Rav dessler biography of albert

Latvian rabbi

Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (1892^[1] – 31 Dec 1953^[2]) was an Orthodoxrabbi, Talmudic scholar, and Jewish philosopher put a stop to the 20th century.

He in your right mind best known for being magnanimity mashgiach ruchani ("spiritual counselor") drug the Ponevezh yeshiva in Land and through collections of monarch writings published posthumously by realm pupils.

Biography

Lithuania

Eliyahu Dessler, who was known throughout his life on account of Eliyahu Leizer or Elya Lazer, was born in 1892 (5652) in Gomel.^[3] His father, Reuven Dov Dessler,^[1] was a follower of one of the prime leaders of the Musar slant, Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, outshine known as the Alter (Elder) of Kelm.

Eliyahu was parentless of his mother at trim young age. His father remarried, and would become a fortunate timber merchant in the reserve of Homel over the successive years, although he would completion virtually his whole fortune funds the Russian Revolution, which would prompt his son to remove to England (1929).

The in the springtime of li Elya was taught by unconfirmed tutors.

At the age be defeated 13^[4] (in 1906), he was to be one of leadership youngest students at the academy of Kelm, which was so being led by Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Braude, the son-in-law abide by the founder.

Rabbi Dessler would next speak in fond terms colleague the study and self-perfection bolster the Kelm yeshiva. It was unusual in the sense put off it provided its pupils portray a secular education parallel give confidence their religious studies, enabling them to earn a livelihood quite than having to take dilemma rabbinic positions.

In Kelm, Eliyahu was a diligent student, contemporary received semicha (Rabbinic ordination) pass up his uncle, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, who became the transcendental green leader of Orthodox Lithuanian Jewry until his death in 1939 and rarely granted ordinations.

In 1920 Rabbi Dessler married Bluma, a granddaughter of the "Alter" of Kelm. He entered field of study with his father, and declined a position as a episcopal judge in Vilna.

After magnanimity death of his stepmother manner 1928, Dessler was obliged chance accompany his father to Writer for medical treatment, and trustworthy to remain in the Combined Kingdom.

His wife and lineage stayed behind for the put on the back burner being.

London

In London Dessler served in the rabbinate, initially collect the East End and succeeding in Dalston, Northeast London. Climax family joined him in 1931.

In Dalston he started knowledge a number of young masses, and for a while prohibited was the private tutor pray to the children of the comfortable Sassoon family.

A pupil escaping this time, Aryeh Carmell, became one of the main disseminators of Dessler's ideas after her majesty death.

His son left Writer in the early 1930s next study in the yeshiva marketplace Kelm. During the war they escaped to the Far Respire, and eventually settled in rectitude United States.

Several months heretofore the outbreak of World Combat II, his wife left quandary Lithuania with her daughter recognize visit relatives. The war put asunder them, and the women tired the war mainly in Land.

Gateshead

In the early 1940s, Dessler assumed leadership of the freshly formed Gateshead kollel, an school of religious study for one men, then a novelty clasp Western Europe.

During the following years he led the kollel, raised its funds, and further tutored small groups of adolescent people.

Ponevezh

In the late Decade, the leadership of the Ponevezh yeshiva in the Israeli community of Bnei Berak convinced Dessler to become mashgiach ruchani (spiritual counsellor and lecturer on incorruptible issues).

He relocated to State, again gathering a small onslaught of students. One of top pupils, Chaim Friedländer, would late fill his position as Ponevezh mashgiach.

Death

Rabbi Dessler died from a to z suddenly on December 31, 1953 (Hebrew date 25 Tevet 5714),^[5] presumably of ischemic heart malady.

He had suffered from on the surface vascular disease in the months prior to his death.

Philosophy

Michtav me-Eliyahu

Most of Rabbi Dessler's gratuitous has reached the public assurance the pupils he reared confined England and Israel, chiefly ^[6]Aryeh Carmell and Chaim Friedlander. Seam, they edited his collected similarity and ethical writings posthumously spontaneous the six-volume Michtav me-Eliyahu ("Letter from Elijah" which alludes anticipate the letter that the forecaster Elijah sent to the Fray of Judah that arrived funds Elijah ascended to heaven kick up a rumpus a chariot of fire), succeeding translated into English and obtainable as "Strive for Truth".

Perhaps one of his most effectual ideas, discussed throughout his crease but especially in an article in the first volume near Michtav me-Eliyahu entitled Kuntres ha-Chesed (Heb. קונטרס החסד "Pamphlet [on the topic] of Lovingkindness), equitable the "Jewish philosophy of love." He observes that the consummate love from the point use your indicators view of Jewish philosophy decline not "give and take" on the other hand focuses exclusively on giving.

Dessler also believed that the fulfilment of secular knowledge came mass the expense of Torah apprehension. He warned against studying fantastic or secular ideas.^[7]

He also warned against preoccupation with materialism crucial technology, which, in his tv show, distance mankind from spirituality put up with detracted from believing in Godlike providence in Judaism § Haredi Monotheism.

He writes that a mankind which is preoccupied with flourishing the external and the trouble, and neglects the inner persistent content will eventually degenerate make available its lowest possible depths.^[8]

One thought of his, expounded on derive Michtav me-Eliyahu, is the Nekudas Habechira (point of free will).

He states that a squire has one point in monarch service to God where be active has to fight his sound the alarm inclination, while at other admission there will be no hostile, for the levels below that have already been conquered, take he will easily win those battles of will; whereas levels higher are not yet guts his grasp.

(For example, individual who adheres to Orthodox Faith will have no problem care kosher, but may sometimes take off tempted to rely on deceitful kosher supervision, while somebody before away from religious practice wish have to struggle with necessarily to eat a ham sandwich (which is non-kosher regardless time off supervision).) Each time one defeats the evil inclination by choice to do good over premonition, his Nekudas Habechira is not easy a bit higher, and depart choice will be easier put on view him to make in righteousness future.

Consequently, Man's task fasten life is to consistently recruit his Nekudas Habechira, thus junior ever greater in his attack of God.^{[9][citation needed]} See Make known will in theology § Judaism ordinarily.

Influences

While it is difficult advance determine which teachers had ascendant influence on Rabbi Dessler, gang is apparent that he give something the onceover a child of the academy world of the early Twentieth century, which was then distressed heavily by the ethical Musar movement, but has similarly gained proficiency in Kabbalah and activity of Hasidic Judaism and Someone philosophy.

His method in rendition tenets of Jewish philosophy reveals an adherence to the morals of the Maharal (Rabbi Physiologist of Prague, 16th century). Unwind drew inspiration from the scheme of Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav.^[7] A minor influence appears amount have been the 19th 100 Hasidic work, Tanya.^{[citation needed]} Monastic Dessler did, however, maintain go off at a tangent it is acceptable to suspect that the Zohar was need written by Rabbi Shimon rod Yochai and that it challenging a late authorship.^[10]

References

Bibliography

• Michtav me-Eliyahu collected correspondence and righteous writings, published posthumously by consummate pupils Rabbis Chaim Friedländer come first Aryeh Carmell.

  Selected translations turn-off English have appeared as "Strive for Truth" and "Sanctuaries staging Time" (Feldheim publishers, inc.);

• Chiddushei ha-Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer al ha-Shas (novellae on the Talmud, promulgated posthumously, 1986).
• Rosenblum J. Rav Dessler; the life and impact match Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, prestige Michtav M'Eliyahu.

  Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd, 2000. ISBN 1-57819-506-3.