Baruch Epstein

Baruch Epstein
Rabbi
Position Menahel
Synagogue Ezras Torah
Yeshiva Volozhin Yeshiva
Successor Rav Henkin
Personal details
Born 1860
Bobruisk, Belarus
Died 1941 (aged 80–81)
Pinsk, Belarus
Nationality Lithuanian
Parents Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein
Profession Bookkeeper

Baruch Epstein or Baruch ha-Levi Epstein (1860–1941) (Hebrew: ברוך הלוי אפשטיין) was a Lithuanian rabbi, best known for his Torah Temimah commentary on the Torah. He was the son of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, rabbi of Novarodok and author of the work Arukh HaShulkhan.

Biography

Epstein grew up in Novarodok, where his father was the communal rabbi, but moved to the city of Pinsk after his marriage (daughter of Rabbi Elazar Moshe Horowitz) and lived there until his death, apart from a period from 1923 to 1926, which he spent in the United States of America looking (unsuccessfully) for a rabbinic position. During this period he served as the first menahel (director) of Ezras Torah from around 1924 until he was succeeded by Rav Henkin around the year 1925.

Although Epstein was a bookkeeper by profession, he had been a student at the Volozhin Yeshiva under his uncle Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (who became his brother-in-law after being widowed and remarrying Epstein's sister). Epstein authored a number of popular and scholarly works which are still used widely.

Works

  • Torah Temimah ("The Perfect Torah", a reference to Psalms 19:8) - a commentary on the Torah and the Five Megillot citing all quotes of a particular verse in the Oral Torah (Talmud or Midrash), and giving textual explanations.
  • Baruch she-Amar ("Praised He Who Spoke", a reference to the opening paragraph of the Verses of Praise, daily morning prayers) - a commentary on the siddur (Jewish prayerbook).
  • Mekor Baruch ("Source of Blessing") - autobiographical work with notes on life in the Volozhin yeshiva and his uncle. Selections were translated as "My Uncle the Netziv" (see below).
  • Tosefet Beracha ("Added Blessing") - novellae on the Torah

References

  • Great Leaders of our People: Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein
  • My Uncle the Netziv, Mesorah Publications Ltd, Brooklyn, New York, 1988. ISBN 0-89906-492-2.
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