Abraham Gershon of Kitov
Abraham Gershon of Kitov | |
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Personal | |
Born | Avraham Gershon Ashkenasi c. 1701 |
Died | 25 Adar I 1761 |
Religion | Judaism |
Spouse | unknown , Bluma |
Children | Moses, Yitzhak, Ephraim Fishel, Yehudah Leib, Chaim Aaron, Yakir, and two daughters |
Parent |
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Abraham Gershon of Kitov, also known as Rabbi Gershon of Brody, was probably born in or near Kuty (Kitov), Poland around 1701 and died in Jerusalem in 1761. He is best known as the Baal Shem Tov's brother-in-law.
Rabbinical career
A scion of a famous rabbinic family, Abraham Gershon is a descendant (possibly the grandson) of
Abraham Gershon rose to a powerful position within the Jewish community of Brody. For a time he served as a synagogue cantor. Shivchei haBesht portrays Abraham Gershon as a foil to the Baal Shem Tov. He is usually represented as a learned and lofty man of the upper class who regards his brother-in-law as lowly and untrustworthy. Abraham Gershon is probably responsible for kicking the Baal Shem Tov out of the Brody area where he ultimately settled in Medzhybizh. Later, when the Baal Shem Tov's piousness and scholarship were revealed, Abraham Gershon was won over and became one of the Baal Shem Tov's ardent admirers.
In 1745, Abraham Gershon was involved in ruling on a promiscuity case about the daughter-in-law of one of the wealthiest men in town. This man had strong connections to government officials. After ruling against the daughter-in-law, Abraham Gershon was forced to flee Brody to avoid being publicly punished. He took refuge with the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhybizh.[1] Affiliated with new Hasidic thoughts as well as traditional Lurian liturgy, the Baal Shem Tov entrusted his brother-in-law with the education of his only son, Tzvi.
In 1747, Abraham Gershon traveled to
See also
- History of the Jews in Brody
- Baal Shem Tov family tree
- Yishuv haYashan
References
- ^ Hamodia (22 May 2008) p. C6
- Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben, The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1. ISBN 0-595-00666-3iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2000.
- Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism: ISBN 1-56821-123-6Jason Aronson, Inc., 1996.
- Dresner, Samuel H., ed, Abraham Joshua Heschel, 1985, The Circle of the Baal Shem Tov: Studies in Hasidism: ISBN 0-226-32960-7The University of Chicago Press.