1 Adar A – A Holiday for the Descendants of the Tosfot Yom Tov

Descendants of the Tosfot Yom Tov rabbi commemorate 1 Adar as a day of joy and gratitude to G-d, in accordance with the rabbi’s will for future generations.

Chassidim pray at the grave of the Tosfot Yom Tov in Krakow

Rabbi Gershon Shaul Yom Tov Lipmann Heller, a student of the Maharal rabbi, served in the rabbinate in Prague starting at the age of 18 for 28 years

In Cheshvan 5385 (1625), he was appointed as the rabbi of Nikolsburg and on the first day of Adar of the same year, he was crowed as head of the beit din (religious court) of Vienna.

In Tevet 5387 (1627), he was chosen as the rabbi of Prague, and after half a year, he was appointed to head the yeshiva in Prague, as well.

In the year of 5389 (1629) he was arrested for the crime of degrading Christianity, and he was sentenced to death. The day of his arrest, 5 Tammuz, was set as a day of fasting and prayer for his descendants for generations.

With the grace of G-d, and due to a wonderful deed detailed in the book “Megillat Eiva”, the Tosfot Yom Tov was saved from death and in the year 5390 (1630), he moved to Poland and lived in Lublin, Brisk, Nemirov, and Ludmir. He demanded to strengthen the regulations, that had been amended years before, not to buy the rabbinate with money. His enemies again told on him to the authorities, and he was sentenced to be expelled from Ludmir. This sentence was also canceled due to the influence of the local Jews.

“Megillat Eiva” in Hebrew (Courtesy of Hebrewbooks)

In the year 5404 (1644), he was appointed to be the rabbi of Krakow, and after several years also as the head of its yeshiva. 1 Adar, when he was crowned the rabbi of Krakow, was set as a holiday for his descendents until the time of the redemption.

Many of his answers in responsum deal with the matter of freeing agunot (allowing women who do not know the whereabouts of their husbands to remarry) from the “Decrees of Tach V’Tat (the Chmielnitzky massacres), in which he assisted and dealt with for a long period of time. He determined that the decrees were for the offense of idle talk in synagogues, and he created a special “Mi Sheberach” prayer for those who were strict on this matter.

Engraved on his gravestone is the following:

“Here lies the great genius of his generation, our rabbi and teacher, Rabbi Gershon Shaul Yomtov Lipmann Heller the son of our rabbi, the teacher, Natan HaLevi z”l, he dove into mighty waters and authored books that are engraved here by their names: Tzurat HaBayit, and Tosfot Yomtov on the 6 orders of the Mishna, and Maadanei HaMelech and Lechem Chamudot on the works of the Rosh rabbi and Torat HaAsham on the laws of sin offerings, and he spread Torah in several holy famous communities, in the holy community of Vilna, and the holy community of Prague, and at the end of his days, he served in Poland in several holy communities and here in the holy community of Krakow, he was requested in the “higher yeshiva” (Heaven) on 26 Elul 5415 (1654).”

The descendants of the Tosfot Yomtov, from the most prestigious and privileged families in Israel, served as rabbis of important cities and communities known throughout the world.