Shlomo Polachek
Encyclopedia
Shlomo Polachek was born in Sinichinitz, near Meitchet, Grodna
. He was an important Talmud
ic scholar and one of the earliest rosh yeshiva
s in America.
He entered the Volozhin yeshiva
when he was only twelve years old, and remained there until its close in the winter of 1892. He then went to learn with his mentor, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik
, in Brisk
for the next four years. It was Rav Chaim that referred to him as the "Meitscheter Illui
" ("[Talmudic] genius [from] Meitchet"). Chaim Soloveitchik commented that in all his life, he had never come upon a genius of the measure of the Meitscheter.
Polachek went on to become the rosh yeshiva
in yeshivas in Lida
and Białystok. At the invitation of Dov Revel, Polachek arrived in America in 1922 to become a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
(RIETS) the rabbinical school of Yeshiva University
and its Yeshiva College, America's first yeshiva
. He taught at RIETS for six years until his sudden passing in 1928
's Judaism's Encounter with American Sports (Indiana University
Press), Polachek is described as:
Following the sudden passing of Polachek in 1928, Shimon Shkop
was persuaded to replace him for a short period of time. His children, such as his daughter Rebbetzin
Libby Moshowitz, married to Rabbi Dr. Israel Mowshowitz, and two sons, one who received a PHd and one who became a doctor were notable in their own right.
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
. He was an important Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic scholar and one of the earliest 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 in America.
He entered the Volozhin yeshiva
Volozhin yeshiva
The Volozhin Yeshiva, also known as Etz Chaim Yeshiva, was a prestigious Lithuanian yeshiva located in the town of Volozhin, Russia, . It was founded by Rabbi Chaim Itzkovitz, a student of the famed Vilna Gaon, and trained several generations of scholars, rabbis, and leaders...
when he was only twelve years old, and remained there until its close in the winter of 1892. He then went to learn with his mentor, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik
Chaim Soloveitchik
Chaim Soloveitchik , also known as Reb Chaim Brisker, was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the popular Brisker approach to Talmudic study within Judaism. He was born in Volozhin in 1853, where his father, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik served as a lecturer in the famous...
, in Brisk
Brisk yeshivas and methods
The Soloveitchik dynasty of rabbinic scholars and their students originated the Brisker method of Talmudic study, which is embraced by their followers in the Brisk yeshivas. It is so called because of the Soloveitchiks' origin in the town of Brisk, or Brest-Litovsk, located in what is now Belarus...
for the next four years. It was Rav Chaim that referred to him as the "Meitscheter Illui
Illui
Illui is a noun derived from the Hebrew and Yiddish, meaning a young Torah and Talmudic prodigy or genius....
" ("[Talmudic] genius [from] Meitchet"). Chaim Soloveitchik commented that in all his life, he had never come upon a genius of the measure of the Meitscheter.
Polachek went on to become 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...
in yeshivas in Lida
Lida
Lida is a city in western Belarus in Hrodna Voblast, situated 160 km west of Minsk. It is the fourteenth largest city in Belarus.- Etymology :...
and Białystok. At the invitation of Dov Revel, Polachek arrived in America in 1922 to become a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary , or Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University, located in Washington Heights, New York. It is named after Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor, who died the year it was founded, 1896...
(RIETS) the rabbinical school of Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
and its Yeshiva College, America's first 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...
. He taught at RIETS for six years until his sudden passing in 1928
Views
Polachek held some broad-minded views relative to some of his contemporaries. For example, in Jeffrey S. GurockJeffrey S. Gurock
Jeffrey S. Gurock is Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University. He has written over a dozen books in the field of American Jewish History and also served as associate editor to American Jewish History, the most important journal in that field...
's Judaism's Encounter with American Sports (Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
Press), Polachek is described as:
- ...Polachek was silent on the importance of gyms and teams within the school [Yeshiva University]. But reportedly he did harbor a positive view of yeshivas encouraging students physical fitness. It was a MaimonideanMaimonidesMoses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
-style point of view that [Bernard] Revel could have counted upon if he were ever challenged about what was going on in his Torah school..."
Following the sudden passing of Polachek in 1928, Shimon Shkop
Shimon Shkop
Shimon Yehuda Hakohen Shkop was a rosh yeshiva in the Yeshiva Shaar Hatorah and in the Telshe yeshiva and a renowned Talmudic scholar. He was born in Torez in 1860. At the age of twelve he went to study in the Mir yeshiva, and at fifteen he went to Volozhin yeshiva where he studied six years...
was persuaded to replace him for a short period of time. His children, such as his daughter Rebbetzin
Rebbetzin
Rebbitzin or Rabbanit is the title used for the wife of a rabbi, typically from the Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic Jewish groups...
Libby Moshowitz, married to Rabbi Dr. Israel Mowshowitz, and two sons, one who received a PHd and one who became a doctor were notable in their own right.
See also
- Brisk yeshivas and methodsBrisk yeshivas and methodsThe Soloveitchik dynasty of rabbinic scholars and their students originated the Brisker method of Talmudic study, which is embraced by their followers in the Brisk yeshivas. It is so called because of the Soloveitchiks' origin in the town of Brisk, or Brest-Litovsk, located in what is now Belarus...
- Yitzchak Elchanan SpektorYitzchak Elchanan SpektorYitzchak Elchanan Spektor was a Russian rabbi, Posek and Talmudic sage of the 19th century.- Early struggles :...
(Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Spector, for whom RIETS is named)