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Yitzchok Friedman
Yitzchok Friedman
	Only known picture of Rabbi Yitzchok Friedman, the Pachad Yitzchok of Boyan
Title	First Boyaner Rebbe
Personal life
Born	Yitzchok Friedman; 1850; Sadigura
Died	11 March 1917 (aged 66–67); Vienna, Austria-Hungary
Spouse	Malka Twersky
Children	Menachem Nachum; Yisroel; Avrohom Yaakov; Mordechai Shlomo; Miriam
Parents	Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Sadigura (father); Miriam (mother);
Religious life
Religion	Judaism
Jewish leader
Predecessor	None
Successor	Rabbi Menachem Nachum Friedman of Boyan-Chernowitz; Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Boyan-Leipzig; Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Boyan-Lemberg; Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo Friedman of Boyan-New York City; Rabbi Moshenu of Boyan-Kraków

Rabbi Yitzchok Friedman (1850 – 11 March 1917) was the founder and first Rebbe of the Boyan Hasidic dynasty. He was known as the Pachad Yitzchok (Dread of Isaac).

Early life

The Pachad Yitzchok was the eldest son of Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman (1820–1883), the first Sadigura Rebbe,^[1] and his wife Miriam. He was the grandson of Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin (1797–1851), founder of the Ruzhiner dynasty.^[2]

At the age of 15,^[1] he married Malka Twersky, daughter of Rabbi Yochanan Twersky, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe.^[3] They had four sons and one daughter.^[4]

Founding of Boyaner Hasidism

Upon the death of his father in 1883, Rabbi Yitzchok and his younger brother, Rabbi Yisrael (1852–1907), assumed joint leadership of their father's Hasidim. Although they were content with this arrangement, many of the Sadigura Hasidim preferred to have one Rebbe. As a result, in 1887 the brothers agreed to draw lots to determine who would stay in Sadigura and who would move out, and the lots fell to Rabbi Yisrael to remain as the second Sadigerer Rebbe. Therefore, Rabbi Yitzchak moved to the neighboring town of Boiany (Boyan) and established his court there, becoming the first Boyaner Rebbe.^[1]

Under the leadership of the Pachad Yitzchok, Boyaner Hasidism flourished, and the town of Boiany became a Hasidic centre with a synagogue and four prayer houses.^[5] Boyaner communities were established in neighboring towns and in Jerusalem, Tiberias, and Safed. The Rebbe encouraged one of his wealthy Hasidim, Dov Ber Horenstein, who was childless, to build houses in Jerusalem as a memorial for himself. The neighborhood founded by Dov Ber Horenstein, was formed near what is now known as Geula.^[6]

The Boyaner Rebbe was known for his piety and humility. However, he presented a regal face to the public and lived in a palatial home. This dichotomy was emblematic of the Ruzhiner tradition founded by his grandfather, Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin.^[7] The Rebbe was revered by his Hasidim, and formed close relationships with them.^[8] He was also known for his Torah knowledge and his love for the Land of Israel. He inherited the title of Nasi (president) of Kolel Vohlin in the Land of Israel from his father, and this gave him the responsibility of coordinating all funds sent for the welfare of the Orthodox community while living there.^[9]

Final years and succession

At the beginning of World War I, the Russian army occupied Boiany. The Jewish neighborhood was completely destroyed. Therefore, the Boyaner Rebbi and his family fled to Vienna.^[5] In 1916, the Rabbi became deathly ill, but recovered and continued his leadership. On 11 March 1917 (17 Adar 5677), he took ill again, which made him call for his wife and children to part from each of them individually. On his death bed, he began singing a nigun (song) of deveikut (attachment to God). While singing, his soul departed.^[10] The Boyaner Rebbi was buried in the Vienna Jewish cemetery in a special ohel. His eldest son, Rabbi Menachem Nachum (1869–1936), was buried in the same ohel after his death.^[11]

When the war ended, the Pachad Yitzchok's four sons each moved to a different country to establish their courts. Rabbi Menachem Nachum, his eldest son, became the Boyaner Rebbe in Chernowitz, Bukovina.^[10] Afterwards, Rabbi Menachem Nachum's son-in-law, Rabbi Moshenu (1841–1943), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Kraków.^[12] Then, the Pachad Yitzchok's second son, Rabbi Yisroel (1878–1951), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Leipzig, Germany. His third son, Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov (1884–1941), became the Boyaner Rebbe in Lemberg.^[13] Then, his fourth son, Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo (1891–1971), became the Boyaner Rebbe in New York. After the latter's death, the Boyaner dynasty was without a leader until 1984. In that year, Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo's grandson, Rabbi Nachum Dov Brayer (born 1959^[14]), was crowned Boyaner Rebbe.^[15] Since then, Rabbi Nachum Dov Brayer has continued as Boyaner Rebbe.

The dynasty is now headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel, where the Rebbe resides.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Friedman, Yisroel. The Golden Dynasty: Ruzhin, the royal house of Chassidus. Jerusalem: The Kest-Lebovits Jewish Heritage and Roots Library, 2nd English edition, 2000, p. 76.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 20.
^ Rabinowicz, Tzvi (1996). The Encyclopedia of Hasidism. Jason Aronson. p. 140. ISBN 1-56821-123-6.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 79.
^ ^a ^b Eisenberg, Ronald (September 2006). The Streets of Jerusalem: Who, what, why. Devora Publishing. p. 123. ISBN 1-932687-54-8.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 80.
^ Brayer, Rabbi Menachem (2003). The House of Rizhin: Chassidus and the Rizhiner Dynasty. Mesorah Publications. pp. 430–431. ISBN 1-57819-794-5.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, pp. 73–74, 76.
^ Brayer, The House of Rizhin, p. 435.
^ ^a ^b Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 81.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 93.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, p. 106.
^ Friedman, The Golden Dynasty, pp. 81–82.
^ Finkel, Avrohom Yaakov (1994). Contemporary Sages: The great Chasidic masters of the twentieth century. J. Aronson. p. 194. ISBN 1-56821-155-4.
^ Tannenbaum, Rabbi Gershon (7 July 2010). "Boyaner Rebbe". The Jewish Press. Retrieved 26 October 2011.^{[permanent dead link‍]}