VIZHNITZ

VIZHNITZ , ?asidic dynasty, founded by menahem mendel ben ?ayyim hager (1830–1884). After the death of his father, the ?addik of Kosov (1854), Menahem Mendel began to lead the community of Vizhnitz (Vizhnitsa) where he also served as av bet din. He became famous as a miracle worker and a distributor of amulets. He headed *Kolel Vizhnitz and Maramuresh, a fund for the poor in Ere? Israel. He also attempted to settle the dispute between R. ?ayyim *Halberstam of Zanz (Sandz) and the sons of R. Israel of *Ruzhin. His book ?ema? ?addik (1885) was written in the spirit of ?asidic Kabbalah.

His oldest son baruch (1845–1893) served as a ?asidic rabbi in Vizhnitz for eight years, and gathered around him many ?asidim. A collection of his writings was published as Imrei Barukh (1912). Seven of his nine sons and three of his sons-in-law were ?asidic rabbis, a fact which contributed to divisions among the ?asidim and gave rise to controversy. He was succeeded by his son israel (1860–1938). R. Israel was very popular and had thousands of ?asidic followers. He founded a big yeshivah called Bet Israel and moved to Grosswardein (Hung. Nagyvarad) which became a center of ?asidism in Hungary. His publications include Ahavat Yisrael (1943) and Or Yisrael (1938). Other sons of R. Baruch with many followers included ?ayyim of itinia (1864–1935) and phinehas of borsa (d. 1941). The successors of the Vizhnitz dynasty in Bene-Berak, Israel, the sons of R. Israel, include: ?ayyim (1881–1979); whose teachings are in Kunteres ha-Likkutim (1949); eliezer (1889–1946), author of Dammesek Eliezer (1949); and baruch, of Siret-Vizhnitz (1895–1972). The ?addikim of Vizhnitz were active in spreading Torah learning; in Israel they established yeshivot and housing for their ?asidim.

bibliography:

H. Cahana, Even Shetiyyah (1930); Y.H. Schwartz, Evel Yisrael (1936); M.A.H. Horowitz, Zikhron Yisrael (1937); I. Alfasi, Tiferet she-be-Malkhut (1961).

[Avraham Rubinstein]