Yaakov Weinberg
Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg | |
---|---|
Title | Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel |
Personal | |
Born | Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg 1923 |
Died | 1 July 1999 |
Religion | Judaism |
Spouse | Chana Ruderman |
Children | Matis Aviva Yehudis Miriam Simcha Naomi |
Occupation | Rosh yeshiva |
Jewish leader | |
Predecessor | Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman |
Successor | Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky |
Position | Rosh yeshiva |
Yeshiva | Yeshivas Ner Yisroel |
Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, known as Yaakov Weinberg (also Jacob S. Weinberg) (1923 – July 1, 1999) was an
Early life and family
Weinberg was a scion of the Slonimer Hasidic dynasty. He was the great-great-grandson of Rabbi Avraham of Slonim, author of Yesod HaAvodah and founder of the dynasty, and the grandson of Rabbi Noah Weinberg of Slonim and Tiberias, whom the first Slonimer Rebbe had sent to Palestine to establish a Torah community in the late 19th century.[2]
His father, Rabbi Yitzchak Mattisyahu Weinberg, a son of Noah Weinberg, was married three times. His first wife died while giving birth to his son, Chaim Yosef David. His second wife also bore him a son, Avraham, before they divorced. Yitzchak Mattisyahu married his third wife, Ayala Hinda Loberbaum, the daughter of Rabbi Avner Loberbaum of
His nephew, son of Chava Leah, was Rabbi Shimshon Dovid Pincus.
In 1931 Hinda took her two youngest sons to visit her family in Palestine and ended up staying for three years. During that time, Weinberg attended cheder in Tiberias and later studied in the
Marriage and family position at Ner Israel
In 1945, Weinberg married Shaina Chana Ruderman, the only child of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, founder of the Ner Israel yeshiva. They had two boys and four girls. Weinberg excelled in Talmudic scholarship, as a rabbinical advisor and in teaching ability. Weinberg eventually succeeded his father-in-law as the main rosh yeshiva of Ner Israel yeshiva, but not before undertaking a number of other rosh yeshiva positions. Weinberg has 40 grandchildren.
In 1964, Weinberg went to the Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Toronto originally the Toronto branch of Ner Israel, where he served as dean until 1971. He then returned to Baltimore but went on to serve for a short time as rosh yeshiva at the now defunct Kerem Yeshiva founded by his son, Rabbi Matis Weinberg, in Santa Clara, California. However, following the death of his father-in-law, Rabbi Ruderman, he became the permanent rosh yeshiva of Ner Israel in Baltimore in 1987 until his death in 1999.[4]
Advisor and teacher of other rabbis
Weinberg was regarded as a master logician, with broad knowledge and depth in all aspects of
He often took the lead in "question and answer" sessions at
His student Rabbi Boruch Leff based his teachings on Weinberg's methods in Forever His Students: Powerful essays and lessons on contemporary Jewish life, inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg.[6]
Weinberg had a close relationship with his brother, Noah Weinberg, and was held in high esteem by the Aish HaTorah yeshiva for baalei teshuva that the latter founded.[citation needed] The two Weinberg brothers remained close and Yaakov Weinberg was a frequent guest lecturer at Aish HaTorah, where most of his lectures have been preserved and even transcribed. An example is his lecture about "The Palestinians: Facts & Fables" and his views on the subject.[7]
Influence in the broader Orthodox world
He was involved with a variety of communities, including the Iranian Jewish community for which Ner Yisroel developed a rabbinic training program.[8]
Spokesman and leader of Orthodox organizations
Weinberg was a member of the rabbinical board of
AJOP
The
When AJOP published a seminal work in 1990 by Rabbi Moshe Weinberger titled Jewish Outreach: Halakhic Perspectives it was Weinberg who gave his written approbation and blessings to the work and its author.[11]
Writings
Many of Weinberg's teachings have been published in essay and book form in Orthodox publications.
