- Yitzchok Hutner
Yitzchok (Isaac) Hutner (1906–1980) was an Orthodox
rabbi and Americanrosh yeshiva born inWarsaw ,Poland , to a family with both Ger Hasidic and non-Hasidic Lithuanian Jewish roots. As a child he received private instruction inTorah andTalmud . As a teenager he was enrolled in theSlabodka yeshiva inLithuania , headed by Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, where he was known as the "Warsaw Illui" ("prodigy").Early years
Having obtained a deep grounding in
Talmud , Rabbi Hutner was sent to join an extension of the Slabodka yeshiva inHebron . He studied there until 1929, narrowly escaping the1929 Hebron massacre because he was away for the weekend. It was during his stay in theBritish Mandate of Palestine that he became a disciple of RabbiAbraham Isaac Kook , the firstchief rabbi of Palestine (as it was then known.) The philosophical and mystical mind-set of both men, made them kindred spirits. Like Rabbi Kook, the young Rabbi Hutner eventually developed a warm welcoming posture towards non-religious Jews who were seeking to become more religious. They viewed things in the context of the end of the Jewish exile, "golus (galut)", with the imminent coming of the messianic era.In later years, when Rabbi Kook's name became entrenched with the "Mizrachi", part of the Religious Zionist Movement, Rabbi Hutner, as an eventual member of the non-Zionist Haredi
Agudath Israel of America 'sMoetzes Gedolei HaTorah ("Council of Torah Sages"), sought to decrease his former association with Kook, even though he maintained cordial relations with Rabbi Kook's son and heir RabbiZvi Yehuda Kook and others such as RabbiMoshe Tzvi Neriah . Rabbi Hutner's students recount that onSukkot Rabbi Hutner would hang a portrait of Rabbi Kook in hissukkah . When the matter of conscripting religious girls ("giyus banot") into theIsrael Defense Forces became a controversial matter after the founding of the State ofIsrael in 1948, the photo of Rabbi Kook was removed and replaced with one of RabbiAvrohom Yeshaya Karelitz who ruled that Jewish females are forbidden to serve in the IDF. Finally, when Rabbi Hutner composed and published his work "Pachad Yitzchok" there is absolutely no overt reference to any of Rabbi Kook's own extensive works (although Rabbi Kook's notions and "motifs" permeate Rabbi Hutner's work to those familiar with both rabbis' writings.) However, there are a select few of Rabbi Hutner's early students who recall some of Rabbi Hutner's lengthy comments to them regarding Rabbi Kook, but none of them have ever written or said anything about what was said to them in a public forum. It has remained for the Religious Zionist teacher, RabbiMoshe Zvi Neriah to republish the approbation that Rabbi Kook had written and some correspondence between Rabbis Kook and Hutner about it.Travels and marriage
After the pogrom in Hebron in 1929, Rabbi Hutner spent some years as a wandering scholar. First, he returned to Warsaw, from there going to study
philosophy at theUniversity of Berlin , but not for degree purposes; he was not interested in degrees or the jobs they could offer, but only in the actual material that the university taught him. During this period he wrote "Torat HaNazir", on the laws of theNazarite . He spent time familiarizing himself with the intellectual milieu of Germany.He befriended two other future rabbinical leaders studying secular philosophy in Berlin: Rabbi
Joseph B. Soloveitchik , who was to becomerosh yeshiva atYeshiva University inNew York City , and RabbiMenachem Mendel Schneerson who would becomerebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch inBrooklyn . The three were to retain close and cordial personal relations throughout their lives, even though each differed from the other radically in Torah "weltanschauung " ("hashkafa "). Nevertheless, each developed a unique bridge and synthesis between theEastern Europe an world-view connecting it with a Westernized way of thinking. This was a key factor enabling them to serve successfully as spiritual leaders in the United States of America.After marrying his American-born wife, Masha Lipshitz, in
