Chernobyl (Hasidic dynasty)
Chernobyl is a Hasidic dynasty that was founded by Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky, known by the name of his work as the "Meor Einayim" (meaning "vision", lit. "the light of the eyes"). The dynasty is named after the Ukrainian town of Chernobyl, where Rabbi Nachum served as the maggid ("[communal] preacher").
Rabbi Twersky was a student of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of the Hasidic movement) and his pupil and chief disciple the Maggid of Mezritch. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Hasidic movement. His book Me'or Einayim ("Light [of One's] Eyes"), comprising insights on the weekly Torah portion, reflects his proclivity to Kabbalah. It has gained widespread acceptance as one of the major works and foundations of Hasidic ideology.
Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky was succeeded by his son, the Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl – also known as the Chernobyler Magid. Throughout his life Rabbi Mordechai collected large amounts of money for tzedakah (charity), but before his death he regretted not collecting even more than he did. His thoughts, sermons and discourses were published in his book Likutei Torah, which was praised for its holiness by other Hasidic leaders. Throughout his teachings, Rabbi Mordechai stressed the importance of pure speech and pure thought as a condition for a proper prayer connection. He also spoke of including all Jewish souls in one's prayer, even evil people. By doing so, evil people will stand a better chance of repenting (teshuvah).
Rabbi Mordechai was succeeded by his son Rebbe Aaron of Chernobyl, as his successor in Chernobyl. All of Rebbe Mordechai's eight sons became rebbes in different cities.
The Chernobyl dynasty includes the rebbes of Chernobyl, Cherkas, Turisk, Talne, Korestchov, Makarov, Skver, Rachmastrivka, Malyn, Hornosteipl, Machnovka, Ozarnetz, and several others.
Chernobyl Hasidism as a movement survived the ravages of the Holocaust, although many of its members perished. There are many scions of the Chernobyl dynasty alive today. Generally, at present, anyone with the last name Twersky (or Twerski) is likely to be a descendant of the Chernobyl dynasty.
The Chernobyl dynasty
The founder of the Chernobyl dynasty was Rebbe (Menachem) Nochum, the Meor Einayim, a disciple of Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov, who established the Hasidic movement. He was also a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch:
- Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernobyl (1730–1797) – author of Meor Einayim, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov
- Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twersky (1770–1837) – the Chernobyler Maggid, son of the Meor Einayim – had eight sons who each became a rebbe and founded his own dynasty.
- Grand Rabbi Aaron Twersky of Chernobyl (1784–1871), eldest son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Yeshayo Meshulom Zishe Twersky of Chernobyl (1814–1881), son of Rebbe Aaron
- Grand Rabbi Shlomo BenZion Twersky of Chernobyl (1870–1939), son of Rebbe Yeshayo Meshulom Zishe
- Grand Rabbi Boruch Osher Twersky of Chernobyl (d. 1905), son of Rebbe Aaron
- Grand Rabbi Shlomo Shmuel Twersky of Chernobyl-Brooklyn (d.1936), son of Rebbe Boruch Osher
- Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Chernobyler Rebbe of Boro Park (1902–1983), son of Rebbe Shlomo Shmuel – the last Chernobyler Rebbe who was born in Chernobyl
- Rabbi Shlomo Twersky, son of Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Rabbi of "Beis Chernobyl" in Lawrence, New York;
- Rabbi Zvi Twersky – Rosh Mesivta of Yeshivas Mercaz Hatorah in Talpiot, Jerusalem, son of Rabbi Shlomo Twersky of Lawrence, NY;
- Rabbi Shlomo Twersky, son of Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Rabbi of "Beis Chernobyl" in Lawrence, New York;
- Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Chernobyler Rebbe of Boro Park (1902–1983), son of Rebbe Shlomo Shmuel – the last Chernobyler Rebbe who was born in Chernobyl
- Grand Rabbi Shlomo Shmuel Twersky of Chernobyl-Brooklyn (d.1936), son of Rebbe Boruch Osher
- Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twerski of Loiev, son of Rebbe Aaron
- Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twerski of Loiev (1840–1905), son of Rebbe Menachem Nochum
- Grand Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Heshl Twerski of Loiev-Tshudnov (1860–1914), son of Rebbe Mordechai of Loiev
- Grand Rabbi Boruch Bentsion Twerski of Loiev-Uman (1875–1945), son of Rebbe Mordechai of Loiev
- Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twerski of Loiev (1840–1905), son of Rebbe Menachem Nochum
- Grand Rabbi Yeshayo Meshulom Zishe Twersky of Chernobyl (1814–1881), son of Rebbe Aaron
- Grand Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Skver, son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Avrohom Twersky of Trisk, son of Rebbe Mordechai, author of Mogen Avrohom (d. 1889)
- Grand Rabbi David Twersky of Tolna, son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky of Cherkas, son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Yochanan Twersky of Rachmastrivka, son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Aaron Twersky of Chernobyl (1784–1871), eldest son of Rebbe Mordechai
- Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twersky (1770–1837) – the Chernobyler Maggid, son of the Meor Einayim – had eight sons who each became a rebbe and founded his own dynasty.
