Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld

Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld, founder of BWC

Rabbi Rosenfeld, a leader of Breslov until his passing in 1978, received his Smicha from Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz, recognized leader of Breslov Chassidus in Russia and Jerusalem and from Rabbi Avraham Yoffen, dean of the Bais Yosef yeshiva in Europe and America. His penetrating mind and relentless zeal enabled him to achieve a mastery of all fields of Torah-learning including the Talmud, Shulchan Aruch, Chassidic teachings, and not least, the Kabbala. Not content to be merely a scholar, he used his encyclopedic knowledge and dynamic presence to inspire and encourage great numbers of men and women from all walks of life, through personal contact, classes and by leaving behind a living legacy of over 1000 Torah tapes. In addition his efforts were instrumental for building the Breslov Yeshiva in Jerusalem, the center of World Breslov Chassidus.

Early years

A scion of a Breslov family, the Rosenfelds trace their lineage back to Reb Aharon, the Rav of Breslov and Reb Shmuel Yitzchak, the Rav of Tcherin, both of whom were among the most prominent followers of Rebbe Nachman. Born in Gydinia, Poland in 1922, Reb Zvi Aryeh was stricken with diphtheria when he was just six months old. His father, Reb Yisrael Abba, went to the Chofetz Chaim and asked the aged sage to alter the baby's name (customarily done for someone seriously ill). The name Benzion was added.

The family arrived in the United States in 1924. Growing up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Reb Zvi Aryeh attended the Rabbi Chaim Berlin School and then Yeshivah Torah Vodaat High School. Afterwards he studied under the world renowned Rabbi Avraham Yafen, in the Navardi -- Beis Yosef Yeshivah. At age twenty-three, after completing the entire Talmud for the second time along with his many other studies, Reb Zvi Aryeh was ordained as a rabbi (given smichah).

Assuming responsibility for some of his father's charitable obligations, after the latter's passing in 1947, Reb Zvi Aryeh began corresponding with Reb Avraham Sternhartz in Jerusalem. Make his first of over fifty trips to the Holy Land in 1949, he met with Reb Avraham, who instilled in Reb Zvi Aryeh the burning need to spread Rebbe Nachman's teachings in America. This became his life's mission, and for thirty years Reb Zvi Aryeh was a pioneer in the baal teshuvah movement in the United States -- all the while introducing more and more people to Rebbe Nachman's teachings. He encountered angry parents, threats to his life and family, and was even made to face charges for kidnapping (see Rabbi Nachman's Stories #12). Yet, he continued to be active in different aspects of the world Breslov scene today.

Lessons and lectures

Forever giving lessons and lectures, Reb Zvi Aryeh loved to share his vast knowledge of the Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, Kabbalah and Rabbi Nachman's teachings in classes attended by Sefardim and Ashkenazim alike.

He also excelled in worldly wisdom and was able to dispense sound advice in financial matters. Yet, materially he himself lived a very meager existence, with only a teacher's salary to support himself and his family.

Aside from the time he spent teaching in school and lecturing on Rebbe Nachman, Reb Zvi Aryeh devoted himself to collecting funds to build the Breslov Yeshivah in Jerusalem. Exhorted by Reb Avraham Sternhartz and encouraged by Reb Eliyahu Chaim Rosen, he raised most of the construction costs. When the building was finished, he continued to raise funds to publish Rebbe Nachman's works in Hebrew. He also pioneered the translation of Rebbe Nachman's teachings into English. This began with Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, which Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan translated at Reb Zvi Aryeh's behest. Actually, Reb Zvi Aryeh himself edited the book.

Immense love for the Holy Land

Reb Zvi Aryeh also raised and distributed funds for he needy Breslover families in Israel. He had an immense love for the Holy Land and wished to settle there himself. The one thing which always held him back was the new students that kept joining his classes each year. He once decided that should a whole year go by without a new student being attracted, he'd move to Jerusalem. Stricken with cancer at age 56, he finally moved to Jerusalem in the summer of 1978, thereby giving himself a few months to prepare for his passing.

