Nissim Karelitz
Rabbi Shmaryahu Yosef Nissim Karelitz | |
---|---|
![]() Rabbi Nissim Karelitz in 2012 | |
Chairman of theBeis DinTzedekofBnei Brak | |
Member of theVaad Halachaof Maayanei Hayeshua Hospital | |
Personal details | |
Born | July 19, 1926 Kosava,Vilnius province, Poland (now Belarus) |
Died | October 21, 2019 Bnei Brak,Israel |
Spouse | Leah Karelitz (d. 2015) |
Alma mater | Ponevezh Yeshiva |
Occupation | Orthodox Jewish rabbi,posek |
Known for | Chut Shaniseries on Jewish law |
Shmaryahu Yosef Nissim Karelitz(Hebrew:נסים קרליץ;July 19, 1926 – October 21, 2019)[1][2]was anOrthodox Jewishrabbi andposekwho served as the chairman of thebeis dintzedek(rabbinical court) ofBnei Brak.
Biography
[edit]Karelitz was born in 1926 inKosava(Kossov),Vilniusprovince, Poland, presently inBelarus.He came to Israel in 1935 with his parents.
Karelitz was a nephew of RabbiAvrohom Yeshaya Karelitz,known as theChazon Ish.(The latter's sister was Karelitz's mother).[2]TheChazon Ishwas a previous rabbinical spiritual leader ofBnei Brak.From the time of theChazon Ishuntil Karelitz it was RavElazar Shachwho was regarded as the pre-eminent leader.
In his youth, he studied in thePonevezh Yeshiva.He also studied with his uncles, theChazon Ishand theSteipler.His wife Leah (d. 2015) was the daughter of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kopshitz ofJerusalemand the great-granddaughter of RabbiYosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.[2][3]
Karelitz died in Bnei Brak on October 21, 2019. His funeral was attended by tens of thousands,[4]and he was eulogized by RabbiChaim Kanievsky,his first cousin, and by RabbiGershon Edelstein,Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh.
Rabbinic career
[edit]His rabbinical court handled various matters, including financial disputes, marriage conflicts, andconversions.He was also a member of theVaad Halacha(Jewish legal council) of theMaayanei Hayeshua Hospitalof Bnei Brak[5]and theav beis dinof the Bnei Brak neighborhood ofRamat Aharon. Karelitz'sbeit dinin Israel performs conversions on people who are residing illegally in the state of Israel.[6]This means several things: (1) The conversion process goes against Israeli law which gives the state more reason to reject such conversions. (2) The converts, who often live many years illegally in Israel, are eventually forced to leave (deportation, or due to lack of financial means to support oneself).[7]
Published works
[edit]Chut Shani
[edit]- Hilchos Shabbos Vol. 1
- Hilchos Shabbos Vol. 3
- Hilchos Yom Tov
- Hilchos Pesach
- Hilchos Niddah
- Hilchos Ribbis
- Even Ha'ezer Siman 21
- Hilchos Shmita ViYovel Vol. 1-2
References
[edit]- ^"Tens of thousands attend funeral of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, influential figure in Israeli ultra-Orthodox world".Haaretz.
- ^abcFrankfurter, Yitzchok (12 May 2013).Ami(119): 75–76.
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(help) - ^"Rebitzen Leah Karelitz A" H ".Yeshiva World News.22 February 2015.Retrieved24 February2015.
- ^"Tens of thousands attend funeral of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, influential figure in Israeli ultra-Orthodox world".Haaretz.
- ^"Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight - HOME & FAMILY".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-02-07.Retrieved2006-08-04.
- ^Mandel, Jonah (13 January 2011)."Bnei Brak rabbi accused of arranging illicit conversions".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved13 June2019.
- ^"High Court nixes citizenship for 5 foreign nationals who converted outside Rabbinate".The Times of Israel.26 September 2016.Retrieved13 June2019.