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Biography

Rabbi Nathan David Rabinowitz, the Rebbe of Partzeva (Parczew, Poland), was born in 5626 (1866). He was the eldest son of Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Rabinowitz, founder of the Biala Chasidic dynasty, and of Rebbetzin Rachel Lavia, daughter of Rabbi Yehoshua of Ostrow Mazowiecka. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Rabbi Nathan David of Shidlovtza, and was a fifth-generation direct descendant of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak, the "Holy Jew" of Pshischa.

At his father's instruction he learned the craft of circumcision, and over his lifetime he served as mohel for thousands of infants. Already during his father's lifetime he led a Chasidic court, first in Parczew and later in Siedlce. When his father passed away on 23 Adar 5665 (1905), thousands of Biala Chasidim attached themselves to him.

His discourses on the weekly Torah portion, which long remained in manuscript, were published by his grandsons under the title Ve'eleh HaDevarim She'ne'emru LeDavid. In them he presents the tzaddik as the center of the nation and the shepherd of Israel in exile, and sharply opposes the Zionism of his day. Yet he deeply loved the Land of Israel, and before his death he instructed that a plot of land be bought with his money in Hebron to build a study hall.

From his first wife, Leah Reizel, daughter of Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov of Kozhnitz, his children included Rabbi Moshe Yechiel Elimelech of Lubartow, who succeeded him; from his second wife, Yuta, his children included Rabbi Baruch Yehoshua Yerachmiel Rabinowitz, later the Munkacser Rebbe.

Rabbi Nathan David passed away on 7 Shevat 5690 (February 5, 1930), the same day as the yahrzeit of Rabbi David of Lelov, and was buried in Siedlce. On 5 Elul 5737 (1977) his son Rabbi Baruch Yehoshua Yerachmiel brought his remains to Israel, and he now rests in the Segula cemetery in Petach Tikva.

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Ministère israélien des Affaires Religieuses

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