Yidele Horowitz
Encyclopedia
Grand Rabbi Yidele Horowitz (1905–1989), popularly known as Reb Yidele, was the Rebbe
of Dzikov, who spent his last years in London, England. Although known as a formidable scholar and a man of exceptional character, he shunned the limelight and abhorred any reverence or treatment as a Rebbe.
near Tarnobrzeg
, Poland
. His mother Chava was the daughter of Rabbi Yisrael Hager, Rebbe of Vizhnitz
, and his father was Rabbi Alter Yechezkel Eliyahu.
He studied for five years under Rabbi Meir Arik
of Tarnów
, who greatly admired him. "No one can compare with him in Galicia", he said. Rabbi Horowitz was brought up in the house of his maternal grandfather, and in 1928 he married his cousin Chana Miriam Sima, the daughter of Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager of Vizhnitz. After ten childless years of marriage he divorced her, but they subsequently remarried and once again divorced. She then married Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss.
Rabbi Horowitz was given Semicha
by Rabbi Meir Arik, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapiro of Munkacz
, and by his uncle Rabbi Chaim.
Rabbi Horowitz was a great admirer of the Chasam Sofer
, whose seven-volume responsa
of that name he knew almost by heart, as well as his sermons and Talmud
ic novellae. He encouraged Rabbi Yosef Naftali Stern of Romania
to publish these works, even giving up his dowry
for this purpose.
At the age of 30, Rabbi Horowitz was appointed Dayan in Klausenberg. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he was in the spa town
of Krynica. He returned to the Dzikov ghetto and then to Cracow. He subsequently lived in Arad
, Bucharest
and Klausenberg, and miraculously survived the Holocaust. Indeed, Rabbi Horowitz's father died in 1943 in Plaszow near Cracow; Rabbi Yidele was his only surviving son.
where he was befriended by the Chazon Ish, and then in Jerusalem, where he came to be highly respected by Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dushinky, the head of the Edah Charedis.
Rabbi Horowitz's uncle, Rabbi Eliezer Hager, urged him to become a Rebbe and continue the traditions of Dzikov. The former, however, was adamant in refusing to allow people to treat him as a Rebbe, though he acted for a time as principal of the Kollel
Tarbitza in Jerusalem. Indeed, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, the Rebbe of Satmar
, lamented this fact by saying: "there are so many Rebbes who do not merit [deserve] to be Rebbes, and yet one who is so worthy to be a Rebbe [Rabbi Horowitz] refuses to act as one".
Rabbi Horowitz's discourses lasted three to four hours, and he would concentrate on just a few pages of the Talmudic Tractate Chullin, studying it at great depth.
. He hardly ever spoke, nor did he deliver any discourses, but spent his days in study and prayer. However he regularly officiated as a Sandek (the one who holds the baby) at brit milah
s and would put Tefillin
on Bar Mitzvah boys.
Rabbi Horowitz was an ascetic who lived a very frugal life. He would eat meat only on Shabbos, and during the week he never ate bread. In honour of Shabbos he himself would wash some of his clothes. In addition, absolutely all the monies forwarded to him by admirers and Chassidim
were immediately distributed to orphans and widows. Rabbi Horowitz was greatly concerned for the material well-being of the underprivileged.
and the United States, he was, on the advice of Rabbi Chanoch Dov Padwa
, interred at Enfield
Adas Yisroel Cemetery, and not in Jerusalem or at Vizhnitz, Bnei Brak. The elaborate Ohel
erected over his grave is frequently visited by all sections of the Chassidic community.
and Bnei Brak, took possession of his printed Hebrew
books and original manuscripts.
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 Dzikov, who spent his last years in London, England. Although known as a formidable scholar and a man of exceptional character, he shunned the limelight and abhorred any reverence or treatment as a Rebbe.
Early years
Reb Yidele was born in 1905 in Dzikov, a shtetlShtetl
A shtetl was typically a small town with a large Jewish population in Central and Eastern Europe until The Holocaust. Shtetls were mainly found in the areas which constituted the 19th century Pale of Settlement in the Russian Empire, the Congress Kingdom of Poland, Galicia and Romania...
near Tarnobrzeg
Tarnobrzeg
Tarnobrzeg is a city in south-eastern Poland, on the east bank of the river Vistula, with 49,419 inhabitants, as of December 31, 2009. Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship since 1999, it had previously been the capital of Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship...
, Poland
Poland
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...
. His mother Chava was the daughter of Rabbi Yisrael Hager, Rebbe of Vizhnitz
Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)
Vizhnitz is the name of a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hager. Vizhnitz is the Yiddish name of Vyzhnytsia, a village in present-day Ukraine.Followers of the rebbes of Vizhnitz are called Vizhnitzer chasidim....
, and his father was Rabbi Alter Yechezkel Eliyahu.
He studied for five years under Rabbi Meir Arik
Meir Arik
Rabbi Meir Arik is a famous Galician Torah scholar.Rabbi Arik was so highly respected by the leading Rabbis of his generation, that following the death of Rabbi Schwadron, the Belzer Rov directed all halachik questions to Rabbi Arik in his place.He was the posek of the Galician town Buchach Rabbi...
of Tarnów
Tarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
, who greatly admired him. "No one can compare with him in Galicia", he said. Rabbi Horowitz was brought up in the house of his maternal grandfather, and in 1928 he married his cousin Chana Miriam Sima, the daughter of Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager of Vizhnitz. After ten childless years of marriage he divorced her, but they subsequently remarried and once again divorced. She then married Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss.
