Sholom Rokeach (1781[2] – September 10, 1855),[1] also known as the Sar Sholom (Hebrew: שר שלום, "Angel of Peace"),[3] was the first rebbe (hereditary hasidic leader) of the Belz dynasty .
Sholom Rokeach | |
|---|---|
| Title | First Belzer Rebbe |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Sholom Rokeach 1779 |
| Died | September 10, 1855 |
| Spouse | Malka |
| Children | Elazar Yehoshua 3 other sons 2 daughters |
| Parents |
|
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Jewish leader | |
| Successor | Yehoshua Rokeach |
Belzer Hasidim call him "Der Ershter Rov" (the first rabbi); in the city of Belz itself he was called "Der Alter Rov" (the old rabbi) in deference to Yoel Sirkis, who presided as rabbi of Belz in the sixteenth century.[4]
Biography
editHis mother was Rivka Henna Ramraz.[2] and his father was Rabbi Eleazar Rokeach,[5] of Brody, who was the grandson of Rabbi Elazar Rokeach of Amsterdam, author of Maaseh Rokeach,[2][6] who was rabbi of Brody until 1736, then Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam.[2]
After his father died at the age of 32, his mother lived in Brody with her five children. She sent Sholom, around 11 years old at the time, to be raised by her brother, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Ramraz, rabbi of Skohl, then in Galicia. Later on, he married Rabbi Yissachar Dov's daughter, Malka. They had five sons and two daughters.[2] According to Czech writer Jiří Langer, who moved to Belz in 1913 and began collecting anecdotes about Rokeach a half-century after his death, he was so devoted to his "excellent wife" that "contrary to the custom of all devout men he even ate at the same table with her."[7]
In Skohl Rokeach was influenced by Rabbi Shlomo Flam, also known as the Rebbe of Skohl, who was the private scribe and right-hand man of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the successor to the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Since Rokeach’s uncle (and father-in-law) was opposed to Hasidism, Rokeach would secretly leave the house at night to meet a former business partner for hasidic study sessions.[7]
Rokeach was also a disciple of the Seer of Lublin.[2][7]
He composed several songs, most of them still sung by the Belzer Hasidim, including one niggun (melody) to Tzur Mishelo sung during the Shalosh Seudot (third Shabbat meal).
An anthology of his writings is entitled Midbar Kodesh.[8]
He reigned as rebbe from 1817 (when he became rabbi in Belz)[8] until he died in 1855.[9]
He built a four-story synagogue with a capacity of 5,000 in Belz which was inaugurated in 1843.[1]
Rabbi Shalom became famous for the miracles he performed. Many patients were healed by him supernaturally when Rabbi Shalom put his hand on the place of the disease or placed one of his objects on the place of the disease and thus the disease was miraculously cured. 55 years after the death of Rabbi Shalom, the book Dover Shalom authored by Rabbi Avraham Haim Michaelzon was published, in which he collected Torah words said by Rabbi Shalom as well as testimonies from his family members and other people who knew Rabbi Shalom and saw the miracles performed by Rabbi Shalom.[10]
Although it was uncommon in the early Hasidic movement for a son to succeed his father as rebbe (typically the rebbe or leader would be succeeded by a disciple), Rokeach wished to be succeeded by the youngest of his five sons, Yehoshua.[11]
Successors
edit- Yehoshua Rokeach (1825–1894)
- Yissachar Dov Rokeach (1854–1926)
- Aharon Rokeach (1877–1957)
- Yissachar Dov Rokeach (b. 1948)
Disciples
editHis notable disciples include Rabbis Shlomo Kluger, Chaim Halberstam, Zadok HaKohen, Shalom of Kaminka , and Yehoshua of Lezsno (Lechno).[8]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c "Unknown". Ami Living. No. 87. 12 September 2012. p. 45.
- ^ a b c d e f Preschel Herzog, Pearl (12 September 2012). "Unknown". Ami Living. No. 87. pp. 39–44.
- ^ Isaiah 9:5.
- ^ Padwa, Rabbi Chanoch Dov. "Shmu'ot Belz", in Heichal Habesht 23, p. 115
- ^ Lapidus, Steve. "The Forgotten Hasidim: Rabbis and Rebbes in Prewar Canada". York University. p. 10. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ^ "ספר מעשה רוקח". HebrewBooks.org. Amsterdam. 1740. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
- ^ a b c Langer, Jirí. Nine Gates to the Chassidic Mysteries, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1961, First Edition, pp. 36-37, p. 40, and p. 53, all within the chapter titled “The First Gate@; Stephen Jolly’s translation into English renders a new title upon Langer’s Devêt Bran, published in 1937 in the City of Prague by Elk.
- ^ a b c "Unknown". Ami Living. No. 87. 12 September 2012. p. 44.
- ^ Brayer, Rabbi Menachem (2003). The House of Rizhin: Chassidus and the Rizhiner dynasty. Mesorah Publications. p. 355. ISBN 1-57819-794-5.
- ^ "Dover Shalom - Torah Thoughts by the First Admo"r of Belz. First Edition".
- ^ Padwa, Rabbi Akiva Osher. "Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach, the 'Mittler' Belzer Rav, zt"l, in honor of his 118th yahrtzeit, 23 Shevat". Hamodia Magazine, February 16, 2012, pp. 5-6.