rabbis of their generation. These rabbis are usually held in high esteem by other Haredi or Orthodox Jews, though not necessarily to the same degree as by Litvish Jews...
, despite never having accepted a significant leadership post.http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol16/v16n034.shtml#08. He is supposed to have coined the idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
, "“From your viewpoint, you’re right. It’s your viewpoint that’s wrong.”http://reformclub.blogspot.com/2006_04_30_archive.html
He died on May 12, 2005 corresponding to the 3rd of Iyar
Iyar
Iyar is the eighth month of the civil year and the second month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. The name is Babylonian in origin. It is a spring month of 29 days. Iyar usually falls in April–June on the Gregorian calendar.In the Hebrew Bible, before the Babylonian Exile, the...
, 5765. His Talmudic lectures were published posthumously under the title "Iyun HaTalmud" (עיון התלמוד).
He was survived by his wife and daughters. His wife died at the end of Cheshvan, 5770.
One of his daughters runs the Hadar Seminary for Women in Jerusalem. She is married to one of his six sons-in-law, Rabbi Mosheh Twersky, the elder son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky
Isadore Twersky
Isadore Twersky was an Orthodox rabbi and the Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy at Harvard University, a chair previously held by Harry Austryn Wolfson. Twersky was an internationally recognized authority on Rabbinic literature and Jewish philosophy...
of Boston, and a grandson of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, who lectures at Yeshivas Toras Moshe.
R' Yisroel Eliyahu Weintraub
Yisroel Eliyahu Weintraub
Rabbi Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub, known as Reb Yisroel Elya Weintraub, was known as one of the leading Kabbalists of his generation. Many people, including the leader of Jewry, Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, flocked to him for his advice on various matters of life.Rabbi Weintraub was born in the...
is a student of his.
Publications
- Shiurei Iyun HaTalmud, on Seder Kodshim
- Shiurei Iyun HaTalmud, on Seder NashimNashimNashim is the third order of the Mishnah , containing the laws related to women and family life...