Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes

Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes וואלף קיצעס ( _ru. рабби Зеев Волф Кицис ; c.a. 1685 - 12 November, 1788, Poland).

He was the rabbi of the Tulchin (Тульчин) community. Later he moved to Medzhibozh where he, together with Rabbi David Purkes, stood at the head of the group of Chassidim that preceded the Baal Shem Tov. When the Baal Shem Tov arrived in Mezhibuzh, Kitzes and Purkes opposed him, however they later accepted and supported his leadership.

Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes was a student of the Baal Shem Tov. He was the "Baal Tokeah", the one who blows the Shofar, at the beit midrash of the Baal Shem Tov.

Rabbi Yitzchak Michelowitz of Radvil writes that Wolf Kitzes was famous for his piety and meticulous observance of Mizvot, to the extent that "he would even [ritually] immerse a needle". In a book called "Me'ah Shearim", it is mentioned that Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes was very strict about not eating meat that was made kosher with him not being present, even if his rabbi, the Baal Shem Tov was present.

Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes is [http://www.cousinsconnection.com/Pictures/zeev_wolf.htm buried in Medzhibozh] next to the Ba'al Shem Tov.

There are many stories about him in the biography of Baal Shem Tov called "Shivhei ha-Besht (In Praise of the Ba'al Shem Tov)". [http://www.cousinsconnection.com/WolfKitzes.htm Translation of some of these stories are available.]

Some information is known about his children.

Rabbi Nachman Kitzes.

Rabbi Ozer Kitzes.

Rabbi Fyvush Kitzes.

Rabbi Chaim Israel Kitzes.

A daughter married Rabbi Yosef the son of Rabbi David of Mikulov, a student of the Besht. Yehudis married the son of Rabbi David Purkes, a student of the Besht, and Chief Judge in the Medzhibozh Beth Din. A daughter married into a prominent, wealthy family in the city of Iaşi.