Orthodox magazines, such as The Jewish Observer, have published many of Weinberg's speeches that later were also reprinted in ArtScroll books. For example, in A Path Through the Ashes, there is an essay by Weinberg about The Destruction of European Jewry: A Churban of Singular Dimensions.[14]
After his death, his students compiled and published his work on Maimonides, entitled Meoros HaRambam. Ner Israel Archive has been digitizing Weinberg's legacy for a number of years.
Death and legacy
Weinberg succumbed to cancer that spread very quickly. His funeral was held at the Ner Israel yeshiva.
Weinberg was succeeded as the senior rosh yeshiva of Ner Israel yeshiva by Rabbi Kulefsky, Aharon Feldman took his place after a short time. Unlike Weinberg, Feldman was accepted and serves as a full member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of the American Agudath Israel.
Following Weinberg's death, it has been mostly the family of Rabbi Herman N. Neuberger that has dominated the yeshiva and none of Weinberg's sons have succeeded him in any official role in the Ner Israel yeshiva. Weinberg's son-in-law, Rabbi Beryl Weisbord, was appointed as Ner Israel yeshiva's mashgiach ruchani (spiritual guide); he is married to Weinberg's daughter Dr. Aviva Weisbord who has a doctorate in psychology.
Weinberg's son, Rabbi Matis Weinberg, has also served as rosh yeshiva of a number of institutions in America and Israel. He is presently an international lecturer on Judaism and an author of a number of Torah works. Another son, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, is a lecturer on Judaism. He was married to the daughter of Rabbi Maurice Lamm and had served in a number of rabbinical posts, including that of rabbi of the prestigious Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan.
Yesh Atid MK Rabbi Dov Lipman received semicha from Weinberg and has often cited him.[15]
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig was a close student of Weinberg and received Semicha from him as well[16]
References
- ^ "Valuing Life". Jewish World Review. 8 October 1999.
- ^ a b c d Plaut, Mordecai Plaut (4 August 1999). "A Rebbi for America: HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, zt'l". Deiah veDibur.
- ^ "Memorium for Rabbi Weinberg". Where What When. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ "Ner Israel dean Yaakov S. Weinberg, 76, dies". tribunedigital-baltimoresun. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ISBN 1-56871-393-2.
- ISBN 1-56871-316-9.
- ^ Caviness, Rochelle (14 April 2002). "Large Print Reviews: The Palestinians — Facts & Fables, By Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt"l". Large Print Reviews. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg Z"L: An Advocate for Judaism in the Persian Community". Archived from the original on January 7, 2009.
- ^ Building Jewish Ethical Character: Section II: "Ethics in the Classroom" by Rabbi Jacob S. Weinberg. (Joseph Kamenetsky and Murray Friedman, editors) pp. 73-76. The Fryer Foundation and Torah Umesorah publishers. New York, 1975.
- ^ The World of the Yeshiva: An Intimate Portrait of Orthodox Jewry: Chapter 10: Is the Yeshiva Successful in Reaching Its Goals?: Reaching Uncommitted Jews, pp. 286-7, by William B. Helmreich. (The Free Press/Collier Macmillan, New York, 1982)
- ^ Jewish Outreach: Halakhic Perspectives, p. viii, by Rabbi Moshe Weinberger. (K'tav Publishing and AJOP) New York, 1990
- ISBN 0-944070-74-4.
- ISBN 978-1-58330-962-9.
- ^ A Path Through the Ashes: Penetrating analyses and inspiring stories of the Holocaust from a Torah perspective: II: The Surviving Generation Looks Back: The Destruction of European Jewry: A Churban of Singular Dimensions by Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg. (Rabbi Nisson Wolpin editor.) (Mesorah Publications and Agudath Israel), Brooklyn, NY, 1986
- ISBN 978-1583309025.
- ^ "Faculty | Talmudic University".
External links
- "Rebbi for America: HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg – Part I"
- "Rebbi for America: HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg – Part II: A Time of Transition"
- Tribute to Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg at aish.com Archived 2007-11-24 at the Wayback Machine
- Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg on aishaudio Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Passing of HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg from Dei'ah veDibur