Who was the Sambor Rebbe?
As I referred to my grandfather zt”l as the Sambor Rebbe in a posting in another Blog, and one of the posters there questioned as to whether he was properly an Admor, I figured I would put together some information here based on what I know of Sambor. I admit it is not detailed, and if other people who happen across this blog have additional information. I would be happy to see your comments and info.
The first Sambor Rebbe was R’ Urie. He studied chasidus under the Sar Shalom of Belz (R. Shalom Rokeach), and started to develop a group of chassidim after the death of the Sar Shalom. He then studied under R. Avraham ben R. Yehuda Tzvi of Stretin, and was appointed as Rebbe by R. Avraham. He began nesius (in Kamerna) following R.Avraham’s death, and then moved to Sambor (in 5635) on the advice of Reb Avrohom Yaakov of Sadiger (the son of the Rebbe Reb Yisroel of Ruzhin).
One of R’ Urie’s sons was R’ Sholom. He studied with his father, as well as with Reb Avrohom Yaakov of Sadiger. In yechidus with Reb Avrohom Yaakov just prior to Reb Avrohom’s petirah, he has told to accept the Ol HaTzibur and he left Sadiger, and after a few years (on the advice of the Horei Besamim, when he left to accept the position in Stanislav, leaving open the position in Stryj), established as Rebbe in Stryj. In 5684, R’ Sholom traveled to Eretz Yisrael, fell sick and died there.
R’ Sholom had two sons and two daughters (as far as I know). I believe that R’ Sholom’s son, R’ Yeshia Asher, took over his father position in Stryj. Unfortunately, R’ Yeshia Asher and his entire family was killed in the holocaust. The second son, R. Ephraim Eliezer came to America, first to the Sambor shtebal in New York, and then later to Philadelphia where he was a Rov for over 60 years ( I think close to 70). The two daughters were Miriam and Sosha (maybe Shoshana?). Miriam married R’ Yisrael Elimelech Moskowitz and Sosha married R’ Gedaliah Gottleib.
R’ Ephraim Eliezer, while maintaining the Toras HaNigleh v’haNistar of his parents and teachers, did not establish a Chassidic court in America. For much of his life, he maintained a small shtebel in Philadelphia (there was a larger shul initially in Strawberry Mansion prior to my birth, I remember the shtebels in Wynnfield and the Northeast). As with his father and grandfather, he maintained a close relationship with a leading Chassidish figure that he accepted as his Rebbe Muvhak. For R’ Ephraim, it was Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Lubavith Rebbe. After R’ Yosef was niftar, R’ Ephraim was instrumental in R’ Menachem Mendal accepting the nesius of Chabad, and remained very close to R’ Menachem Mendal for the rest of his life. Every Pesach on chol hamoad, my zaida, R’ Ephraim Eliezer, would tell me that the Ramam paskened that one is chiyav to visit one’s rebbe at least once a year, and that was when he would go. As a young child, I went with my zaida to Chabad a number of times.
Upon my zaida zt”l petirah, to the extent that any of the family took over as Sambor Rebbe, it would be my cousin, R’ Urie, named for the first Sambor rebbe, and married to a grand-daughter of Reb Are’le – the Toldos Aharon. He maintained a small shtebel in Eretz Yisrael for a number of years, and now lives in Monsey Eir haKodesh. I think that there was also another great-grandson of R’ Urie, R Hershel ben R. Eliezer ben R’ Yehuda Tzvi ben R’ Urie, who lives in Canada that may also be using the title of Sambor Rebbe. Both have at most a few Chassidim.
10 Comments:
Very interesting about the Sombor dynasty. I recall rabbi Yolles attending many public farbrengens in 770. He was an impressive and imposing figure.
In fact Rabbi Yolles functioned as a rav not a rebbe in Phil, giving hechsherim, running a beth din etc.Rabbi Leiserowski was his chief asst. in these activities.
I believe there was a Somborer rebbe in Montreal. He is listed in Rand's fine lexicon Toldoth Anshe shem.That book also has a picture of him.
His son or grandson is rabbi Hershel Yolles who has lived in Ca and Brooklyn, and was a shtikel follower of Reb Shlomo Carlebach and of Lubavitch too.I do not know is present where abouts.
