Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
Grave of Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
TitleKotzker Rebbe
Personal
Born
Menachem Mendl Morgensztern

1787
Goray, Poland
Died27 January 1859 (22 Shvat 5619)
ReligionJudaism
SpouseGlike Nay, Chaya Lipszuc
ChildrenDovid Morgensztern
Sara Cyna
Brucha
Binyomin
Moshe Yeruchom
Parents
  • Leybush Morgenstern (father)
  • Elka (mother)
Jewish leader
Predecessor(first rebbe)
SuccessorDovid Morgensztern
Yitzchak Meir Alter
Began1827
Ended1859
DynastyKotzk

Menachem Mendel Morgensztern of Kotzk (Kock, Poland), better known as the Kotzker Rebbe and the Kotzker (1787–1859) was a Hasidic rabbi and leader.

Life

Born to a non-Hasidic family in Goraj near Lublin, Poland, he became attracted to Hasidic philosophy in his youth. He was known for having acquired impressive Talmudic and Kabbalistic knowledge at an early age. He was a student of Reb Bunim of Peshischa, and upon the latter's death attracted many of his followers. Morgensztern was well known for his incisive and down-to-earth philosophies, and sharp-witted sayings. He appears to have had little patience for false piety or stupidity.

From 1839 he lived in seclusion for the last twenty years of his life.[1]

Students and legacy

The Kotzker Rebbe never published any works. He wrote many manuscripts, but he had them all burned before his death. Several collections of his sayings have been published, most notably Emes VeEmunah (Truth and Faith).

The Kotzker Rebbe's disciple Rabbi Avrohom Bornsztain, author of Avnei Nezer and first Sochatchover Rebbe, was his son-in-law, having married Sara Tzina Morgenstern.

The Kotzker Rebbe is considered to be the spiritual founder upon which the Ger dynasty in Poland is based, through the teachings of its founder and the first Rebbe Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, known for his work as the Chidushei Harim, who was a preeminent disciple of the Kotzker Rebbe and his brother in law through his second wife.

One of his major students was Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica.

Dynasty

Main article: Kotsk (Hasidic dynasty)

Some of the Kotzker's sayings

See also

https://kotzk.com/

References

  1. ^ Joseph Fox (1988). "IX". Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk : a biographical study of the chasidic master (PDF). Brooklyn, N.Y: Bash Publications. ISBN 0-932351-21-2. OCLC 18599344.
  2. ^ a b Simcha Raz; Edward Levin (1995). The sayings of Menahem Mendel of Kotsk. Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson. p. 10. ISBN 1-56821-297-6. OCLC 30734940.
  3. ^ "Can Love Overcome Resentment? - Guest Columnists - Parshah". Retrieved 20 December 2023.

5. https://kotzk.com/ "Exploring Kotzk" by Avrohom Meir (Mitchell) Morgenstern

Sources