Even when he became bed-ridden and extremely weak, his students would study the Talmud and Zohar at his bedside, with Reb Zvi Aryeh following the discourse and interjecting points from time to time. A father figure to his students, many of them came to Israel for a few days just to spend one last time with him. For as long as it was possible, he continued reciting the Tikkun HaKlali, often with the assistance of one of his students. Reb Zvi Aryeh left a legacy which includes thousands of hours of taped classes and lectures, all of which give insight into Rebbe Nachman's teachings as the relate to all aspects of Torah.

The 11th of Kislev is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld z"l. He brought many to the teachings of Rabbeinu Zal. He enriched every mitzva and every nuance of kedusha with down-to-earth excitement, total faith and bitachon. We are sincerely grateful for a rabbi who was one-stop source for amazing ruchnious and gashmious advice. So many years after his passing we still feel a deep void. ^[1]

These tapes may be obtained from Breslov Tapes, Inc.

Teaching tapes

Memorial for Rabbi Rosenfeld January 7, 1979

Prophets Series

Prophets Series (beginner or medium) Order NACH #1-27

Joshua (1 tape series)

The Book of Joshua - Joshua 1

Judges (3 tape series)

Samuel 1 (3 tape series)

Samuel 2 (3 tape series)

Kings 1 (5 tape series)

Kings 2 (7 tape series)

Job (2 tape series)

Daniel (3 tape series)

Eyn Yaacov

Eyn Yaacov(medium difficulty, no knowledge of Hebrew required)

Shabbos (9 tape series) Order EY-SH #1-9

Eruvin (2 tape series) Order EY-ER #1-2

Pesachim (5 tape series) Order EY-PE #1-5

Yoma (5 tape series) Order EY-YO #1-5

Succah (3 tape series) Oder EY-SU #1-3

Rosh Hashanah (4 tape series) Order EY-RH #1-4

Megillah (4 tape series) Order EY-ME #1-2

Taanis (6 tape series) Order EY-TA #1-6

Moed Katan (2 tape series) Order EY-MK #1-2

Chagiga (3 tape series) Order EY-CH #1-3

Yerushalmi Shekalim (1 tape series) Order EY-YS #1

Eyn Yaacov - Yerushalmi Shekalim #1, Perek 5

Yevamos (5 tape series) Order EY-YE #1-5

Kesubos (7 tape series) Order EY-KE #1-7

Nedarim (3 tape series) Order EY-NE #1-3

Gitin (5 tape series) Order EY-GI #1-5

Sotah (10 tape series) Order EY-SO #1-10

Kiddushin (5 tape series) Order EY-KI #1-5

Bava Kamma (5 tape series) Order EY-BK #1-5

Bava Metzia (7 tape series) Order EY-BM #1-7

Bava Basra (14 tape series) Order EY-BB #1-14

Sanhedrin (39 tape series) Order EY-SA #1-39

Eyn Yaacov, continued. (medium difficulty, no knowledge of Hebrew required) Makos (4 tape series) Order EY-MA #1-4

Shevuos (3 tape series) Order EY-SV #1-3

Edyos Perek (3 tape series) Order EY-EP #1-3

Avodah Zarah (11 tape series) Order EY-AZ #1-11

Horeyos (2 tape series) Order EY-HO #1-2

Rambam Shemoneh Perakim (3 tape series) Order EY-RA #1-3

Avos Derav Nasan (10 tape series) Order EY-AD #1-10

Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom

Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom in English (medium difficulty, no knowledge of Hebrew required) Order RNW-#1-52

Likutey Mohoran

A record of the first regular Likutey Moharan shiur in English (advanced, requires knowledge of Hebrew) Order LM-RR #1-65

Presented by Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld, this series is a simple reading of the Hebrew text with iminediate English translation and minimal explanation. If you are looking to build your Hebrew comprehension of the original text, this series will benefit you.

References

[1] Source: Crossing the Narrow Bridge, © 1989 Breslov Research Institute

[1]

Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld

Contents

Early years

Lessons and lectures

Immense love for the Holy Land

Teaching tapes

Prophets Series

Eyn Yaacov

Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom

Likutey Mohoran

References

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