Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica (מרדכי יוסף ליינר) known as "the Ishbitzer" (Yiddish: איזשביצע, איזביצעIzhbitze, Izbitse, Ishbitze) (1801-1854[1]) was a rabbinic Hasidic thinker and founder of the Izhbitza-Radzyn dynasty of Hasidic Judaism. He is best known for his work Mei Hashiloach.
Rabbi Mordechai Yosef was born in Tomashov (Polish: Tomaszów Lubelski) in 1801 to his father Reb Yaakov the son of Reb Mordechai of Sekul, a descendant of Rabbi Saul Wahl. At the age of two he became orphaned of his father. He became a disciple of Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa where he joined Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk and Rabbi Yosef of Yartshev; both were also born in Tomashov. When Rabbi Menachem Mendel became Rebbe in Kotzk, Reb Mordechai Yosef became his disciple there; then in 1839 became himself a rebbe in Tomaszów, moving subsequently to Izbica.
His leading disciple was Rabbi Yehuda Leib Eiger (1816-1888[2]), grandson of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. His students included Rabbi Zadok HaKohen of Lublin (1823–1900), his son, Rabbi Yaakov Leiner (1828–1878) and his grandson Rabbi Gershon Henoch Leiner of Radzyn.
Mordechai Yosef Leiner is buried in an ohel in the Jewish cemetery in Izbica.
Relationship with the Kotzker Rebbe
Rabbi Leiner was the right-hand man of the Kotzker rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, by whom he was charged with overseeing the Hasidim. In 1840 Leiner had a public and dramatic falling out with the Kotzker Rebbe.[3] On the day after Simchat Torah of that year, Leiner left Kotzk with many of his followers to form his own hasidic circle. The reasons given for the break are varied.
Thought
Rabbi Leiner is best known for his work Mei Hashiloach ("מי השילוח") a popular collection of his teachings on the weekly Torah portion and Jewish holidays, published by his grandson, Rabbi Gershon Leiner, and usually printed in 2 volumes. It has twice been translated into English. [4][5]
The work was however controversial; attempts were even made to sabotage the press on which it was being printed. In particular R. Leiner's view regarding Free will was at serious odds with the standard Jewish view. [note 1] Here R. Leiner expressed the doctrine that all events, including human actions, are absolutely under God's control, or as Rabbinic discourse would phrase it, by "hashgacha pratis." Thus, if everything is determined by God, then even sin is done in accordance with God's will. He presents defenses of various Biblical sins, such as Korach's rebellion, Zimri during the Heresy of Peor, and Judah's incident with Tamar.
One of his most cited comments is on Leviticus 21:1 "None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin." Rabbi Leiner read the verse as a warning against the defilement of the soul. The soul is defiled when it is infected with the bitterness and rage that comes with senseless suffering and tragedy. Those who — like the Kohanim— would serve God, are commanded to find the resources to resist the defilements of despair and darkness. Despair is the ultimate denial of God, and surrender to darkness is the ultimate blasphemy.
Influence
His thought influenced (mostly indirectly, through the work of Leiner's student, Reb Tzadok Hakohen) the mussar of Rabbi Isaac Hutner and Rabbi Moshe Wolfson. Leiner's thought continued to have influence in the twentieth century, especially on Neo-Hasidism, and the teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (the "singing rabbi").
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach is credited with the recent popularization of Rabbi Leiner's teachings. He apparently came across Rabbi Leiner's work in an old Jewish book store. He is quoted as saying that after initially being perplexed as to the peculiar nature of the teachings he quickly realized that in it lay the "secret for turning Jews on to the deeper meanings of Judaism".
Bibliography
Alan Brill, Thinking God: The Mysticism of Rabbi Zadok HaKohen Of Lublin (Yeshiva University Press, Ktav 2002)
Morris M. Faierstein, All is in the Hands of Heaven: The Teachings of Rabbi Mordecai Joseph Leiner of Izbica (New York: Ktav, 1989) (2nd revised edition, Gorgias Press, 2005)
Shaul Magid, Hasidism on the Margin (University of Wisc. 2003)
Allan Nadler, "Hasidism on the Margin: Reconciliation, Antinomianism, and Messianism in Izbica/Radzin Hasidism (review)" Jewish Quarterly Review - Volume 96, Number 2, Spring 2006, pp. 276–282
Rivka Schatz, "Autonomy of the Spirit and the Law of Moses" (Hebrew), Molad 21 (1973–1974), pp. 554–561
Joseph Weiss, "A Late Jewish Utopia of Religious Freedom," in David Goldstein, ed., Studies in Eastern European Jewish Mysticism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985)
Jonatan Meir, "The Status of Commandments in the Philosophy of Rabbi Mordechai Joseph Leiner of Izbica’, Mishlav 35 (2000), pp. 27-53
Herzl Hefter, "In God's Hands: the Religious Phenomenology of R. Mordechai Yosef of Ishbitz", Tradition 46:1(2013), pp. 43–65.