I never saw rav Yolles of Phil name mentioned in connection with Rabbi M. Schneerson becoming rebbe in 1951. I doubt he played a major role as he was not really a Lubavitcher and at that time men like rabbis Simpson, Levitin, Kazarnowsky Rivkin, Jacobson and Telushkin etc were all alive in Brooklyn and were "geza" Chabad followers. But if you have other dat I would love to hear about it.
As I mentioned in another place rav Yolles was active in left wing causes in the Us in the early 1930's especially in the Soviet effort to re settle Jews in agricultural colonies in Crimea and in the Birobhidzhan project.
You are correct that Rav Yolles functioned much more as a Rov than a Rebbe. In fact, in the earlier days, he wore a Hamburg, not a Straimel. It was actually my father, a Litvak, who influenced him to wear a Straimel.
R' Hershel Yolles's grandfather was R' Yehuda Tzvi Yolles, who was the oldest son of R' Uri. I have a note that he took over the Rabbeus in Sambor following the petira of R' Uri. The second son, R' Sholom, was probably known as the Strjyer Rov, not the Sambor Rebbe. So you are probably correct, but I'll still always consider my grandfather as the Sambor Rebbe. No harm there, I suspect.
I do not know much about my grandfathers activities in the early 30's, as that was long before my birth. If you have references to his activites then, I would definitly be interested.
The point about his being involved in R' Menachem Mendal's acceptance of being the Rebbe, I'm not sure where I saw / heard that. It was either in a Chabad publication about 10 years after his petirah talking about his relationship with R' Menachem Mendal, or from conversations with my Uncle. I will try and see if I can find the article I am thinking about, but I am not sure I still have it.
Can you comment on his relationship with R YB Soloveitchik. On the 1964 Yartzeit shiur the Rav can be heard commenting to R Yolles
For a number of years, until age made it difficult, my grandfather came to Rav Soloviechek's Yarzeit shiur. He would sit up front, and I get the impression that at times he gave comments to Rav during the shiur. I'm not aware of any major interactions they had outside of the shiur, however. If they did, it would likely have been via letter.
I spoke with Rabbi Y. Geldzahler regarding Rabbi Yolles's role in RMMS's rebbeship. He said that R' Yolles sent a letter to the hasidim supporting the candidacy of RMMS. The letter was then hung up in 770 [presumably by individuals supporting RMMS - YM]. R' Geldzahler believes that the letter was printed in Shem Sosson me-Haverakha. He says that the letter was actually written on R' Geldzahler's wife's stationery. After RMMS's ascension to rebbe, R' Yolles, feeling that his letter had been helpful, jokingly requested a commission.
There was also a letter to his nephew Tzvi encouraging him to accept the Rebbe as the new Nossi of Chabad. There he espouses the Gadlus of the Rebbe.
i know this blog is over a year old but i thought i try anywayt
i have been trying to find info about my family from before the war and i came accorss some letters to my great grandfather who was from sambor. some of the letter are from rabbi abraham jakob jolles from turka and a kalman jolles from sambor they are in yiddish but i have yet to have them trahnlsated. i assume these are relatives of yours. i would like to hear from you
please email me at rem700p@yahoo.com
i alsohave a letter from a reb yishaya asher jolles who was the sgan av bet din in stry which was in the same area
There are some major problems with this bio.
Rabbi E. Yolles did have at least 2 daughters: one was Esther, married to R. Meir Simcha Feldblum; the other was married to Rabbi Geldzahler.
Rabbi Yolles, indeed, always did have a seat very near R. Menachem M. Schneerson when he went to farbrengins at 770.
In an article By: rabbi Michoel Seligson entitled Yud Shvat The Beginning of the Rebbe’s Nesius (5711-1951)(adapted from the book “A Day To Recall A Day To Remember” authored by Rabbi SB Avtzon and more additions, he writes "On wednesday, yud Shevat 5711 (1951),.....when he returned from the Ohel,every-one davened Mincha, and then they ate something. after Maariv it was officially announced that the rebbe was going to farbreng at 8:00 in the shul upstairs. at the time, the “downstairs” where the big shul is located, was a big yard.This was no surprise, as the rebbe farbrenged throughout the year on all special occasions, and it was publicized
in the newspapers that he would be
doing so. The suspense was whether or not therebbe would accept the nesius.an interesting anecdote took place prior to the Farbrengen: The distinguished rabbi, rabbi ephraim yolles was in the rebbe’s room. when rabbi yolles saw the crowd assembled, he asked the rebbe how he will manage to get in to the Farbrengen. The rebbe answered:
“you will hold onto my gartel!”
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