- Gadol
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Gadol or godol גדול (plural: gedolim גדולים) (Hebrew "big" or "great"), is a Hebrew term used mostly by Haredi Litvish Jews to refer to the most revered rabbis of their generation. These rabbis are usually held in high esteem by other Haredi or Orthodox Jews, though not necessarily to the same degree as by Litvish Jews. The term is almost exclusively used to refer to rabbinic leaders since World War I. Earlier major rabbis are given other titles, such as Rishonim or Achronim.
The term gadol hador refers to the "great/est (one of) the generation" denoting one rabbi who is presumed to be even greater than the others. Other variations of the term are Gadol Yisrael or a Gadol BeYisrael (plural: Gedolei Yisrael), meaning "great one of the Jewish people". A similar title is Rashkebahag, which is an acronym for "Rabbon shel kol bnei hagolah" (The sage and teacher of the entire Jewish diaspora). Another term is Manhig Yisroel (plural: Manhigei Yisroel), literally "leader of Israel". The title gadol hador is usually only given to one Jewish Sage at a time, while the title "Rashkebahag" can be given to a few, and the term Gedolei Yisrael collectively refers to all leading rabbis in the Haredi community.
Most often a gadol functions as a rosh yeshiva (the head of a yeshiva Talmudical school), and can be a Hasidic Rebbe. A gadol is quite often also a posek (a decisor of Halakha - Jewish law) and may be the author of rabbinic literature and responsa. Adherents of Torah Judaism often presume that a gadol has some degree of ruach hakodesh ("divine spirit"); the gadol's teachings and statements therefore become the crux of Daas Torah.
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Hebrew usage
Gadol is used in modern Hebrew in a variety of ways. It comes from the root word meaning size thus common usage denotes a large size. Variations of the root word also mean to grow. It also can mean greatness, famous, powerful, influential, or successful.
In Hebrew halachic texts, gadol is also used as a term for a Jewish boy who turns thirteen, and is viewed as a adult regarding to his obligation to practice the mitzvos. This is the age of Bar Mitzvah. When a Jewish girl reaches the age of twelve and a half, according to Jewish law, she is called a gedolah (the feminine form of gadol).
Kohen Gadol refers to the high priests in the Jewish Temples. Shabbat Hagadol is the Shabbat prior to Passover.
In modern Hebrew, gadol as slang is used as an interjection to mean something is extremely cool, out of this world, superb, awesome, absurdly funny or hilarious. For example, upon hearing a funny joke one might interject "Gadol!".
In English writing, the transliterated word "gadol" is used nearly exclusively to refer to a prominent rabbi.
Gedolim since World War I
Past
In order of their passing
- Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim)
- Abraham Isaac Kook
- Chaim Ozer Grodzinski
- Elchonon Wasserman
- Avraham Yitzchak Bloch
- Avraham Mordechai Alter (Rebbe of Ger)
- Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (Chazon Ish)
- Reuvein Grozovsky
- Yitzchok Zev Soleveitchik
- Aharon Kotler[1]
- Aryeh Leib Malin
- Eliezer Yehuda Finkel
- Yisrael Alter (Rebbe of Ger)
- Gedalia Schorr
- Yoel Teitelbaum (Satmar Rav)
- Chaim Shmuelevitz
- Baruch Sorotzkin
- Yitzchok Hutner
- Shneur Kotler
- Eliezer Zusia Portugal (Skulener Rebbe)
- Yaakov Kamenetsky[1]
- Moshe Feinstein
- Joseph Ber Soloveitchik
- Menachem Mendel Schneerson(Lubavitcher Rebbe)
- Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
- Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov
- Binyomin Paler
- Avigdor Miller
- Elazar Shach
- Naftuli Zvi Halberstam of Bobov
- Henoch Leibowitz
- Elya Svei
- Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz
- Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Mir)
Present
Alphabetically Ordered
- Yaakov Aryeh Alter (Rebbe of Ger)
- Yisroel Belsky
- Yosef Sholom Eliashiv
- Dovid Feinstein
- Reuven Feinstein
- Aharon Feldman
- Avrohom Gurwicz
- Moshe Heinemann
- Fishel Hershkowitz
- Shmuel Kamenetsky
- Chaim Kanievsky
- Nissim Karelitz
- Chaim Dov Keller
- Malkiel Kotler
- Aharon Lichtenstein
- Shlomo Miller
- Yehoshua Neuwirth
- Yaakov Perlow
- Yisroel Avrohom Portugal (Skulener Rebbe)
- Yissachar Dov Rokeach (II) (Belzer Rebbe, Jerusalem)
- Matisyohu Salomon
- Hershel Schachter
- Aharon Schechter
- Aharon Leib Shteinman
- Dovid Soloveitchik
- Yitzchok Sorotzkin
- Adin Steinsaltz (Even Yisrael)
- Mordechai Dovid Unger of Bobov
- Mordechai Willig
- Shmuel Wosner
- Ovadia Yosef
See also
- Gedolim pictures
- Baal Shem
- Chassidei Ashkenaz
- Hasidic Judaism
- Mashgiach ruchani
- Rebbe
- Rosh yeshiva
- Righteous Among the Nations
- Tzadikim Nistarim
References
- ^ a b Kamenetsky, Noson (Nathan) (2005). Making of a Godol—Improved Edition. ISBN 965-90379-2-9.
Categories:- Hebrew words and phrases
- Orthodox rabbinic roles and titles
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