Notes
^His view has been explained as follows: "[What] the Izbicer demonstrates is that it is possible for agents to be free, relative to the fiction that they live in, whilst wholly determined from a God’s eye view. On the other hand, the Izbicer admits that we can’t actually break out of our perspective to see the sense in which we are determined. Nevertheless, he holds that we sometimes get some sort of mystical glimpse... For the Izbicer, human freedom is real. It’s as real as anything can be. On the other hand, there is a sense, that we can’t fully grasp, in which our existence, and our every action, is dependent upon the will of God. For that reason, the Izbicer is willing, in certain moods, to twist the famous Talmudic dictum radically, until it reads: 'All is in the hands of heaven, even the fear of heaven.'" [6] (The reference is to Berakhot 33b, "All is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven;" see discussion under Hashkafa.)
References
^The State Archive of Lublin: "Jewish Civil Registry of Izbica Lubelski", 1854, Akt#: 6, Registration Type: death, Registration Year: 1854, Location: Izbica Lubelski, Surname: Lajner, Given Name: Mordko. Indexed by JRI-Poland.
^The State Archive of Lublin: "Jewish Civil Registry of Lublin", 1888, Akt#: 46, Registration Type: death, Registration Year: 1888, Location: Lublin, Surname: Ejger, Given Name: Lejbus, Father: Szloma, Mother: Golda Rywka. Indexed by JRI-Poland.
^Gover, MEIR Halevi (1 January 2018). The RADZYNER REBBE DYNASTY 1840 - 2005 by MEIR Halevi GOVER. pp. 2–3. ISBN978-965-92660-6-7. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
^Betsalel Philip Edwards (2001). Living Waters: The Mei HaShilo'ach.ISBN978-0765761477
^J. Hershy Worch (2019). Mei Hashiloach: A Hebrew-English Translation of the Hasidic Commentary on the Torah by the Ishbitzer Rebbe.ISBN978-1796252323
^Sam Lebens (2011). The Izbicer Rebbe and Freewill, Association for the Philosophy of Judaism
External links
Mei Hashiloach: A Hebrew-English Translation of the Hasidic Commentary on the Torah by the Ishbitzer Rebbe by J. Hershy Worch
mordechai, yosef, leiner, izbica, מרדכי, יוסף, ליינר, known, ishbitzer, yiddish, איזשביצע, איזביצע, izhbitze, izbitse, ishbitze, 1801, 1854, rabbinic, hasidic, thinker, founder, izhbitza, radzyn, dynasty, hasidic, judaism, best, known, work, hashiloach, titlei. Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica מרדכי יוסף ליינר known as the Ishbitzer Yiddish איזשביצע איזביצע Izhbitze Izbitse Ishbitze 1801 1854 1 was a rabbinic Hasidic thinker and founder of the Izhbitza Radzyn dynasty of Hasidic Judaism He is best known for his work Mei Hashiloach Mordechai Yosef LeinerTitleIzhbitzer RebbePersonalBornMordechai Yosef Leiner1801Tomaszow LubelskiReligionJudaismChildrenYaakov Leiner Shmuel Dov Asher LeinerParentYaacov Leiner of Tomashov father Jewish leaderPredecessor founder SuccessorYaakov LeinerBegan1839Ended1854Main workMei HaShiloachDynastyIzhbitza RadzynContents 1 Biography 1 1 Relationship with the Kotzker Rebbe 2 Thought 2 1 Influence 3 Bibliography 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography EditRabbi Mordechai Yosef was born in Tomashov Polish Tomaszow Lubelski in 1801 to his father Reb Yaakov the son of Reb Mordechai of Sekul a descendant of Rabbi Saul Wahl At the age of two he became orphaned of his father He became a disciple of Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa where he joined Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk and Rabbi Yosef of Yartshev both were also born in Tomashov When Rabbi Menachem Mendel became Rebbe in Kotzk Reb Mordechai Yosef became his disciple there then in 1839 became himself a rebbe in Tomaszow moving subsequently to Izbica His leading disciple was Rabbi Yehuda Leib Eiger 1816 1888 2 grandson of Rabbi Akiva Eiger His students included Rabbi Zadok HaKohen of Lublin 1823 1900 his son Rabbi Yaakov Leiner 1828 1878 and his grandson Rabbi Gershon Henoch Leiner of Radzyn Mordechai Yosef Leiner is buried in an ohel in the Jewish cemetery in Izbica Relationship with the Kotzker Rebbe Edit Rabbi Leiner was the right hand man of the Kotzker rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk by whom he was charged with overseeing the Hasidim In 1840 Leiner had a public and dramatic falling out with the Kotzker Rebbe 3 On the day after Simchat Torah of that year Leiner left Kotzk with many of his followers to form his own hasidic circle The reasons given for the break are varied Thought EditRabbi Leiner is best known for his work Mei Hashiloach מי השילוח a popular collection of his teachings on the weekly Torah portion and Jewish holidays published by his grandson Rabbi Gershon Leiner and usually printed in 2 volumes It has twice been translated into English 4 5 The work was however controversial attempts were even made to sabotage the press on which it was being printed In particular R Leiner s view regarding Free will was at serious