Yaakov Kamenetsky (February 28, 1891 – March 10, 1986), was a prominent
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
,
rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...
, ''
posek
In Jewish law, a ''posek'' ( , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the application of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah, in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities are incon ...
'' and
Talmudist
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
in the post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
American Jewish community.
Biography
Yaakov Kamenetsky was born at a
folwark
''Folwark'' is a Polish word derived from the German ''Vorwerk''. A Folwark or Vorwerk is an agricultural estate or a separate branch operation of such an estate, historically a serfdom-based farm and agricultural enterprise (a type of latif ...
called
Kalyskovka owned by his grandfather Samuel-Hirsh Kamenetsky,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, in 1891. Shortly afterwards his family moved to the village of
Dolhinov where he grew up. He studied in
Minsk
Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
and then for 21 years in
Slabodka yeshiva under Rabbi
Nosson Tzvi Finkel. It was there that he met his lifelong friend Rabbi
Aharon Kotler, who later founded the
Lakewood yeshiva. His younger cousin, Rabbi
Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman, also grew up in Dolhinov.
Kamenetsky was appointed rabbi of
Tzitavyan in 1926 and moved to North America in 1937, where he initially took rabbinical positions in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
and then (from 1938 to 1945)
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. From 1948 to 1968 he headed
Mesivta Torah Vodaath in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
. After leaving the yeshiva he moved to
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 ...
, where he focused on publishing his books. Along with Rabbi
Moshe Feinstein
Moshe Feinstein (; Lithuanian pronunciation: ''Moishe Fainshtein''; ; March 3, 1895 – March 23, 1986) was a Russian-born American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, scholar, and ''posek'' (authority on ''halakha''—Jewish law). He has been called ...
, ''Reb Yaakov'' (as he was affectionately called)
[ led American Jewry in issues of halachic and spiritual guidance until 1986, when both men died.
He was renowned as "''Chakima D'Yehudai''", the wise man of the Jews. Aside from his extensive ]Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
scholarship, he was known for his ever-present warm smile and his expertise in Hebrew grammar. He was an advocate for English-language sefarim, even commenting that quality English-language sefarim will be used by Jews in the Messianic era as, like Yiddish in its time, "today English has become a language of Torah."
Family
Kamenetsky's first wife was Itta Ettil (Heller) Kamenetsky,[ who died on July 9, 1954. In 1958, Kamenetsky married Chana Urman of Toronto.] The officiator at Kamenetsky's marriage to Chana was his close friend and colleague, Rabbi Zelik Epstein. Chana died shortly after her husband in 1986.
Kamenetsky's son, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, heads the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and chairs the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. His other sons are: Rabbis Binyamin (1923–2017), founder of the Yeshiva of South Shore in Long Island, NY, Nathan (1930-2019), vice Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...
at Yeshivas Itri, and author of '' Making of a Godol'' on his father, and Avraham (1930–2013). His oldest daughter, Malka (1921–2013), was married to Rabbi Yisrael Shurin (d. 2007). A second daughter, Rivka, was married to Rabbi Hirsch Diskind (1922–2013), the long-time Dean of Bais Yaakov of Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
.Rav Hirsch Diskind zt"l, reprinted from Matzav.com
/ref>
Dozens of his descendants serve in key leadership positions across North America in other countries. They include: Rabbis Mordechai Kamenetzky, Dean of the Yeshiva of South Shore, Shalom Kamenetsky, Rosh Yeshivas Philadelphia, Avraham Kamenetsky, R"M in Yeshivas Beis Yisrael in Jerusalem, Yosef Kamenetsky, Rosh Kollel in Moscow, Zvi Kamenetzky, Dean of the Dwek Ohr HaEmet Sephardic Academy of Toronto, and Yitzchak Shurin, Dean of Midreshet Rachel-Shapell's. His grandson Dov Shurin is a singer-songwriter and musician.
Works
*''Emes leYaakov al HaShas'' ("Truth to Jacob") – a five-volume work with in depth commentary on the Talmud.
*''Emes leYaakov al Shulchan Aruch'' – a volume with commentary and rulings on Shulchan Aruch, The Jewish Code of Law
*''Emes leYaakov'' (Formerly known as Iyunim BaMikra) – a two volume commentary on Torah and Prophets, which includes grammatical observations on the Hebrew of the Bible ( dikduk).
See also
* '' Reb Yaakov: The Life and Times of HaGaon Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky''
References
External links
Biography Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamenecki, Jacob
1891 births
1986 deaths
20th-century Lithuanian rabbis
Haredi rabbis in Europe
Canadian Haredi rabbis
American Haredi rabbis
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
Belarusian Orthodox Jews
Torah Vodaath rosh yeshivas
Slabodka yeshiva alumni
20th-century American rabbis
Haredi poskim