Chaim Malinowitz

Chaim Zev Malinowitz (1952 – November 21, 2019) was a

Early life and education

Chaim Zev Malinowitz was born in 1952 on the

After receiving rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Malinowitz served as a dayan (rabbinical court judge) for the rabbinical court of Kollel HaRabbanim in Monsey. In this role, he became known as a "world authority on gittin" (Jewish divorce) and also dealt with cases of agunos.^[2] He staunchly opposed the 1992 New York Get Law proposed by Jewish activist groups, which would penalize husbands who refused to grant their wives a get by making it difficult for them to arrange a civil divorce. Malinowitz contended that the coercive element of the penalty could halakhically invalidate all divorces in New York. Ultimately, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach's decision on the matter, which agreed with Malinowitz's position, eroded support for the law.^[2]

In 1992 Malinowitz was appointed, along with Rabbi Yisrael Simcha Schorr, as general editor of the Schottenstein Edition of the Babylonian Talmud published by ArtScroll.^[5] The English-language Schottenstein Talmud spanned 73 volumes and was completed over a period of 15 years.^[6] Malinowitz was responsible for approving "every single line and every single footnote" of the translation and commentary of the Talmud submitted by the editorial staff for both the English and Hebrew editions.^[5] According to a senior editor on the project, Rabbi Eliezer Herzka: "His role was to learn through the sugya [topic] with the ArtScroll commentary to probe it to find its weak points". Herzka explained that Malinowitz's knowledge of the Talmud was so broad that he would know when the present sugya inadequately covered important opinions by the classic Talmudic commentators that were cited in similar sugyas elsewhere in Talmud.^[2] Nothing was considered final until Malinowitz approved the finished draft.^[2][3] Malinowitz also worked on ArtScroll's elucidated Mishnah project.^[5] He continued his association with ArtScroll after making aliyah in 1997.^[2]

Upon moving to Israel, Malinowitz began to teach at Yeshivat

Malinowitz was fluent in all areas of the Talmud, halakha (Jewish law), and hashkafa (Orthodox Jewish worldview). He combined this knowledge with "fearlessness" to act on his convictions and a strong desire for truth.^[2] At the same time, he was regarded as a friendly, "down to earth" personality who cared for others.^[2][8]

Personal life

Malinowitz married Simi Maza, daughter of Rabbi Dovber Maza, a Torah educator, in 1976.^[2] The couple had six sons and four daughters.^[2] After making aliyah, they resided in Jerusalem.^[2]

Malinowitz died in Jerusalem on November 21, 2019, at the age of 67.

• Malinowitz, Rabbi Chaim. "The New York State Get Bill and its Halachic Ramifications". Jewish Law Articles.
• Malinowitz, Rabbi Chaim (Winter 1999). "Pitfalls to Avoid in Obtaining a Get". Jewish Action.

References