Mashgiach ruchani
Encyclopedia
Mashgiach ruchani or mashgiach for short, means a spiritual supervisor or guide. It is a title which usually refers to a rabbi
who has an official position within a yeshiva
and is responsible for the non-academic areas of yeshiva students' lives.
The position of mashgiach ruchani arose with the establishment of the modern "Lithuanian
-style" mussar yeshivas
.
The role of the mashgiach ruchani was strongest in the era prior to World War II, when often the mashgiach was responsible for maintaining the yeshiva financially, recruiting and interviewing new students, and hiring staff, something akin to an academic "dean
". After the Holocaust
, the influence and position of the mashgiach decreased, and the roles of the rosh yeshiva
s have grown at the expense of those of the mashgiachim. A modern mashgiach is somewhat equivalent to the secular "counselor" position.
The need for having a mashgiach within the modern yeshivas was tied in with the rise of the modern mussar movement
(teaching of Jewish ethics), inspired by Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter, (1810-1883), and was seen as necessary because yeshiva students faced greater pressures and problems from the world outside of their yeshiva studies.
Some yeshivas may refer to a mashgiach ruchani as a menahel ruchani (the word "menahel" means "principal, as in the principal of a school, or "supervisor.")
Chabad
yeshivas have a similar position referred to as mashpia
, meaning a person who provides (spiritual) influence.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
who has an official position within a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
and is responsible for the non-academic areas of yeshiva students' lives.
The position of mashgiach ruchani arose with the establishment of the modern "Lithuanian
Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks are Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:...
-style" mussar yeshivas
Mussar movement
The Musar movement is a Jewish ethical, educational and cultural movement that developed in 19th century Eastern Europe, particularly among Orthodox Lithuanian Jews. The Hebrew term Musar , is from the book of Proverbs 1:2 meaning instruction, discipline, or conduct...
.
The role of the mashgiach ruchani was strongest in the era prior to World War II, when often the mashgiach was responsible for maintaining the yeshiva financially, recruiting and interviewing new students, and hiring staff, something akin to an academic "dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
". After the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
, the influence and position of the mashgiach decreased, and the roles of the rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
s have grown at the expense of those of the mashgiachim. A modern mashgiach is somewhat equivalent to the secular "counselor" position.
The need for having a mashgiach within the modern yeshivas was tied in with the rise of the modern mussar movement
Mussar movement
The Musar movement is a Jewish ethical, educational and cultural movement that developed in 19th century Eastern Europe, particularly among Orthodox Lithuanian Jews. The Hebrew term Musar , is from the book of Proverbs 1:2 meaning instruction, discipline, or conduct...
(teaching of Jewish ethics), inspired by Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter, (1810-1883), and was seen as necessary because yeshiva students faced greater pressures and problems from the world outside of their yeshiva studies.
Some yeshivas may refer to a mashgiach ruchani as a menahel ruchani (the word "menahel" means "principal, as in the principal of a school, or "supervisor.")
Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
yeshivas have a similar position referred to as mashpia
Mashpia
Mashpia lit. "person of influence", pl. Mashpi'im is the title of a rabbi or rebbetzin who serves as a spiritual mentor in Tomchei Temimim , in a girls' seminary belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, or in a Chabad community.-Definition:Although counterparts to the mashpia exist in...
, meaning a person who provides (spiritual) influence.
Famous mashgichim
- Yehuda Leib Chasman, mashgiach ruchani of the Hebron Yeshiva, Israel
- Eliyahu Eliezer DesslerEliyahu Eliezer DesslerEliyahu Eliezer Dessler was an Orthodox rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and Jewish philosopher of the 20th century. He is known as mashgiach ruchani of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Israel and through collections of his writings published posthumously by his pupils.-Lithuania:Eliyahu Dessler Eliyahu Eliezer...
(1892-1953), mashgiach ruchani of the Ponevezh yeshivaPonevezh yeshivaPonevezh Yeshiva, often pronounced Ponevitch Yeshiva, is a world renowned yeshiva located in Bnei Brak, Israel. Donated by Henry Krausher, it was originally established in the town of Panevėžys, Lithuania...
in Bnei Brak, Israel - Binyamin Finkel, mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivas Mishkan Yisrael, Jerusalem
- Yechezkel LevensteinYechezkel LevensteinYechezkel Levenstein, known as Reb Chatzkel, , was the mashgiach ruchani of the Mir yeshiva, in Mir, Belarus and during the yeshiva's flight to Lithuania and on to Shanghai due to the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in World War II...
(1895-1974), mashgiach ruchani of Mir yeshiva, Poland - Yeruchom Levovitz (1873-1976), mashgiach ruchani of the Mir yeshiva, Poland
- Moshe RosensteinMoshe RosensteinMoshe ben Chaim Rosenstein was born in Užventis, Lithuania in 1880 and died on 10 April 1941 .He studied in the Telzer Yeshiva in Lithuania initially under Eliezer Gordon and Shimon Shkop, and later at the Kelme Talmud Torah in Lithuania, where he was a pupil of Simcha Zissel Ziv , Rabbi Nochum Zev...
(1880-1941), mashgiach ruchani of the Lomza yeshiva, Poland - Don Segal
- Matisyahu SalomonMatisyahu SalomonMatisyahu Salomon is a rabbi and public speaker. He serves as the mashgiach ruchani of the Beth Medrash Govoha Yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, US. He is a lecturer on topics relating to Jewish religious growth and communal issues in the yeshiva world....
, mashgiach ruchani of Gateshead YeshivaGateshead Talmudical CollegeGateshead Talmudical College , popularly known as Gateshead Yeshiva, is located in the town of Gateshead in England. It is the largest yeshiva in Europe and considered to be one of the most prestigious advanced yeshivas in the Orthodox world. The student body currently numbers 350...
and later, Beth Medrash GovohaBeth Medrash GovohaBeth Medrash Govoha is a Haredi yeshiva located in Lakewood Township, New Jersey. It is commonly known as BMG, or Lakewood Yeshiva....
(the Lakewood Yeshiva) - Nosson Meir WachtfogelNosson Meir WachtfogelNosson Meir Wachtfogel , known as the Lakewood Mashgiach, was an Orthodox rabbi and long-time mashgiach ruchani of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey...
(1910-1998), mashgiach ruchani of Beth Medrash Govoha (the Lakewood Yeshiva) from 1941-1998 - Shlomo WolbeShlomo WolbeRabbi Shlomo Wolbe was a Haredi rabbi born in Berlin and died in Jerusalem. He is best known as the author of Alei Shur , a work of musar literature discussing personal growth as it pertains to students of the Talmud.-Life and teaching positions:Shlomo Wolbe was raised in an irreligious Jewish...
(1914-2005) - Dov Yaffe, mashgiach ruchani of Knesses ChizkiyahuKnesses ChizkiyahuKnesses Chizkiyahu was one of the first Lithuanian yeshivas founded after the establishment of the State of Israel and one of the first Torah institutions in the northern part of the country...