The Golden Age of the Lithuanian Yeshivas

406 Pages·2022·3.407 MB·English

by  Ben-Tsiyon Klibansky

THE GOLDEN AGE
of the
LITHUANIAN YESHIVAS
s
THE GOLDEN AGE
of the
LITHUANIAN YESHIVAS
BEN-TSIYON KLIBANSKY
THE GOLDEN AGE
of the
LITHUANIAN YESHIVAS
s
TRANSLATED BY
NAHUM SCHNITZER
IndIana UnIversIty Press
The English-language edition is licensed First printing 2022
from the original Hebrew-language
publisher, The Zalman Shazar Center, Library of Congress Cataloging-in-
Jerusalem. Publication Data
This book is a publication of Names: Klibansky, Ben-Tsiyon, author. |
Schnitzer, Nahum, translator.
Indiana University Press Title: The Golden age of the Lithuanian
Office of Scholarly Publishing yeshivas / Ben-Tsiyon Klibansky ;
Herman B Wells Library 350 translated by Nahum Schnitzer.
1320 East 10th Street Other titles: Ke-tsur h.alamish
Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA Description: Bloomington : Indiana
University Press, 2022. | Includes
iupress.org bibliographical references and
index.
© 2022 by Ben-Tsiyon Klibansky Identifiers: LCCN 2021030856 (print) |
LCCN 2021030857 (ebook) | ISBN
All rights reserved 9780253058492 (hardback) | ISBN
No part of this book may be reproduced 9780253058508 (paperback) | ISBN
or utilized in any form or by any means, 9780253058522 (ebook)
electronic or mechanical, including Subjects: LCSH: Yeshivas—Lithuania—
photocopying and recording, or by any History—20th century. |
information storage and retrieval system, Jews—Education—Lithuania—20th
without permission in writing from the century. | Lithuania—Religious life
publisher. The paper used in this publica tion and customs.
meets the minimum requirements of the Classification: LCC BM85.L57 K5413 2013
American National Standard for Information (print) | LCC BM85.L57 (ebook) |
Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed DDC 296.071/1—dc23
Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. LC record available at https://lccn.loc.
gov/2021030856
Manufactured in the United States of LC ebook record available at https://lccn.
America loc.gov/2021030857
This book is published with the assistance of:
The Eisenberg Family (Israel)
in memory of their family, born in Verzhan (Veiviržėnai), Lithuania
The Davidow Family (USA)
in memory of their ancestors from Shaki (Šakiai), Lithuania
whose descendants have accomplished great things
and live throughout the world

To the memory of my father,
a student of Slabodka Yeshiva in Lithuania,
whose virtues inspire me to this day

CONTENTS
Introduction 1
I. Consolidation and Expansion 27
1. The Renewal of the Yeshiva World 35
2. Expansion Trends in the Yeshiva World 64
II. Aspects of the Yeshiva World 107
3. Economy 111
4. Studies 144
5. Leadership 178
6. The Talmidim 210
III. The Beginning of the End 261
7. Return to Wandering 265
8. Under Soviet Rule 290
Epilogue 319
Appendix: Brief Biographies 333
Glossary 343
Bibliography 345
Index 367