Elimelech of Lizhensk
Elimelech Weisblum of Lizhensk (1717–March 11, 1787) was a rabbi and one of the founding Rebbes of the Hasidic movement. His hometown was Leżajsk (Yiddish: ליזשענסק, romanized: Lizhensk) near Rzeszów in Poland. He was part of the inner "Chevraya Kadisha" (Holy Society) school of Dov Ber of Mezeritch (second leader of the Hasidic movement), who became the decentralised, third generation leadership after the passing of Dov Ber in 1772.
Elimelech of Lizhensk | |
|---|---|
| Title | Elimelech of Lezajsk |
| Personal | |
| Born | Elimelech Weisblum 1717 Tyczyn, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria |
| Died | March 11, 1787 Leżajsk, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Spouse | Shprintza, Gittel |
| Children | Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Eliezer Lipa, Reb Yaakov, Mirish, Esther Ethel |
| Parents |
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| Jewish leader | |
| Predecessor | Dov Ber of Mezeritch |
| Successor | Chozeh of Lublin, Yisroel of Kozhnitz |
| Main work | Noam Elimelech |
| Dynasty | Lizhensk |
Elimelech wrote Noam Elimelech, which developed the Hasidic theory of the Tzaddik into the full doctrine of "Practical/Popular Tzaddikism". He was the founder of Hasidism in Poland-Galicia, and numerous leaders and Hasidic dynasties emerged from his disciples in the early 19th century, including the Chozeh of Lublin, the Maggid of Koznitz and Menachem Mendel of Rimanov, one of the three "Fathers of Polish Hasidism".