Chaim b. Isaac

The yeshiva of Valoshyn

Chajim ben Isaak Woloszyner (born January 21, 1749 in Voloshin ; † June 14, 1821 there ) was a rabbi of the 18th and 19th centuries. Century and founder of the yeshiva of Valoschyn (Woloschin).

Life

Chajim ben Isaak studied with Aryeh Löb Ginzberg , the rabbi of Voloshin, then with Raphael ha-Kohen , the later rabbi of Hamburg . At the age of twenty-five he became a disciple of the Vilna Gaon . Following the methods of his teacher, he founded the yeshiva in Voloshin in 1803, which became one of the most important of the 19th century. He started with ten students, young Voloshin people. As the school's reputation spread, the number of students increased and the number eventually exceeded a hundred.

His main work is the ethical- kabbalistic , anti- Hasidism text Nefesch hachajim , which was published by his son (Vilnius, 1824; 2nd edition 1837). Further appeared u. a. still in print Ruach chajim , comments on Pirke Avot (Wilna 1882). Most of his works - still as manuscripts - were destroyed by fire in 1815.

Literature (selection)

Silver coin with the yeshiva from Voloshin, Belarus, worth 10 rubles, 2010

• Karl Erich Grözinger: Jewish thinking , Vol. 3: From the religious criticism of the Renaissance to Orthodoxy and reform in the 19th century . Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-593-37514-4 ; therein the chapter Torah Piety - Hajjim from Woloschyn (Volozhin; 1749−1821) , pp. 313–342.
• Art. Chaim ben Isaak Woloszyner . In: Jewish Encyclopedia , Vol. I: A-C . Jewish publishing house, Berlin 1927, column 1305.
• Norman Lamm: Volozhiner, Hayyim ben Isaac. In: Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik (Eds.): Encyclopaedia Judaica . Volume 20. Macmillan Reference USA, Detroit 2007, pp. 577-578. online: Gale Virtual Reference Library (English)
• Solomon Schechter , Peter Wiernik:  Hayyim Ben Isaac of Volozhin (Hayyim Volozhiner). In: Isidore Singer (Ed.): Jewish Encyclopedia . Funk and Wagnalls, New York 1901-1906.