Famous scions
Among the famous scions of the Chernobyl dynasty are:
- Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twerski, the Chernobyler Rebbe of Bnei Brak;
- Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Twersky, the Chernobyler Rebbe of Borough Park, Brooklyn;
- The Chernobyler Rebbe of Ashdod;
- Rabbi Chaim Twersky, Chernobyler Rav of Boro Park; formerly Rabbi of Maimonides Hospital Brooklyn New York;
- Grand Rabbi David Twersky, of New Square, NY, leader of Skver, the largest current Hasidic dynasty originating from Chernobyl;
- Grand Rabbi Michel Twersky, the Skverer Rebbe of Boro Park;
- Grand Rabbi Michel Twerski, the Hornsteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee;
- Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twersky, the Hornsteipl-Denver Rebbe of Flatbush, Brooklyn;
- Grand Rabbi Shalom Shachna Friedman, the Hornsteipler Rebbe of Jerusalem;
- Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, noted author and psychiatrist;
- Rabbi Aaron Twerski, retired Dean of Hofstra Law School;
- Rabbi Dovid Twersky, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Jerusalem;
- Rabbi Chai Yitzchok Twersky, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Borough Park, Brooklyn;
- Rabbi Yaakov Arye Twersky, Trisker Rebbe of London;
- Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Eichenstein, the Trisker Rebbe of Jerusalem;
- Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Weinberg, the Tolner Rebbe of Jerusalem;
- Rabbi Amitai Twersky, the Tolner Rebbe of Ashdod;
- Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Twerski, son of Reb Mottel Twerski of Flatbush, Rosh Yeshiva Hebrew Theological College and Rav of Bais Chaim Dovid Lincolnwood, Illinois;
- Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Twersky, the Tolner Rebbe of Boston and a professor and head of the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University;
- Rabbi Mayer Twersky, son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Boston, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanon Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University;
- Rabbi Mosheh Twersky, son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Boston, Rosh Mesivta of Yeshiva Toras Moshe in Jerusalem, Israel.
- Grand Rabbi Yitzhak Aharon Korff, grandson of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Korff, Zvhil–Mezbuz Rebbe of Boston.
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Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Twersky, ZT"L, Chernobyler Rebbe of Boro Park – the last Chernobyler Rebbe to serve in Chernobyl
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(L-R) Rachmastrifker Rebbe of NY; Chernobyler Bnei Brak; Chernobyler of NY; R' Moredechai Twersky, son of Chernobyler of NY
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Grand Rabbi David Twersky, Skverer Rebbe, a scion of the Chernobyl dynasty
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Zvhil-Mezbuz Rebbe of Boston, Grand Rabbi Y. A. Korff (center), and Rabbi Yitzhak (Isadore)Twersky, Tolna Rebbe of Boston (left)
External links
- Rebbes of Makarow-Berdichev (Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty) – site (in Russian and English) of Zalman Shklyar (Russia, Moscow, icq 277236854)
- Tolner Rebbes
- http://www.talnoye.com/index.html
- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/azgrabe/TolnerRebbes.html&date=2009-10-25+13:07:24
- The Hornosteiple shul in Milwaukee Beth Jehudah
- Chernobler Rebbe...
Sources
Yitschak Alfasi (2006). תורת החסידות Torat haChasidut. Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook. pp. 297–373.
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