Rabbi Chaim Halberstam – Divrei Chaim
Date of Passing: 25-Nissan. Rabbi Chaim Halberstam was known as the Divrei Chaim after his magnum opus on Halacha. He was the founder of the Sanz Chassidic dynasty.
Rabbi Chaim Halberstam – the Divrei Chaim
(1793 – 1876) Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz was known as the Divrei Chaim after his magnum opus on Halacha. He was the founder of the Sanz dynasty and was a famous Chassidic leader.
The Divrei Chaim was born in 1793, in Tarnograd, Poland. He studied under Rabbi Naftali Zvi of Ropshitz who became his lifelong mentor. He went on to move to the town of Sanz where he founded a Hasidic dynasty. He attracted many followers partly due to his great piety. The Sanz dynasty per se is not around today but is succeeded by the Sanz-Klausenberg dynasty and the Bobov dynasty.
The Divrei was acclaimed by the leading rabbis as one of the foremost Talmudists, Halachic and Kabbalistic authorities of his time, he received queries from communities all over the world. His responsa, as well as his Torah commentaries, published under the title Divrei Chaim, reflect his Torah greatness, his humility, and his compassionate nature. He was a champion of the poor and established many organizations to relieve them of their poverty.
During his 46 year tenure as Rabbi of Sanz, that city was transformed into a vibrant center of Hasidism attracting tens of thousands of devotees. Among his disciples are counted such leaders as Rabbi Zvi Hirsh of Liska, Rabbi Solomon HaCohen of Radomsk, Rabbi Meir of Dzhikov, and the Yetev Leiv of Sighet. Rabbi Chaim's five sons all became famous Rebbes. His seven daughters all married Chassidic leaders.
Source: Daily Zohar
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