odds with the standard Jewish view note 1 Here R Leiner expressed the doctrine that all events including human actions are absolutely under God s control or as Rabbinic discourse would phrase it by hashgacha pratis Thus if everything is determined by God then even sin is done in accordance with God s will He presents defenses of various Biblical sins such as Korach s rebellion Zimri during the Heresy of Peor and Judah s incident with Tamar One of his most cited comments is on Leviticus 21 1 None shall defile himself for any dead person among his kin Rabbi Leiner read the verse as a warning against the defilement of the soul The soul is defiled when it is infected with the bitterness and rage that comes with senseless suffering and tragedy Those who like the Kohanim would serve God are commanded to find the resources to resist the defilements of despair and darkness Despair is the ultimate denial of God and surrender to darkness is the ultimate blasphemy Influence Edit His thought influenced mostly indirectly through the work of Leiner s student Reb Tzadok Hakohen the mussar of Rabbi Isaac Hutner and Rabbi Moshe Wolfson Leiner s thought continued to have influence in the twentieth century especially on Neo Hasidism and the teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach the singing rabbi Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach is credited with the recent popularization of Rabbi Leiner s teachings He apparently came across Rabbi Leiner s work in an old Jewish book store He is quoted as saying that after initially being perplexed as to the peculiar nature of the teachings he quickly realized that in it lay the secret for turning Jews on to the deeper meanings of Judaism Bibliography EditAlan Brill Thinking God The Mysticism of Rabbi Zadok HaKohen Of Lublin Yeshiva University Press Ktav 2002 Morris M Faierstein All is in the Hands of Heaven The Teachings of Rabbi Mordecai Joseph Leiner of Izbica New York Ktav 1989 2nd revised edition Gorgias Press 2005 Shaul Magid Hasidism on the Margin University of Wisc 2003 Allan Nadler Hasidism on the Margin Reconciliation Antinomianism and Messianism in Izbica Radzin Hasidism review Jewish Quarterly Review Volume 96 Number 2 Spring 2006 pp 276 282 Rivka Schatz Autonomy of the Spirit and the Law of Moses Hebrew Molad 21 1973 1974 pp 554 561 Joseph Weiss A Late Jewish Utopia of Religious Freedom in David Goldstein ed Studies in Eastern European Jewish Mysticism Oxford Oxford University Press 1985 Jonatan Meir The Status of Commandments in the Philosophy of Rabbi Mordechai Joseph Leiner of Izbica Mishlav 35 2000 pp 27 53 Herzl Hefter In God s Hands the Religious Phenomenology of R Mordechai Yosef of Ishbitz Tradition 46 1 2013 pp 43 65 Notes Edit His view has been explained as follows What the Izbicer demonstrates is that it is possible for agents to be free relative to the fiction that they live in whilst wholly determined from a God s eye view On the other hand the Izbicer admits that we can t actually break out of our perspective to see the sense in which we are determined Nevertheless he holds that we sometimes get some sort of mystical glimpse For the Izbicer human freedom is real It s as real as anything can be On the other hand there is a sense that we can t fully grasp in which our existence and our every action is dependent upon the will of God For that reason the Izbicer is willing in certain moods to twist the famous Talmudic dictum radically until it reads All is in the hands of heaven even the fear of heaven 6 The reference is to Berakhot 33b All is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven see discussion under Hashkafa References Edit The State Archive of Lublin Jewish Civil Registry of Izbica Lubelski 1854 Akt 6 Registration Type death Registration Year 1854 Location Izbica Lubelski Surname Lajner Given Name Mordko Indexed by JRI Poland The State Archive of Lublin Jewish Civil Registry of Lublin 1888 Akt 46 Registration Type death Registration Year 1888 Location Lublin Surname Ejger Given Name Lejbus Father Szloma Mother Golda Rywka Indexed by JRI Poland Gover MEIR Halevi 1 January 2018 The RADZYNER REBBE DYNASTY 1840 2005 by MEIR Halevi GOVER pp 2 3 ISBN 978 965 92660 6 7 Retrieved 14 February 2022 Betsalel Philip Edwards 2001 Living Waters The Mei HaShilo ach ISBN 978 0765761477 J Hershy Worch 2019 Mei Hashiloach A Hebrew English Translation of the Hasidic Commentary on the Torah by the Ishbitzer Rebbe ISBN 978 1796252323 Sam Lebens 2011 The Izbicer Rebbe and Freewill Association for the Philosophy of JudaismExternal links EditMei Hashiloach A Hebrew English Translation of the Hasidic Commentary on the Torah by the Ishbitzer Rebbe by J Hershy Worch Mei HaSiloach Yearly Conference notice at the Wayback Machine archived February 14 2008 Lectures Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mordechai Yosef Leiner amp oldid 1140102554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