Warsaw , Poland, in 1932, the couple spent about a year in Palestine where Rabbi Hutner completed his research and writing of his "Kovetz Ha'aros" onHillel ben Eliakim 's commentary on "midrash sifra ". He visited Europe in 1934 to collate manuscripts of Hillel ben Eliakim's commentary.By 1935 the couple had emigrated to Brooklyn,
New York where Rabbi Hutner pursued his private studies, initially not actively seeking a formal position. However, he soon joined the faculty of theYeshiva Rabbi Jacob Joseph (RJJ) and sometime between 1935–1936 was appointed first as a teacher then as principal of the newly established high school division of theYeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin known asMesivta Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin . The yeshiva had been the oldest elementary yeshiva in Brooklyn since 1904. During 1939 and 1940 he established the yeshiva's post-high schoolbeth midrash division and became the seniorrosh yeshivah of the entireYeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin . In this effort he also received the help of RabbiShraga Feivel Mendlowitz who headed Brooklyn's largest and more establishedYeshiva Torah Vodaas . Under Rabbi Hutner's charismatic leadership, Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin grew from relative obscurity to prominence, and with it grew his reputation in the world of Torah scholarship.In the United States
He was able to construct an intense
curriculum and an environment that produced young Talmudic scholars who were viewed as being in the same league as their compatriots in Eastern Europe. By 1940 he had established a post-high schoolyeshiva ,beth midrash " with hundreds of students.He viewed secular studies as essential in learning a profession for people to support themselves by eventually going to college and becoming professionals. Together with the dean of the
Yeshiva Torah Vodaas ,Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz a charter to set up a combined yeshiva and college was obtained from the New York State Board of Regents. However, this plan was abandoned upon the insistence of RabbiAaron Kotler the anti-secular leader of theLakewood yeshiva (Beth Medrash Gevoha), which would become the largest yeshiva of its kind in the United States, who wielded great influence and rabbinical power. In this and other matters Rabbi Hutner acquiesced to Rabbi Kotler.Hutner however maintained his relatively liberal policy during his tenure at the helm of his own Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, allowing students to combine their day's learning in yeshiva together with attending college, mainly at
Brooklyn College and later atTouro College in late afternoons and evenings. He would take great pride in the secular accomplishments of his students insofar as they would fit into his vision of a material world governed by the principles of a spiritualTorah way of life. One of his closest disciples is the renownedeconomist , RabbiIsrael Kirzner who edited Hutner's written works, "Pachad Yitzchok". Many of Hutner's disciples went about quietly obtaining doctorates often with his blessings and guidance, including his daughterRebbetzin Dr.Bruria Hutner David (philosophy). The list includes RabbisShlomo Teichman (mathematics) founder and dean ofBais Yaakov Academy ,Shlomo Braunstein (statistics) rosh yeshiva and principal,Shlomo Ribner (psychology) psychologist and rosh yeshiva, Moshe Homnick (psychology),Ahron Soloveichik (law) rosh yeshiva,Aharon Lichtenstein (literature) rosh yeshiva, DrAbraham J. Tannenbaum (education), Joseph Thurm (information technology), Naftoli Langsam (education), Yedidya Langsam (biology), Chaim Feuerman (education). Many alumni of his yeshiva have attained success as attorneys, accountants, doctors, and in information technology.Rabbi Hutner was well versed in many intellectual areas, even studying and refuting secular and non-traditional Jewish scholarship. There was an interesting episode where a student made a remark about some religious issue. Rabbi Hutner allegedly slapped him and said, "You read that in Heschel!"
