Ropshitz (Hasidic dynasty)

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Grand Rabbi Rubin, the present Ropshitzer Rebbe

Ropshitz is a Hassidic Dynasty.

Many Major Rabbis are descendants of the Rebbes of Ropshitz.

Among the offshoots of the Ropshitz dynasty are, the Dzikov, Glogov, Melitz, Stitshin, and Strizov dynasties.

Today, the Ropshitzer Rebbe is the son of the Muzhayer Rebbe.

1 Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Horowitz of Ropshitz
- 1.1 Teachings
- 1.2 Writings
2 Sources
3 External links

[edit] Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Horowitz of Ropshitz

(1760-1827)

Rabbi Horowitz was born on the same day that the Baal Shem Tov died.

He was the first Ropshitzer Rebbe.

As a youth, Rabbi Naftali studied in the Yeshiva of Rabbi Meshulem Igra, one of the Torah giants of the time, where his fellow students were Rabbi Mordechai Benet and Rabbi Yaakov Loberbaum, who were to become two of the leading scholars of the next generation. Rabbi Naftali became attracted to the Hassidic movement, and traveled to the court of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk. Because of Rabbi Naftali’s illustrious lineage, Rabbi Elimelech at first refused to admit him, as was his custom, but finally acquiesced to Rabbi Naftali’s entreaties.

Upon the death of Rabbi Elimelech, Rabbi Naftali became a student of Rabbi Elimelech's disciple, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rimanov.

Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz is a crucial figure in the development of Galician Hassidism. There are many “minhagei Ropshitz” - customs of Ropshitz, which are followed by Galician Hasidim. He was known for his profound wisdom, sharp sense of humor, and musical gifts. He insisted that young men should devote themselves exclusively to Torah study and not be involved in Hasidism until they were 25 years old. In his later years he perceived that some Hasidim followed Hassidic practices but were negligent in some basic requirements of Jewish Law, such as timely prayer and questioned if it would not be better if the Hassidic way were replaced by greater concentration on Torah study. When Rabbi Yosef Babad, the future author of the Minchas Chinuch came to become a follower of his, he sent him away, advising him to return home and pursue his studies in the revealed aspects of Torah.

[edit] Teachings

Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz emphasized the power of prayer and stressed that a person must be able to pray in all circumstances and never say “I don’t have the head for prayer now”. In answer to the question how can a tzaddik undo a divine decree, he replied that through his actions and prayer a tzaddik creates a new world, to which the old decree does not apply. He commented that Moses was shown each generation first, and then shown their leaders, because he might be dismayed at seeing Naftali as a leader. However, having first seen the generation, he understood that Naftali was appropriate for his generation.

Rabbi Naftali was particularly devoted to the mitzvah of sukkah and it is said that every day he was preoccupied with some aspect of that mitzvah, which he said was dear to his soul. Often in his works he speaks about the holiday of Sukkos.

[edit] Writings

Initially, Rabbi Naftali refused to give permission for the publication of his writings, but with the concurrence of his famous disciple, Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, author of Divrei Chaim, his two works, Zerah Kodesh and Ayala Shelucha were finally published. The only praise he permitted on his tombstone was “the singular one in his generation in the knowledge of God”. (“יחיד בדורו בחכמת אלוקים”).