Gadol Explained

Gadol or godol (plural: gedolim) (literally "big" or "great" in Hebrew) is used by religious Jews to refer to the most revered rabbis of the generation.

Usage

The term gadol hador refers to the "great/est (one of) the generation" denoting one rabbi who is presumed to be even greater than the others. Other variations of the term are Gadol Yisrael or a Gadol BeYisrael (plural: Gedolei Yisrael), meaning "great one of the Jewish people".

A similar title is Rashkebahag, which is an acronym for "Rabbon shel kol bnei hagolah" (The sage and teacher of the entire Jewish diaspora). Another term is Manhig Yisroel (plural: Manhigei Yisroel), literally "leader of Israel".

The title gadol hador is usually only given to one Jewish Sage at a time, while the title "Rashkebahag" can be given to a few, and the term Gedolei Yisrael collectively refers to all leading rabbis in the Haredi community.

The term is generally applied to rabbinic leaders since World War I. Major rabbis from earlier generations are known as Rishonim or Achronim.

Role

Often, a gadol functions as a rosh yeshiva (the head of a yeshiva Talmudical school), and/or can be a Hasidic Rebbe. A gadol is quite often also a posek (a decisor of Halakha - Jewish law) and may be the author of rabbinic literature and responsa.

Adherents of Haredi Judaism often presume that a gadol has some degree of ruach hakodesh ("divine spirit"); the gadols teachings and statements therefore become the crux of Daas Torah.

According to Rabbi Nota Greenblatt, posek and rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Memphis, a true gadol is far more than a great Talmid Chakham; he is someone that has wisdom, concern for others, and has fully developed his middos.[1]

Rabbi Chaim Epstein has been quoted as saying:

Related concepts

In Hebrew halachic texts, gadol is also used as a term for a Jewish boy who turns thirteen, and is viewed as an adult regarding to his obligation to practice the 613 commandments. This is the age of Bar Mitzvah. When a Jewish girl reaches the age of twelve, according to Jewish law, she is called a gedolah (the feminine form of gadol).

Kohen Gadol refers to the high priests in the Jewish Temples. Shabbat Hagadol is the Shabbat prior to Passover.

In modern Hebrew, gadol as slang is used as an interjection to mean something is extremely cool, out of this world, superb, awesome, absurdly funny or hilarious. For example, upon hearing a funny joke one might interject "Gadol!"

In English writing, the transliterated word "gadol" generally refers to a prominent rabbi.

Recognized gedolei hador

The following are names of rabbis of the non-Hasidic communities that were or are widely recognized to be the gadol hador:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Devorah Klein. Midwest Agudath Israel council annual conference. Hamodia. Jul 29, 2015.
  2. Web site: Vilna Gaon's 300th Yartzeit. israelnationalnews.com . 23 April 2020 . 23 March 2021 . The GRA, the father of the Lithuanian stream in haredi Judaism, was called Gadol Hador....
  3. Web site: Leilão Bidspirit-Rabbi Akiva Eiger's Personal Copy . uk.bidspirit.com . 14 February 2021 . Close your eyes and imagine the gadol hador of three centuries ago, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, sitting in his study during the late night hours and studying by the light of ....
  4. Web site: Born In Vilna . eilatgordinlevitan.com.
  5. Web site: And how can Zionists go against the Chofetz Chaim? . truetorahjews.org . 14 February 2021 . We know that the Chofetz Chaim was the gadol hador.....
  6. Web site: Hidden in plain sight, more from Rav Moshe Feinstein . thejewishstar.com . . 14 February 2021.
  7. Web site: Rabbi Moshe Feinstein . hevratpinto.org . 14 February 2021.
  8. Web site: Filling the Void . mishpacha.com . . 14 February 2021 . Feb 20, 2019.
  9. Web site: Easy Does It . berdichev.org . 14 February 2021 . Rav Shach and his talmid got into the car, and the aged gadol hador and his young talmid headed towards Yerushalayim..
  10. Book: Kirschner . Binyomin . The Gadol Hador: An Inside Glimpse of Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt"l . 1598261347 .
  11. Web site: Where Do We Go From Here? Remembering Rav Ovadia Yosef . 5tjt.com . 10 October 2013 . 14 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Jachter . Rabbi Chaim . Hacham Ovadia Yosef – The Most Accomplished Rav of Recent Generations . koltorah.org . 14 February 2021.
  13. Web site: A Glimpse Into The Life Of The Gadol Hador, Maran Hagaon HaRav Aron Leib Shteinman ZATZAL . theyeshivaworld.com . 12 December 2017 . 14 February 2021.
  14. Web site: TEHILLIM FOR THE GADOL HADOR . theyeshivaworld.com . 2 October 2020 . . 14 February 2021.
  15. Web site: Important Letter From the Gadol Hador, Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita . matzav.com.