His daughter and only child,
Rebbetzin Bruria Hutner David , obtained her Ph.D. atColumbia University in the department ofphilosophy as a student of Salo Baron. She subsequently founded and became the dean of a major seminary for Jewish women inJerusalem known asBeth Jacob of Jerusalem (BJJ) that caters to young women from Haredi families in the United States. Her dissertation discussed the dual role of RabbiZvi Hirsch Chajes as both a traditionalist and "maskil" ("follower of the enlightenment"). Some have noted the remarkable parallels between her own father and Rabbi Chajes, the subject of her dissertation.Rabbi Hutner appointed
Slabodka yeshiva educated RabbiAvigdor Miller as the "Mashgiach ruchani " ("spiritual mentor and supervisor") of the yeshiva. After the yeshiva relocated to Far Rockaway, New York in the 1960s, Rabbi Miller resigned from his position due to the difficulties a daily commute from Brooklyn entailed.Rabbi Hutner developed a style of celebrating "
Shabbat " and the Holy Days, "Yom Tov", by giving a kind of talk called a "maamer". It was a combination of Talmudic discourse, Hasidic celebration ("tish"), philosophic lecture, group singing, and when possible, like onPurim , a ten piece band was brought in as accompaniment. Many times there was singing and dancing all night. All of this, together with the respect to his authority that he demanded, induced in his students obedience and something of a "heightened consciousness" that passed into their lives making them into literal "hasidim" ("devotees") of theirrosh yeshiva , who encouraged this by eventually personally donning Hasidic garb, ("begadim ") and acting outwardly like a synthesis between a "rosh yeshiva " and a "rebbe " and instructed some of his students to do like-wise.Methodology
His methodology and style was complex and controversial and ultimately difficult to pigeonhole, although intellectually he placed great emphasis on penetrating Talmudic study and analysis, emotionally he veered towards the Hasidic-style, more than his Lithuanian-style colleagues reared as "
mitnagdim " could tolerate. Ironically, Rabbi Hutner became a fierce critic of Lubavitch and the idolization of RabbiMenachem Schneerson . Yet both men referred to their discourses as "maamarim". He also forbade his students from attending any lectures given by RabbiJoseph B. Soloveitchik at the same time that he appointed Rabbi Soloveitchik's younger brother, whom he had tutored inWarsaw , RabbiAhron Soloveichik (later to head his own yeshiva inSkokie nearChicago, Illinois ) as head of his own Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin. Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik completed aDoctorate inlaw atNew York University at the same time that he lectured in Rabbi Hutner's Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin.In the 1950s, he established a school for post-graduate married scholars to continue their in-depth Talmudical studies. This was a "
kollel ", (a post graduate division), theKollel Gur Aryeh , one of the first of its kind in America. Many of his students became prominent educational, outreach, and pulpit rabbis. He stayed in touch with them and was intimately involved in major communal policy decision-making as he worked through his network of students in positions of leadership, and won over to his cause people who came to meet with him.Publications
He published what is considered his "magnum opus" which he named "
Pachad Yitzchok ", ("Fear [of] Isaac", meaning the God whomIsaac feared). He called his outlook "Hilchot Deot Vechovot Halevavot", ("Laws [of] 'Ideas' and 'Duties [of the] Heart'") and wrote in a poetic modern-style Hebrew reminiscent of his original mentor's style, RabbiAbraham Isaac Kook , even though almost all of Rabbi Hutner's original lectures were delivered in Yiddish.The core of his synthesis of different schools of Jewish thought was rooted in his deep studies of the teachings of Rabbi
Judah Loew ben Bezalel (1525–1609) a scholar and mystic known as the "Maharal ofPrague ". It is commonly accepted that Rabbi Hutner "opened up" and "popularized" the writings and ideas of the Maharal. Another pillar of Rabbi Hutner's thought system were the works of theVilna Gaon , Rabbi Elijah, (1720–1797) and of RabbiMoshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707–1746). He would only allude in the most general ways to other great mystics, in Hebrew "mekubalim", such as theBaal Shem Tov (founder of Hasidism), the great mystic known as the "Ari" who lived in the late Middle Ages, the founder of Lubavitch Hasidism, the "Baal HaTanya "Shneur Zalman of Liadi , RabbiMordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbitz and many other great Hasidic masters as well as to the great works ofKabbalah such as theZohar .Mentor to others
He was the mentor of some famous as well as controversial figures in modern Jewish outreach to non-Orthodox Jews, such as Rabbi
