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35-711: With the backing of Rabbi Chaim Leib Mishkovski (known as the Stavisker Tzaddik) and Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (known as the Chofetz Chaim), Rabbi Leizer Shulevitz , a student of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter , founded the Lomza Yeshiva in 1883 in Lomza, Poland. When Rabbi Shulevitz purchased the lot for the yeshiva building to be built on, he entered the deed under the Stavisker's name. The local Jewish community financially helped out in

70-447: A passport and needed formal semichah in order to honestly enter "rabbi" as his occupation . He then received his semikhah by telegraph from Chaim Ozer Grodzinski of Wilna . According to another report, though, he received semikhah much earlier, at age 17. [REDACTED] Media related to Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim) at Wikimedia Commons Reuven Katz Rabbi Reuven Katz ( Hebrew : ראובן כץ/כ"ץ ; 1880–1963)

105-490: A yeshiva in the city, which eventually became world-famous first being led by the notable Naftoli Trop , followed by the esteemed son-in-law of his rabbi, Mendel Zaks . By all accounts, he was a modest and humble man, faithfully devoted to his Jewish faith. For a while, he had a shop selling household provisions, which he and his wife managed. From 1864 to 1869 he taught Talmud in Minsk and Vashilishok . In 1869, Kagan formed

140-401: A Jewish militia to protect the community. At the same time, Rabbi Katz was working on his sefer , Degel Reuven , which he would publish in 1922, gaining him further recognition throughout the nation as a serious Torah scholar . In 1923, Rabbi Katz was appointed as rabbi of Stawiski (Stavisk), a larger community than Indura, where he once again opened a yeshiva. He soon became involved in

175-512: A child, he studied in the yeshiva of Rabbi Dovid Shlomo Grodzinski (father of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski ) in Iwye . A prodigious student, he was known as the " ilui (prodigy) of Olshany" and had memorized the talmudic tractates Shabbat and Bava Kamma — a feat unattained by many scholars four times his age — by the age of eleven. He soon transferred to the Mir Yeshiva where he remained for

210-456: A fundraising trip. When Rabbi Shulevitz asked Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel , the Alter of Slabodka, who he should take as sons-in-law for his two daughters. The Alter suggested Rabbi Yechiel Mordechai Gordon , then known as the "Illuy (genius) of Trok " and later as the "Prince of all Roshei Yeshiva", for one of his daughters; and Rabbi Yehoshua Zelig Ruch, who been known as the most diligent student in

245-666: A short time before going to learn at the Radin Yeshiva of the Chafetz Chaim . He was fifteen years old at the time. Reuven later left the Radin Yeshiva and enrolled in Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael Slabodka , the yeshiva of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (the "Alter of Slabodka'") and Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein . In 1897, when the Alter sent fourteen of the yeshiva's elite students to be the founding student body of

280-532: A village near Minsk, where he opened a yeshiva. Four years later in 1909, he became the rabbi of Indura (Yiddish: Amdur), a village near Grodno , where he would remain for over ten years, opening a yeshiva and a gemach . During World War I, he and his wife were instrumental in Indura's aid and relief, distributing the funds from the American Joint Distribution Committee as well as organizing

315-645: A yeshiva in Radin. The yeshiva was a success and grew to prominence, later becoming known as " Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim of Radin ". In addition to spreading Torah through his yeshiva, Kagan, who became known as "the Chofetz Chaim", was very active in Jewish causes. He traveled extensively to encourage the observance of Mitzvot and Shabbat amongst Jews. He became one of the most influential rabbis within Orthodox Judaism during

350-495: Is why there are a number of letters of his extant that he signed as Poupko and others as Kagan. When Kagan arrived in Vilnius, Rav Chaim Nachman Parnas, who had known Kagan's father well, was friendly to him. Reb Yisrael Gordon, a friend of Parnas, took the young Kagan into his home and paid him to learn with Gordon's son, Mordechai. He served as the town rabbi of Radin for a short period. He then resigned from this position to establish

385-614: The Agudath HaRabbanim . In 1932, the Jewish community of Petah Tikvah in Mandatory Palestine offered Rabbi Katz the rabbinate. Taking the opportunity to settle in Israel , he immigrated to Palestine with his family and was installed as Petah Tikvah's chief rabbi and av beit din (chief judge in a rabbinical court ). It was under Rabbi Katz's leadership that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef , future chief rabbi of Israel and gadol hador ,

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420-630: The Slutsk Yeshiva , Reuven was among those chosen, alongside Pesach Pruskin and Eliezer Yehudah Finkel . He would remain there for several years. In 1903, Reuven joined the kollel of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky in Vilnius ( Yiddish : Vilna ). Soon after, he married his wife Reichel, the daughter of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Maskileison [HE] . The wedding was celebrated in Khislavichi where Rabbi Maskileison served as rabbi. After their marriage,

