Mordechai Hager (14 July 1922 (18 Tammuz 5682) – 16 March 2018 (29

Adar Adar (Hebrew: , ; from Akkadian ''adaru'') is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. It is a month of 29 days. ...

5778), ; ) was the

rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

(hereditary rabbinic leader) of the

Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...

sect of Vizhnitz for 46 years.

Biography

Early life

He was born in Grossverdein to Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager, later the Vizhnitz

, and Margalia, the daughter of Rabbi Ze'ev Twersky, the

Admor A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. 3 ...

of Rachmastrivka. His grandfather was the rebbe

Yisroel Hager Israel () is a Hebrew-language masculine given name. According to the Book of Genesis, the name was bestowed upon Jacob after the incident in which Jacob wrestling with the angel, he wrestled with the angel ( and 35:10). The given name is already ...

. At the age of 18 Hager briefly studied in the

yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...

of Yoel Teitelbaum, the

Satmar Satmar (; ) is a group in Hasidic Judaism founded in 1905 by Grand Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), in the city of Szatmárnémeti (also called Szatmár in the 1890s), Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary (now Satu Mare in Romania). The group is a b ...

rebbe. He also studied in

Pupa A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...

under the Pupa rebbe

Yosef Greenwald Yosef Greenwald (; 1903 – Brooklyn 1984) was the second Rebbe of the Pupa Hasidic dynasty. Before World War II he was a rabbi and rosh yeshiva in Pápa, Hungary. Greenwald was the son of Yaakov Yechezkiah Greenwald of Pupa and the grandson o ...

. He married Figa Malka, the daughter of

Yakov Yosef Twersky Rabbi Yakov Yosef Twersky (June 23, 1899 – March 31, 1968) was the Grand Rabbi and spiritual leader of the village of New Square, New York, and of Skverer Hasidism worldwide. Biography Born in Ukraine, Twersky was a Holocaust survivor. In 1 ...

, the Skverer rebbe. After she died without children, he married her younger sister Sima Mirel and together they had 14 children, 8 sons and 6 daughters.

After World War II

In 1948, he arrived in the United States with his father-in-law and began serving as a rabbi of Vizhnitz Hassidim in

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordered by Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant to the south; Bushwick and East Williamsburg to the east; and the East River to the west. It was an independe ...

. He settled in

Monsey, New York Monsey (, ) is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States, north of Airmont, east of Viola, south of New Hempstead, and west of Spring Valley. The village of Kaser is surrounded by ...

. After his father's death in 1972, his two sons were appointed as rebbes of Vizhnitz as well, Moshe Yehoshua Hager in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, and Mordechai in the United States. He established the Kaser village in Monsey in 1990 so it could build denser housing. He met with US President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

together with rabbis Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov and Moshe Teitelbaum of Satmar. At the time of his death, he was the oldest Hasidic rabbi in the world. He had about 30,000 followers internationally. During the last months of his life he was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, where he died on March 16, 2018 (29 Adar 5778). Tens of thousands attended his funeral. He was buried beside his son in a grave in the Vizhnitz cemetery in Monsey .

Views

He had a

world view A worldview (also world-view) or is said to be the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the whole of the individual's or society's knowledge, culture, and point of view. However, when two parties view the s ...

similar to that of his grandfather,

(''Ahavat Yisrael''). During Seudah shlishit, he used to protest against loopholes in religion. For example, he ordered his followers not to

carry Carry or carrying may refer to: People *Carry (name) Finance * Carried interest (or carry), the share of profits in an investment fund paid to the fund manager * Carry (investment), a financial term: the carry of an asset is the gain or cost of ...

Shabbos Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stories describing the cre ...

in Boro Park and

Williamsburg Williamsburg may refer to: Places *Colonial Williamsburg, a living-history museum and private foundation in Virginia *Williamsburg, Brooklyn, neighborhood in New York City *Williamsburg, former name of Kernville (former town), California *Williams ...

, although the local Eiruv was approved by some of the city's rabbis. He objected to eating ice cream at the end of the meal, due to

halakhic ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is based on biblical commandments (''mitzv ...

doubts regarding the laws of the brokhoys before enjoyment and also for the purpose of celibacy of the pleasures of this world which he believed to be worthy of the "servant of God". He objected to being photographed, and even appealed to the editorial offices of the

ultra-orthodox Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...

newspapers not to publish his pictures. In addition to keeping a

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

diet, he was a

pescatarian Pescetarianism ( ; sometimes spelled pescatarianism) is a dietary practice in which seafood is the only source of meat in an otherwise vegetarian diet. The inclusion of other animal products, such as eggs and dairy, is optional. According to res ...

and ovo-lacto-vegetarian for undisclosed reasons. Furthermore, he did not encourage his followers to emulate his pescatarian and ovo-lacto-vegetarian lifestyle.

Family

His wife died about a decade before him. After his death, his seven sons and one grandson (eldest son of his eldest son who had died before him) were appointed to succeed him as rabbis in their respective communities. * Rabbi Pinchas Shalom (died 17

Sivan ''Sivan'' (, from Akkadian ''simānu'', meaning "season; time") is the ninth month of the civil year and the third month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 30 days. ''Sivan'' usually falls in May–June on the Grego ...