Shlomo Carlebach , who became the "Singing Rabbi", and RabbiDavid Weiss Halivni , who became a prominent scholar at theJewish Theological Seminary ofConservative Judaism . However, it should be noted that both these personalities split with Rabbi Hutner and moved off into what they ultimately became. Another was a cousin to the earlier Shlomo Carlebach, who also was called Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who was appointed as the "mashgiach ruchani " ("spiritual supervisor") at the Yeshiva Chaim Berlin, but who split with Rabbi Hutner on policy matters in the 1970s. All three were Holocaust survivors who Rabbi Hutner took upon himself to raise as his own "sons" together with others in similar circumstances.In the early forties Rabbi Hutner asked a friend from Slabodka, Rabbi
Saul Lieberman to become a dean-Talmudical lecturer in Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin. Lieberman instead accepted an offer from theJewish Theological Seminary , the seminary ofConservative Judaism .Rabbi Hutner had a number of disagreements with some of the religious scholars who taught in his Yeshiva. These disputes were usually not over ideology, but about positions in the school. Rabbi Hutner attempted (and did in many cases) ease out the older rabbis who were his contemporaries in favor of his disciples. Rabbi Prusskin (a first cousin to his wife), Rabbi Goldstone, Rabbi Shurkin, Rabbi Snow, Rabbi
Avrohom Asher Zimmerman and others are among them.He did initiate a number of changes in Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin that differed greatly from the "mussar" yeshiva practice in Slabodka. He abolished the half hour learning session in "mussar" ("ethics") and replaced it with one of ten or fifteen minutes. He changed the traditional "mussar" lecture to a "maamar" utilizing Maharal instead of the classical "mussar" approach to
Torah study .His students included Rabbis:
Yonasan David (his son-in-law) andAharon Schechter , his successors asRosh Yeshiva s of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin;Aharon Lichtenstein , son-in-law of RabbiJoseph B. Soloveitchik andRosh Yeshiva ofYeshivat Har Etzion in Israel; Menachem Mendel Blachman, head of the overseas program of YeshivatKerem B'Yavneh ;Pinchas Stolper of theOrthodox Union and founder ofNCSY who followed Rabbi Hutner's guidelines in setting up this youth outreach movement; Avrohom Davis, founder of the Metzudah religious books series;Shlomo Freifeld who set up the one of the first full-time yeshivas forBaal teshuva students in the world, and who personally maintained an open relationship with Lubavitch; Joshua Fishman, leader and executive Vice President ofTorah Umesorah the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools; Avrohom Kleinkaufman, a lecturer inYeshiva of Far Rockaway and translator of the Genesis and Exodus volumes of the Metzuda Bible Commentary of Rabbi Solomon and the Kol Sasson Sephardic Siddurim and Machzorim;Yaakov Perlow , the NovominskerRebbe ofBoro Park ; Meir Bilitzky, senior rabbi ofYoung Israel of New Hyde Park ;Noah Weinberg founder and head of theBaal teshuva outreach conglomerate calledAish Hatorah and his brotherYaakov Weinberg of in Baltimore; Yosef Katzenstein of Copenhagen, author of "Kol Chayil" and "Lema'an Achai';Dovid Cohen , rabbi of Congregation Gvul Yaabetz and an author of a number of books on Jewish theology.Final years
In the late 1960s he began to visit
Israel again planning to build a new yeshiva there. In 1970 he, together with his wife, daughter and son-in-law RabbiYonasan David , were captured by thePFLP Palestinian terrorist organization, who were in turn attacked byKing Hussein 's army inAmman ,Jordan where the hostages found themselves after being let off the planes that were hijacked. Many Jews prayed fervently for his safe release. Indeed, RabbiMoshe Feinstein andAgudath Israel of America , RabbiJoseph B. Soloveitchik , and RabbiMenachem Schneerson pulled every political string they possessed to ensure his safety.In spite of this experience, Rabbi Hutner continued his efforts to build his yeshiva in Israel. Eventually it was set up and named
Yeshiva Pachad Yitzchok based on his life's work, inHar Nof ,Jerusalem . He died in 1980 and is buried inJerusalem .ee also
*
Haredi Judaism
*List of rosh yeshivas External links
* [http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/hutner.htm "Great leaders of our people"]
* [http://www.shemayisrael.com/chareidi/archives5761/miketz/features.htm 20 years since his passing I]
* [http://www.ou.org/publications/ja/5761summer/RABBIHUT.PDF 20 years since his passing II (PDF)]
* [http://www.meforum.org/article/1768 "Terror in Black September: An Eyewitness Account" about 1970 hijacking mentioning Rabbi Hutner's captivity]
* [http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0107/taxi_ride_to_eternity.php3?printer_friendly A master teaches his disciple about the value of small gestures]
* [http://www.shiur.com/print.php?id=544_0_6_0 Lecture on Rosh HaShana based on Rabbi Hutner's teachings]
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