Yitzchok Friedman
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Yitzchok Friedman | |
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 Only known picture of Rabbi Yitzchok Friedman, the Pachad Yitzchok of Boyan | |
| Title | First Boyaner Rebbe |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Yitzchok Friedman 1850 |
| Died | 11 March 1917 (aged 66–67) |
| Spouse | Malka Twersky |
| Children | Menachem Nachum Yisroel Avrohom Yaakov Mordechai Shlomo Miriam |
| Parents |
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| Religious life | |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Jewish leader | |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | Rabbi Menachem Nachum Friedman of Boyan-Chernowitz Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Boyan-Leipzig Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Boyan-Lemberg Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo Friedman of Boyan-New York City Rabbi Moshenu of Boyan-Kraków |
| Began | 1887 |
| Ended | 11 March 1917 |
| Main work | Pachad Yitzchok |
| Buried | Vienna |
| Dynasty | Boyan |
Rabbi Yitzchok Friedman (1850 – 11 March 1917) was the founder and first Rebbe of the Boyan Hasidic dynasty. He was known as the Pachad Yitzchok (Dread of Isaac). He authored "Pachad Yitzchok," a collection of his teachings and sermons, which is studied within the Boyaner community.
Early life
[edit]Yitzchok Friedman was born in Sadigura, Duchy of Bukovina, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (present-day Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine). Friedman was the eldest son of Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman (1820–1883), the first Sadigura Rebbe,[1] and his wife, Miriam. He was the grandson of Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin (1797–1851), founder of the Ruzhin dynasty.[2]
At 15,[1] Friedman married Malka Twersky, daughter of Rabbi Yochanan Twersky, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe.[3] They had four sons and one daughter.[4]
Founding of Boyaner Hasidism
[edit]After his father's death in 1883, Rabbi Yitzchok and his younger brother, Rabbi Yisrael (1852–1907), jointly led their father's Hasidim. Some Sadigura Hasidim preferred a single Rebbe, so in 1887, the brothers drew lots to decide who would remain in Sadigura. Rabbi Yisrael stayed, while Rabbi Yitzchok moved to Boiany, establishing his court and becoming the first Boyaner Rebbe.[1]
Under Friedman's leadership, Boiany became a Hasidic center with a synagogue and four prayer houses.[5] Boyaner communities were established in neighboring towns as well as in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Safed. Rabbi Yitzchok encouraged Dov Ber Horenstein, one of his wealthy childless Hasidim, to build houses in Jerusalem as a memorial for himself. The neighborhood founded by Dov Ber Horenstein was formed near what is now known as Geula.[6]
Friedman lived in a palatial home, reflecting the Ruzhin tradition founded by his grandfather, Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin.[7] He inherited the title of Nasi (president) of Kolel Vohlin in the Land of Israel from his father, taking on the responsibility of coordinating all funds sent for the welfare of the Orthodox community in Israel.[8]
Final years and succession
[edit]At the beginning of World War I, the Russian army occupied Boiany and the Jewish neighborhood was destroyed. Friedman and his family fled to Vienna.[5]
In 1916, Friedman fell seriously ill but recovered. On 11 March 1917 (17 Adar 5677), he fell ill again and called for his wife and children to bid them farewell. He died singing a nigun of deveikut (attachment to God).[9] Friedman was buried in the Vienna Jewish cemetery. His eldest son, Rabbi Menachem Nachum (1869–1936), was buried in the same ohel.[10]
After the war, Friedman's four sons moved to different countries to establish their courts. Rabbi Menachem Nachum, his eldest son, became the Boyaner Rebbe in Chernowitz, Bukovina.[9] Rabbi Menachem Nachum's son-in-law, Rabbi Moshenu (1841–1943), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Kraków, Poland.[11] Friedman's second son, Rabbi Yisroel (1878–1951), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Leipzig, Germany. His third son, Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov (1884–1941), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Lemberg (now Lviv, Ukraine).[12] His fourth son, Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo (1891–1971), became the Boyaner Rebbe in New York City.
After the death of Rabbi Mordechai, the Boyaner dynasty was without a leader until 1984, when Shlomo's grandson, Rabbi Nachum Dov Brayer (born 1959[13]), was crowned Boyaner Rebbe.[14] The dynasty is now headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel, where Brayer resides.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Friedman, Yisroel. The Golden Dynasty: Ruzhin, the royal house of Chassidus. Jerusalem: The Kest-Lebovits Jewish Heritage and Roots Library, 2nd English edition, 2000, p. 76.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 20.
- ^ Rabinowicz, Tzvi (1996). The Encyclopedia of Hasidism. Jason Aronson. p. 140. ISBN 1-56821-123-6.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 79.
- ^ a b Eisenberg, Ronald (September 2006). The Streets of Jerusalem: Who, what, why. Devora Publishing. p. 123. ISBN 1-932687-54-8.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 80.
- ^ Brayer, Rabbi Menachem (2003). The House of Rizhin: Chassidus and the Rizhiner Dynasty. Mesorah Publications. pp. 430–431. ISBN 1-57819-794-5.
- ^ Brayer, The House of Rizhin, p. 435.
- ^ a b Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 81.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 93.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 106.
- ^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, pp. 81–82.
- ^ Finkel, Avrohom Yaakov (1994). Contemporary Sages: The great Chasidic masters of the twentieth century. J. Aronson. p. 194. ISBN 1-56821-155-4.
- ^ Tannenbaum, Rabbi Gershon (7 July 2010). "Boyaner Rebbe". The Jewish Press. Retrieved 26 October 2011.[permanent dead link]
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