Medzhibozh (Hasidic dynasty)

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Headstone of the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhbizh

The grave of the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhbizh

Mezhbizh (also spelled as Medzibuz, Mezbuz, Mez'buz, and in various other ways) is the name of a town in the present Ukraine which is significant as both the source of a Hasidic dynasty that bears its name and as a symbolic name for the roots of Hasidism.

[edit] The town of Medzhibozh in Hasidic history

Medzhibozh is more than just a branch of Hasidic Judaism, it is perhaps a "trunk," because it was the small town from where Hasidism eventually spread throughout the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe.

Geographically, the Hasidic movement originated in Mezhbizh, where the movement's founder, the Yisroel ben Eliezer (The Baal Shem Tov) had his home, Beis Medrash (a synagogue and place of Torah study), held court, and is buried.

[edit] The Hasidic dynasty of Mezhbizh

Grand Rabbi Mordechai of Mezhbizh, the last Rebbe in Mezhbizh.^{[citation needed]}Zichron Meier by Rabbi Yehudo Meier Shapiro of Lublin, Sefer Toldos Anshei Shem

Besides the position of Mezhbizh as a "trunk" of Hasidic Judaism, a branch of Hasidism, led by the Baal Shem Tov's descendants and heirs evolved from Mezhbizh.

The Baal Shem Tov's grandson, Reb Boruch (known in his childhood as Reb Boruch'l, a Yiddish diminutive, and subsequently as Reb Boruch'l HaKadosh) was the first "rebbe" of the Hasidic movement to hold court in Mezhbizh in his grandfather's home and Beis Medrash, which he inherited. He was the son of R' Yechiel Mikhl Ashkenazi and Udl, only daughter of the Baal Shem Tov.

As recorded in the early Hasidic work Mekor Boruch (first published in 1880 from handwritten manuscripts), at the time of the Baal Shem Tov's death, Reb Pinchos of Korets and Reb Yosef of Polnoe, two of the Baal Shem Tov's closest followers, reported to the Hasidim that the Baal Shem Tov had designated Reb Boruch as his successor, and instructed Reb Pinchos to take responsibility to carry out those wishes. Reb Boruch was not yet Bar Mitzvah at the time of his grandfather's death, and he was then taken to live in Reb Pinchos' home, where the Baal Shem Tov's other close Hasidim and other leaders of the Hasidic movement visited regularly to check on his progress and assist with his preparation to assume his grandfather's mantle.

Reb Boruch remained with Reb Pinchos of Korets until the Chevraya Kadisha, as the close inner circle of the Baal Shem Tov was known, decided that he was ready to return to Mezibuz and become "The Rebbe." When he finally returned to Mezhbizh, all of the Hasidic leaders of that time regularly visited Reb Boruch, including the Magid of Chernobyl, the Magid of Mezritch, Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi (founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement), and others.

From Reb Boruch the mantle of leadership was inherited by his son-in-law Reb Yitzchok Drubitsher, who was a son of Reb Yosef of Yampol and Reb Yechiel Michl, the Maggid of Zlotshov. Reb Yitzchok's son, Reb Yechiel Michl, succeeded him, and his son, Reb Mordechai. Both Reb Yechiel Michl and his son Reb Mordechai were married to descendants of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty.

The last rebbe of Medzhibozh to be born in Medzhibozh was Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Korff. Son of the last Mezibuz Rebbe, Reb Mordechai, he was a direct descendant of the Baal Shem Tov and his grandson, Reb Boruch of Mezibuz (the first Rebbe), and the Hasidic dynasties of the Rebbes of Mezibuz, Chernobyl, Karlin, Rhizin, and Apt. Reb Yaakov Yisroel married the daughter of the Zviller Rebbe of that time, Reb Yichiel Michl. He subsequently succeeded his father-in-law as Zviller Rebbe until his own father, Reb Mordechai of Mezbuz died, after which he then became the Zvil-Mezibuz Rebbe although he continued to be known as the Zviller Rebbe.

[edit] Lineage of the Mezhbizh dynasty

• 1. Rebbe Yisroel Baal Shem Tov (1700-1760) - founder of Hasidism
  • Rabbi Tsvi of Pinsk (d. 1780) - (son of the Baal Shem Tov; did not serve as an admor).
    • Rebbe Aharon of Titiov (d.1800) – son of Rabbi Tsvi.
      • Rabbi Hershl of Skver - son of Rebbe Aharon
    • Rebbe Dov Ber of Ulanow – son of Rabbi Tsvi.
  • Rabbi Yechiel Mikhl Ashkenazi of Tulchyn - married Udl, daughter of the Baal Shem Tov
    • 2. Rebbe Boruch of Mezhbizh - author of Butsina diNehoiro - (son of Rabbi Yechiel Mikhl; son-in-law of R. Aharon of Titiov).
      • Rabbi Yizhak (son-in-law of Rebbe Boruch, son of Rabbi Yosef of Yampol, son of Rabbi Yekhiel Mikl of Zlochiv).
        • Rebbe Yekhiel Mikl (son of Rebbe Yosef)
          • Rebbe Mordechai of Mezhbizh (son of Rebbe Yekhiel Mikl)
            • Rebbe Yakov Israel (son of Rebbe Mordechai, son-in-law of Rebbe Yekhiel Mikl of Zvil)
      • Rabbi Yaakov Pinchos Averbuch/Auerbach - (son-in-law of Rebbe Boruch).
        • Rabbi Israel of Mezhbizh – (son of Rabbi Yaakov Pinchos).

[edit] Mezhbizher Rebbe today

Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Korff, Zvill-Mezhbizher Rebbe, son of Grand Rabbi Mordechai of Mezhbizh, hosting a family tish in 1947 with the rebbes of Skver, Novominsk, Rachmastrivka, Kopiczynitz, Boyan, Chernobyl, Loyev, Koson, Kobrin, Shotz, Brod, and Tolna-Vizhnitz

[edit] Zvhil-Mezhbizh of Boston

The late Rebbe's grandson, Grand Rabbi Yitzhak Aharon Korff is the present Zvhil-Mezhbizh Rebbe. He is also one of three Zvhiller Rebbes who are cousins. The other two (who are not descended from Reb Mordechai or Reb Yaakov Yisroel of Mezhbizh or directly related to the Mezhbizh dynasty) are descended from Reb Yechiel Michel's younger brother, Reb Shlomke of Zvil, and are based in Jerusalem and in Union City, New Jersey.

[edit] External link

• Baal Shem Tov family tree
• Zvhil - Mezbuz Beis Medrash (Boston)

[edit] References

• Grossman, Leivi (1943). Sheim uSheiris (Hebrew), 58-60. 

• Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben, The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1. ISBN 0-595-00666-3 iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2000.

• Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism: ISBN 1-56821-123-6 Jason Aronson, Inc., 1996.