Rabbi Horowitz was given Semicha
Semicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
by Rabbi Meir Arik, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapiro of Munkacz
Munkacz (Hasidic dynasty)
Munkatch Hasidism is a Hasidic sect within Haredi Judaism of mostly Hungarian Hasidic Jews. It was founded and led by the late Polish-born Grand Rebbe Shlomo Spira, who was the rabbi of the town of Munkacs. Members of the congregation are mainly referred to as Munkacs Hasidim or Munkatcher Hasidim...
, and by his uncle Rabbi Chaim.
Rabbi Horowitz was a great admirer of the Chasam Sofer
Moses Sofer
Moses Schreiber, known to his own community and Jewish posterity as Moshe Sofer, also known by his main work Chasam Sofer, , , was one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the nineteenth century...
, whose seven-volume 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 that name he knew almost by heart, as well as his sermons and 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 novellae. He encouraged Rabbi Yosef Naftali Stern of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
to publish these works, even giving up his dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
for this purpose.
At the age of 30, Rabbi Horowitz was appointed Dayan in Klausenberg. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he was in the spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
of Krynica. He returned to the Dzikov ghetto and then to Cracow. He subsequently lived in Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and Klausenberg, and miraculously survived the Holocaust. Indeed, Rabbi Horowitz's father died in 1943 in Plaszow near Cracow; Rabbi Yidele was his only surviving son.
Post World War II
In 1947, Rabbi Horowitz settled in Mandatory Palestine, first in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
where he was befriended by the Chazon Ish, and then in Jerusalem, where he came to be highly respected by Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dushinky, the head of the Edah Charedis.
Rabbi Horowitz's uncle, Rabbi Eliezer Hager, urged him to become a Rebbe and continue the traditions of Dzikov. The former, however, was adamant in refusing to allow people to treat him as a Rebbe, though he acted for a time as principal of the 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...
Tarbitza in Jerusalem. Indeed, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, the Rebbe of Satmar
Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)
Satmar is a Hasidic movement comprising mostly Hungarian and Romanian Hasidic Jewish Holocaust survivors and their descendants. It was founded and led by the late Hungarian-born Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum , who was the rabbi of Szatmárnémeti, Hungary...
, lamented this fact by saying: "there are so many Rebbes who do not merit [deserve] to be Rebbes, and yet one who is so worthy to be a Rebbe [Rabbi Horowitz] refuses to act as one".
Rabbi Horowitz's discourses lasted three to four hours, and he would concentrate on just a few pages of the Talmudic Tractate Chullin, studying it at great depth.
London
From 1985, Rabbi Horowitz lived in London at Jessam Avenue, Stamford HillStamford Hill
Stamford Hill is a place in the north of the London Borough of Hackney, England, near the border with Haringey. It is home to Europe's largest Hasidic Jewish and Adeni Jewish community.Stamford Hill is NNE of Charing Cross.-History:...
. He hardly ever spoke, nor did he deliver any discourses, but spent his days in study and prayer. However he regularly officiated as a Sandek (the one who holds the baby) at brit milah
Brit milah
The brit milah is a Jewish religious circumcision ceremony performed on 8-day old male infants by a mohel. The brit milah is followed by a celebratory meal .-Biblical references:...
s and would put Tefillin
Tefillin
Tefillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form , it is loosely used as a singular as...
on Bar Mitzvah boys.
Rabbi Horowitz was an ascetic who lived a very frugal life. He would eat meat only on Shabbos, and during the week he never ate bread. In honour of Shabbos he himself would wash some of his clothes. In addition, absolutely all the monies forwarded to him by admirers and Chassidim
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...
were immediately distributed to orphans and widows. Rabbi Horowitz was greatly concerned for the material well-being of the underprivileged.
Death
Rabbi Horowitz died at the age of 84 in 1989, leaving no will or final instructions. After extensive communication and deliberation between relatives in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States, he was, on the advice of Rabbi Chanoch Dov Padwa
Chanoch Dov Padwa
Rabbi Chanoch Dov Padwa was a world-renowned Orthodox Jewish posek, Talmudist and rabbinic leader.-Early years:...
, interred at Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
Adas Yisroel Cemetery, and not in Jerusalem or at Vizhnitz, Bnei Brak. The elaborate Ohel
Sepulchre
The rock-cut tombs in ancient Israel are a group of hundreds of rock-cut tombs constructed in Israel in ancient times. They were cut into the rock, sometimes with elaborate facades and multiple burial chambers. Some are free-standing, but most are caves. Each tomb typically belonged to a...
erected over his grave is frequently visited by all sections of the Chassidic community.
Works
The Rebbe left many unpublished writings, including glosses on the works of Rabbi Moses Sofer, on Toldos Yaakov Yosef by Rabbi Jacob Joseph of Polonnoye, on the responsa of Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Schwadron and on the works of Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai. His nephews, of Borough ParkBorough Park, Brooklyn
Borough Park , is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City in the United States....
and Bnei Brak, took possession of his printed Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
books and original manuscripts.