Kotzk (

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

: קאצק) is a

Hasidic dynasty A Hasidic dynasty or Chassidic dynasty is a dynasty led by Hasidic Jewish spiritual leaders known as rebbes, and usually has some or all of the following characteristics: * Each leader of the dynasty is referred to as an ''ADMOR'' (abbreviation ...

originating from the city of

Kock Kock is a town in eastern Poland, about north of Lublin and south-east of Warsaw. It lies in Lublin Voivodeship, in Lubartów County. It is the capital of the administrative district Gmina Kock. Historically Kock belongs to the Polish province o ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, where it was founded by Menachem Mendel Morgenstern (1787–1859). Kotzk is a branch of Peshischa Hasidism, as Menachem Mendel Morgenstern was the leading disciple of

Simcha Bunim of Peshischa Simcha Bunim Bonhardt of Peshischa (, ; – 4 September 1827) also known as the Rebbe Reb Bunim was the second Grand Rabbi of Peshischa ( Przysucha, Poland) as well as one of the key leaders of Hasidic Judaism in Poland. The main disciple of ...

(1765–1827). Following Simcha Bunim's death he led the divided Peschischa community, which he eventually incorporated into his own Hasidic dynasty. Kotzk follows a

Hasidic philosophy Hasidic philosophy or Hasidism (), alternatively transliterated as Hasidut or Chassidus, consists of the teachings of the Hasidic movement, which are the teachings of the Hasidic ''rebbes'', often in the form of commentary on the Torah (the Five ...

known for its critical and rationalistic approach to Hasidism and its intense approach to personal improvement which is based on a process of harsh constructive criticism and total transparency of self. Kotzk is closely connected to other branches of Peshischa Hasidism such as Ger and

Aleksander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are A ...

and is currently based out of

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

History

From roughly 1838–1859, Menachem Mendel Morgenstern lived in seclusion from his followers except for his family (which included at least 3 future Rebbes, his son, Dovid, grandson Chaim Yisrael, and son in law Avraham Bornstein), the future Gerer Rebbe who would become known as the Chidushei HaRim, the Gastainer Rebber and the Vorker Rebbbe. After his death, he had already amassed a large following. His eldest son, Dovid Morgenstern (1809–1893) succeeded him as the Kotzker rebbe, despite minor criticism from his followers who wanted

Yitzchak Meir Alter Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter (, , ) (1799 – 10 March 1866), was the first Rebbe of the Ger Hasidic dynasty, which he founded in the town of Góra Kalwaria (known as "Ger" in Yiddish), Poland. He headed the Kupath Rabbi Meir Baal Haness K ...

(1799–1866) to succeed him as Kotzker rebbe. It was around this time that

Avrohom Bornsztain Avrohom Bornsztain (14 October 1838 – 20 February 1910), also spelled Avraham Borenstein or Bernstein, was a leading posek in late-nineteenth-century Europe and founder and first Rebbe of the Sochatchover Hasidic dynasty. He is known as th ...

(1838–1910), a leading disciple of Menachem Mendel Morgenstern founded the Sochatchov Hasidic dynasty based in

Sochaczew Sochaczew () is a town in central Poland, with 33,456 inhabitants (as of 2023). In the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), formerly in Skierniewice Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Sochaczew County and is located approximately west ...

. This alongside the rejected leadership of Yitzchak Meir Alter led to several minor splits amongst the community. Before the Holocaust, Kotzk was of the largest Hasidic groups which number in the tens of thousands. Among the last Kotzker rebbes before the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

, was

Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern of Kotzk-Sokolov (Hebrew: יצחק זליג מורגנשטרן, מסוקולוב, Yiddish: זעליג מארגענשטערן, מסאקאלאוו, of Sokolov; 1866 – 16 October 1939 (3 Cheshvan 5700)) was an Admor and R ...

(1866–1939), the fourth Kotzker rebbe who served as a member of the

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (, "Council of great Torah ages) is the supreme rabbinical policy-making council of the Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah movements in Israel; and of Agudath Israel of America in the United States. Members are usually ...

and his brother Tsvi Hirsh Morgenstern, (1858–1920), Kotzk Lukov Rebbe. During the Holocaust a huge percentage of the community was murdered, including Tsvi Hirsch's successor as Kotzk Lukov Rebbe, his son Joseph Aaron Morgenstern (1891-1942, murdered by Nazis). Following the atrocities of the Holocaust, some of the remaining Hasidim of Kotzk immigrated to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

alongside the sixth and last Kotzker rebbe, David Solomon Morgenstern (1904–1962). After his death, the community split into several fractions, the largest of which was led by Mendel Meir Morgenstern (1921–2013) who was a grandson of Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern and the founder of the Israeli branch of Kotzk based out of

Bnei Brak Bnei Brak ( ) or Bene Beraq, is a city located on the central Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Israeli coastal plain, coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1,752 acre ...

. Descendents of the Kotzk Lukov Rebbe republished/self-published Ateret Zvi, a Torah commentary by Tsvi Hirsh of Lukov, and Joseph Aaron's only Holocaust-surviving son, David J Morgan, (1918–1987) published Truth and Wisdom of Judaism, an English compilation of Torah ethics and Chassidic teachings. David J Morgan's only son, Dr Joseph Morgan, the first in 18 generations to not be a Rabbi, researches and develops drugs, using Kotzker concepts of radical truth-seeking, against chemical war nerve agents and toxins, at www.KotzkerPhfarma.com. David J Morgan documented the deaths of 75 Kotzker relatives in

Yad Vashem Yad Vashem (; ) is Israel's official memorial institution to the victims of Holocaust, the Holocaust known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (). It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the ...

in Jerusalem.

Succession of Kotzk

* Grand Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern (1787–1859), First Kotzker Rebbe. ** Grand Rabbi Dovid Morgenstern (1809–1893), Second Kotzker Rebbe. *** Grand Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Morgenstern (1840–1905), Third Kotzker Rebbe. **** Grand Rabbi

(1866–1940), and his brother Tsvi Hirsh Morganstern (1858–1920) Fourth generation Kotzker Rebbes. ***** Grand Rabbi Jacob Mendel Morgenstern (1887–1939) and Tsvi Hirsh's son Rabbi Joseph Aron Morgenstern (1891–1942) next Rebbe of Kotzk-Lukov, Fifth generation Kotzker Rebbes. ****** Grand Rabbi David Solomon Morgenstern (1904–1962), and David J Morgan (born Yisrael Dovid, 1918–1987, and author of Truth and Wisdom of Judaism) Sixth generation Kotzker Rebbes. ***** Rabbi Moshe Dovid Morgenstern (1892–1937). ****** Grand Rabbi Mendel Meir Morgenstern (1921–2013), Kotzker Rebbe of Bnei Brak. ******* Rabbi Dovid Morgenstern ******* Rabbi Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern ******** Dr Joseph J Morgan (1956–), only son of David J Morgan, continues Kotzker tradition in pharmaceutical innovation.

References

* Kotzk, Rabbi David of compiled and edited by Boruch Gutter (2007). "Sefer Ahavat David Hashalem (Kotzk)" Includes genealogy of descendants. Self-published via Hadaf Printing, NY. * Morgenstern, Tsvi Hirsh (1906), "Ateret Tsvi al Ha-Torah" (with Kuntress Zera Kodesh, a genealogy added when reissued as a self-published work by the Glenner Family of Chicago). * Morgan, David J (1967), "Truth and Wisdom of Judaism" self-published by author in Phila, PA. {{Authority control Hasidic dynasties of Poland Orthodox Judaism in Poland