5775 (2015) at age 67), rabbi of Torat Chaim Vizhnitz in Boro Park, was married to Zisel Reizel, daughter of Rebbe Shmuel Zvi Horowitz of Spinka. ** Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Hager, eldest son of Rabbi Pinchas Shalom, succeeded Rabbi Pinchas Shalom as Rabbi of Vizhnitz in Boro Park, and after Rabbi Mordechai's death, was appointed Rebbe of Vizhnitz in Boro Park. He is married to his cousin, daughter of Rabbi Avraham Dov Twersky, rabbi of the Rachmstrivika community in Monsey. * Zippora, married to Rabbi Avraham Dov Twersky, rabbi of the Rachmastrivka congregation in Monsey, son of Rabbi Yochanan, Rebbe of Rachmastrivka. *Rabbi Yisroel, is Rabbi Mordechai's main successor as Rebbe of Vizhnitz in Monsey. Married to Miriam, daughter of Rabbi Eluzer Meisels of Uhel. he objects being photographed just like his father * Malka Chana Rachel, married to Rabbi Israel Eliezer Fish, the Admor of Bixad in

* Rabbi Menachem Mendel, Admor of Kiamesha Lake in the

Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province and subrange of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined a ...

. Previously served as rabbi of the local community of Torat Chaim Vizhnitz, which has about 150 families. He objects to being photographed and considered sharp and has separatist views as his father. Married to his cousin Feiga Shifra, daughter of Rabbi Chai Yitzchak Twersky, the Admor of Rachmastrivka, United States. * Rabbi Yitzchak Yohanan, Admor of Vizhnitz in

, previously served as Rabbi of the local community of Vizhnitz. Married to Chaya Mindel, daughter of Rabbi Moshe of Kiviashd. * Hinda, married to Rabbi Yossef Benzion Rotenberg, the Admor of Koson in Boro Park. * Rabbi Eliezer Ze'ev Hager, was crowned Admor of Vizhnitz in

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 ...

, but lives in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Previously served as rabbi of "Torat Chaim Vizhnitz" on Adoniyahu HaCohen Street in Jerusalem. A medical activist and rabbi of a Beit Midrash of the Chassidus in Boro Park. Son-in-law of Rabbi David Twersky, Admor of Skwere in Boro Park. (His son is Isaac Hager.) * Rabbi David Hager, Admor of Vizhnitz in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. He serves as the Rebbe of Khal Imrei Chaim D'chasidai Viznitz London and the local Vizhnitz community which consists of around 270 families. Married to Chana Miriam, daughter of Rabbi Moshe Taub of Kalov, United States. Like his father-in-law, he is engaged in

Orthodox Judaism outreach Orthodox Jewish outreach, often referred to as ''Kiruv'' or ''Qiruv'' ( "bringing close"), is the collective work or movement of Orthodox Judaism that reaches out to non-Orthodox or non-observant Jews to encourage belief in God and life accor ...

* Rabbi Aharon, Admor of Vizhnitz in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. Formerly served as rabbi of the local "Ahavat Yisrael Vizhnitz" congregation. Married to Sarah, daughter of Rabbi Naftali Aryeh Taub of Kaliv, United States. * Chava Reizel, married to her cousin Rabbi Aharon Menachem Mendel Twersky, son of Rabbi David Twersky, Admor of Skvira. * Rabbi Baruch Shamshon, Admor of Vizhnitz in

Beit Shemesh Beit Shemesh () is a city council (Israel), city located approximately west of Jerusalem in Israel's Jerusalem District. A center of Haredi Judaism and Modern Orthodoxy, Beit Shemesh has a population of 170,683 as of 2024. The city is named afte ...

and

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 ...

and Rabbi Mordechai's main successor in

. Previously served as rabbi of the Vizhnitz community in Beit Shemesh and Rabbi of the Beit Midrash of the Chassidus on Rabbi Meltzer Street in Bnei Brak. Married to Miriam, the daughter of his cousin Rabbi

, Admor of Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. * Golda, married to Rabbi Yitzchak Yechiel Mechl Moskowitz, rabbi of the Shotz community in Monsey, son of Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Shotz in Williamsburg. * Bracha, married to Nachman Yosef Twersky, son of Rabbi Ze'ev Twersky (head of Yeshivat Maor Einayim and son of Rabbi Yohanan of Rachmastrivka).

Notes

References

External links

*
Second Vizhnitz Rebbe Falls Ill
. ''

Israel National News ''Arutz Sheva'' (), also known in English as ''Israel National News'', is an Israeli media network identifying with religious Zionism. It offers online news articles in Hebrew, English, and Russian as well as live streaming radio, video and fr ...

''. 20 March 2012. *
Clouds of Faith
". ''

Mishpacha ''Mishpacha'' () - Jewish Family Weekly is a Haredi weekly magazine package produced by The Mishpacha Group in both English and Hebrew. History ''Mishpacha'' is one of the four major English-language newspapers and magazines serving the Hared ...

''. October 13, 2016. *
Mourners say final farewell to grand rabbi in Monsey

שיחת קודש - מאדמו"ר מוויזשניץ זצ"ל, על רבוה"ק מ'בעלזא , Naftali Reichman
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hager, Mordechai Rabbis from New York City American Hasidic rabbis Hasidic rebbes Rebbes of Vizhnitz 1922 births 2018 deaths People from Williamsburg, Brooklyn Religious leaders from Brooklyn People from Borough Park, Brooklyn People from Monsey, New York People from Oradea 20th-century Romanian rabbis