Pinchas Biberfeld
Encyclopedia
Pinchas Paul Biberfeld was a Rabbi
in Germany
and Israel
.
. His father, Dr. Chaim Eduard Biberfeld (1864–1939), a famous Rabbi and physician, was a co-founder of the Israelitische Krankenheim (Jewish hospital) in Berlin
.
(Rabbiner Seminar für das Orthodoxe Judenthum) in Berlin
where he received his Smicha from Dr. Jechiel Weinberg. After his family was forced to leave Germany
in 1939 Biberfeld immigrated to Palestine
via Triest and Haifa
. In the same year his father died after a longstanding illness. In Palestine
he continued his studies at the Yeshivot of Kol Torah and Hebron in Jerusalem, before marrying the daughter of Zvi Aryeh Twersky, Rebbe of Zlatipol-Chortkov.
In the 1950s Rabbi Biberfeld founded the still functioning Kollel
Zlatipol
-Chortkov
in Tel-Aviv, where he served as Rosh-Kollel
for 30 years. Moreover he was a publisher of the rabbinic journal "Hane'eman", printing responsa
of distinguished rabbinical scholars and his own novel insights. Rabbi Biberfeld also edited the Hebrew edition of his father's classical manual about the laws of the Sabbath ("Die Sabbath Vorschriften") under the Hebrew Title "Menuchoh Nechaunoh", which has been reprinted several times.
In 1984 Rabbi Biberfeld succeeded Rabbi Hans Isaak Grünewald in Munich
. During the ten years as Chief Rabbi of Munich
(Oberrabbiner der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München) he profoundly influenced Jewish life in Germany
, especially by redefining the rabbi's role as the foremost authority within the community.
After a sudden deterioration of his health in 1998 he spend the last months with his son, Rabbi Chaim Michoel (Michael) Biberfeld, Rabbi of South Tottenham United Synagogue
and leader of the dwindling Chortkov Hassidic dynasty in London
where he died on January 23, 1999. He is buried at the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives
in Jerusalem.
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...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Childhood
Rabbi Pinchas Paul Biberfeld was born on October 31, 1915 in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. His father, Dr. Chaim Eduard Biberfeld (1864–1939), a famous Rabbi and physician, was a co-founder of the Israelitische Krankenheim (Jewish hospital) in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Life
Biberfeld completed his rabbinical studies at the Hildesheimer Rabbinical SeminaryHildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary
The Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary was founded in Berlin on 22 October 1873 by Rabbi Dr. Azriel Hildesheimer for the training of rabbis in the tradition of Orthodox Judaism.-History:...
(Rabbiner Seminar für das Orthodoxe Judenthum) in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he received his Smicha from Dr. Jechiel Weinberg. After his family was forced to leave Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1939 Biberfeld immigrated to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
via Triest and Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. In the same year his father died after a longstanding illness. In Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
he continued his studies at the Yeshivot of Kol Torah and Hebron in Jerusalem, before marrying the daughter of Zvi Aryeh Twersky, Rebbe of Zlatipol-Chortkov.
In the 1950s Rabbi Biberfeld founded the still functioning Kollel
Kollel
A kollel is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim and learning sedarim ; unlike a yeshiva, the student body of a kollel are all married men...
Zlatipol
Zlatopol
Zlatopol is a small city in Ukraine, located about 80 km northwest to Kirovohrad, near Kiev.- History :Before the Holocaust, Zlatopol was a prosperous very rich Jewish Shtetl. There was also a gymnasium for rich people in Zlatopol...
-Chortkov
Chortkov (Hasidic dynasty)
Chortkov is a Hasidic dynasty that originated in Chortkov, present-day Ukraine. It had a large following before the Second World War, but most of its adherents perished in the Holocaust....
in Tel-Aviv, where he served as Rosh-Kollel
Kollel
A kollel is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim and learning sedarim ; unlike a yeshiva, the student body of a kollel are all married men...
for 30 years. Moreover he was a publisher of the rabbinic journal "Hane'eman", printing responsa
Responsa
Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
of distinguished rabbinical scholars and his own novel insights. Rabbi Biberfeld also edited the Hebrew edition of his father's classical manual about the laws of the Sabbath ("Die Sabbath Vorschriften") under the Hebrew Title "Menuchoh Nechaunoh", which has been reprinted several times.
In 1984 Rabbi Biberfeld succeeded Rabbi Hans Isaak Grünewald in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. During the ten years as Chief Rabbi of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(Oberrabbiner der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München) he profoundly influenced Jewish life in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, especially by redefining the rabbi's role as the foremost authority within the community.
After a sudden deterioration of his health in 1998 he spend the last months with his son, Rabbi Chaim Michoel (Michael) Biberfeld, Rabbi of South Tottenham United Synagogue
United Synagogue
United Synagogue is an organisation of London Jews that was founded with the sanction of an Act of Parliament, in 1870. , it remains the largest religious grouping within the British Jewish community and indeed in Europe, covering 62 Orthodox Jewish communities...
and leader of the dwindling Chortkov Hassidic dynasty in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he died on January 23, 1999. He is buried at the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge in East Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 818 meters . It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes...
in Jerusalem.
Publications
A short list of Rabbi Biberfeld's writings in German:- Es führt ein mühsamer Weg ans Licht, Jüdische Zeitung, April 6, 1987
- Altes und neues Wunder, Jüdische Zeitung, April 1, 1988
- Eine Nacht, die anders ist, Jüdische Zeitung, April 9, 1990
- Die zehn Plagen, Münchner Jüdische Gemeindezeitung, Heft 22, March 29, 1993