455-562: The Vaad HaYeshivos , the organization dedicated to supporting the yeshivas of Eastern Europe , founded by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan , the "Chafetz Chaim." It was his activism in the organization that made the Chafetz Chaim choose him to travel to America as their overseas fundraiser in 1929. He would remain there until 1932, serving as rabbi in Bayonne, New Jersey and as the vice-president of

490-522: The chassidic Rebbes of Ger , Alexander , and Sochatchov all reached out to him for advice so they can set up their own yeshivos. Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Hurwitz (the Alter of Novardok ) spent time in Lomza before building the Beis Yosef yeshiva network , in the same style as Rabbi Shulevitz's. Rabbi Gordon joined his father-in-law as rosh yeshiva at the age of 24, in approximately 1907. While rosh yeshiva, there

525-513: The Holocaust 6 July 1941) said that this means even if the majority of yeshivos would have to close, we would not be allowed to join the WZO. In 1903, his wife Frieda died, and two years later he married the daughter of Hillel of Lapis, Miriam Freida, who was more than thirty years younger than him. It was from this marriage that his son Aharon Kagan and his daughter Feigl Chaya Sacks were born. His son-in-law

560-467: The city in 1932, he joined the yeshiva faculty, leading and expanding it. Later volumes of Degel Reuven were published in 1940 and 1949, completing the series at three volumes. Rabbi Katz also wrote a five volume work on the Torah titled Duda'ei Reuven and a sefer titled Shaar Reuven , a collection of essays on contemporary issues, including German reparations , drafting girls and yeshiva students into

595-579: The couple remained in Khislavichi where Rabbi Katz became akin to his father-in-laws assistant as rabbi. However, soon after, Rabbi Maskileison was called by the Jewish community of Stowbtsy (Yiddish: Stoybitz), a town not far from the village of Mir , to become their rabbi. Taking their offer, Rabbi Maskileison moved to Stowbsty, and there as well, his son-in-law helped him as rabbi. Both Rabbis Maskileison and Katz would engage in Torah discussions with students from

630-603: The dissemination of his teachings to Jewish communities around the world. An Orthodox kibbutz in Israel, Hafetz Haim , was named in his honor. During his lifetime, Kagan was venerated by Jews and non-Jews alike. Orthodox Jews across the world viewed him as one of the 36 righteous people , and Polish farmers were said to have lured him into their fields believing his feet would bring blessing to their crops. According to some reports, despite his rabbinic leadership he did not hold semikhah until late in life, when he had to apply for

665-433: The establishing of the yeshiva; one wealthy widow donated her entire fortune to the yeshiva and moved into an old-age home while another Jewish couple donated 35,000 bricks each. The Yeshiva grew exponentially and when Rabbi Shulevitz accepted its four hundredth student, the local Jewish community who been supporting the yeshiva felt that the financial burden became too large. When rumors began circulating that Rabbi Shulevitz

700-475: The idea and said that he needed to ask the opinion of greater rabbis. This turned out to be impossible as all communication with Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzensky in Vilna was severed during the war. In the end, the mashgiach of the yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Rosenstain , together with a student, bribed the chairman of a local draft board with American dollars. Rabbi Rosenstain justified this seemingly illegal action, saying that

735-603: The late 19th and early 20th century, taking a central leadership role in the World Agudath Israel movement in Eastern Europe . An author of many works of musar literature , he was sometimes associated with the Musar movement , although he did not support all aspects of that movement. Although the anti-religious attitudes which pervaded Zionism greatly distressed him, Kagan initially refused to become personally involved in

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770-469: The matter and refrained from publicly denouncing the movement. When his views became known, he cautioned his students about joining the Zionists and declared its political aims as being contrary to the Torah. Kagan famously said that it would be preferable to lose a third of the amount of Torah we have throughout the world rather than join the WZO (World Zionist Organization). Elchonon Wasserman (killed in

805-461: The nearby Mir Yeshiva. It was also through these visits that Rabbi Katz would obtain rabbinic ordination from the Mir rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Elya Baruch Kammai [HE] . Other rabbis who came to visit his father-in-law, namely Rabbi Eliezer Rabinowitz of Minsk and Rabbi Mordechai Rosenblatt of Slonim , also gave him semikha . After Rabbi Maskileison's death in 1905, Rabbi Katz became the rabbi of Seleb,

840-641: The only reason the yeshiva students were drafted was because of anti-Semitism , as the Christian divinity students in Poland were exempt. In 1926, Rabbi Gordon sent fifty students to the Eretz Yisrael where another branch of the yeshiva would be established. Rabbi Lazer Shulevitz, who was living there already, chose to open the yeshiva in Petach Tikvah . To support his two yeshivos, Rabbi Gordon had to travel throughout

875-537: The time and so Jewish families escaping the bombing in other parts of the city took refuge in his house. 32°05′07″N 34°53′01″E  /  32.08519°N 34.88369°E  / 32.08519; 34.88369 Yisrael Meir Kagan Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen Kagan (February 6, 1838 – September 15, 1933) was an influential Lithuanian Jewish rabbi , Halakhist , posek , and ethicist whose works continue to be widely influential in Orthodox Jewish life. He

910-658: The world also bear his name. One American yeshiva named in his honor is the Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen centered in Queens, New York founded by his great nephew, Dovid Leibowitz , with several branches in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Kagan's teachings have inspired some English-speaking American Jews to establish the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation , dedicated to

945-630: The world to collect funds. Rabbi Reuven Katz , Petach Tikvah's chief rabbi, served as rosh yeshiva alongside Rabbi Gordon. On September 7, 1939, the Nazi 21st Infantry Division invaded Lomza and the Battle of Łomża broke out. Three quarters of the city were destroyed but the yeshiva building, as well as the Talmud Torah and Rabbi Gordon's house next to the yeshiva, remained standing. Rabbi Gordon had been in America at

980-458: The yeshivos of Telshe and Slabodka , for the other. With his sons-in-law established on the yeshiva faculty in Poland, Rabbi Shulevitz emigrated to Palestine . Rabbi Shulevitz split the yeshiva into five levels of shiurim (classes) (with the third shir eventually split into two, called "gimmel alef" and "gimmel beis", the Hebrew equivalent of 3A and 3B). This approach to teaching became famous and

1015-808: Was Mendel Zaks . In 1925, it was announced that he would be leaving Warsaw with his daughter and son-in-law to permanently settle in Petach Tikvah (the Gate of Hope, in Hebrew), in Palestine. Upon discovering his plans, prominent rabbis and yeshiva deans persuaded him to remain in Radin and he died there on September 15, 1933, aged 95. He was interred in the nearby cemetery. Miriam Freida arrived in Montreal with her son Aharon via Siberia and Japan in 1942, and died in New York in 1946. Many other Jewish religious institutions throughout

1050-847: Was known popularly as the Chofetz Chaim , after his book on lashon hara , who was also well known for the Mishna Berurah, his book on ritual law . Kagan was born on February 6, 1838 in Dzienciol ( Yiddish : זשעטל , romanized :  Zhetl ), Grodno Governorate in Russian Empire (today Dzyatlava in Belarus ), and died on 15 September 1933 in Raduń ( Yiddish : ראַדין , romanized :  Radin ), Nowogródek Voivodeship in Second Polish Republic (now in Belarus ). When Kagan

1085-554: Was a major threat of yeshiva students being drafted into the Polish army, which at the time was known to be anti-Semitic. He therefore traveled to Warsaw and approached Noach Pryłucki , the dean of Jewish members of the Sejm (the Polish parliament) and an old maskil . Pryłucki told him that the only way his students would be exempt from the draft would be if they added secular studies to the curriculum. Rabbi Gordon didn't not automatically abandon

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1120-559: Was a rabbi in Russia , the United States, and Israel. Serving at first in several Russian communities and then in Bayonne, New Jersey , for the last thirty years of his life he served as chief rabbi of Petah Tikvah and as the rosh yeshiva of the city's Lomza Yeshiva . Rabbi Katz was born in Halshany (known in Yiddish as Olshan or Olshany), Russia in 1880 to Rabbi Shimon and Chaya Zahava Katz. As

1155-454: Was considering closing the yeshiva, the Stavisker came to Lomza and took a walk with him, during which he strongly encouraged him to keep the yeshiva opened. Leading rabbis of the generation, including the Chafetz Chaim , issued appeals for help from Jewish communities. Wealthy Jews, specifically from Königsberg, East Prussia and Germany , contributed, and although the money helped, it was not enough, and so Rabbi Shulevitz had to leave Lomza on

1190-615: Was instated as a judge on the Petah Tikvah beit din . Also in Petah Tikvah, Rabbi Katz served as rosh yeshiva of the Lomza Yeshiva alongside Rabbi Yechiel Mordechai Gordon. The yeshiva had been established in Lomza , Poland in 1883 by Rabbi Leizer Shulevitz; his son-in-law Rabbi Gordon served as rosh yeshiva. A branch of the yeshiva was opened in Petah Tikvah in 1926, with Rabbi Gordon leading both of them. However, upon Rabbi Katz's arrival in

1225-485: Was ten years old, his father died in a cholera epidemic at the age of 46. His mother moved the family to Vilnius in order to continue her son's Jewish education. While in Vilnius, Kagan became a student of Jacob Barit . Kagan's mother remarried and moved to Radin, taking the name of her new husband, Poupko, which the young Kagan adopted as well. At 17, he married the daughter of his stepfather, and settled in Radin. Later in life, he would revert his name back to Kagan. This

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