ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 26262 - Translation - Other - Lithuania - Nemenčine, Wilno

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Category: Translation - Other
Approval Date: 3/10/2013 4:36 PM
Family Surname: Kopstein
Country: Lithuania
Town: Nemenčine, Wilno

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Ohalei Shem (sp?) Book, page 127.

This page is from a book in the collection of the YIVO Institute. The book is so fragile that only the librarians are allowed to handle it, and they had difficulty making a photocopy of this page.

The paragraph at the bottom of the page describes the lineage of the Kopstein family, rabbis in Nemenčine, Lithuania. The pencil notations on the photocopy (the notes are on the photocopy, NOT on the original) were made by a staff member who was trying to help me understand the text but didn't have the time to go over more than a few words.

I am trying to learn about the Kopstein family, who are my distant cousins. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Response

2/25/2013 2:33 AM

Hello Anne,

A couple of the notations with which I can help you.

Line 1 of notation: HaRav Reb Yaakov Ben HaRav Rebbe Mordechai Sender HaLevi Z"L, Kofstein/Kopstein.

Translation: The Rabbi (Reb) Yaakov son of The Rabbi (Reb) Mordechai Sender Kofstein/Kopstein, The Levite, of blessed memory. In addition to being Rabbis, the honorary title of "Reb" is also used preceeding each male's name.

Line 2: "Hey, Resh, Mem,", Aleph" stands for Rabbi Moshe Aiserlis (or Aiserlitz).

Line 3 - notation right of the arrow: Z'TZ"L in it's long form is "Zochor Tzadik L'bracha" = "remember his righteous soul".....Jo

3/11/2013 11:46 AM

Niemenczin (Vilna district)
Rabbi Yaakov Kopshteyn, son of rabbi Mordecai Sender Halevi Kopshteyn.
Was born in the year 1847. He is the grandson of rabbi Moshe Isserlis and of the authors of Tosafot Yom-Tov, Beit Hillel, Panim Me'irot, among the most prestigious of Levi Epshteyn. Was authorized to teach by rabbi Mordecai Meltser of Lyda, by rabbi Ayzik Kharif of Slonim, by rabbi Eliyahu Shick of Lyda, and by rabbi Abraham Shmuel Diskin of Wolkowysk.
In the year 1873 he was appointed judge in the city of Lyda at the rabbinical court of rabbi Mordecai Meltzer, and in the year 1882 he was apointed rabbi and chief judge in the city of Niemenczin. His sons are distinguished Torah scholars and they are:
a) rabbi Mordecai Sender, chief judge in the city of Radin b) rabbi Yehuda chief judge in the city of (Onsonye, Ansanye?) in America c) rabbi Eliezer, a merchant in Tauriga.

Notes:
every single name of a deceased rabbi is followed by the Hebrew acronym “may the memory of these saints be a blessing”.
I couldn't recognize the name of the American city mentioned. In Hebrew it spells alef-nun-samekh-alef-nun-yud-ayin; maybe someone else can recognize it.
You can still post this text to the Hebrew section of Viewmate to increase your chances of a full translation of the list of publications that the Yivo staff member bracketed.
Hope this has helped you.

3/21/2013 8:20 AM

By the way, Oholei Shem has been republished about 20-30 years ago and can be found in most Judaica libraries. it is also available online at http://www.hebrewbooks.org/36602

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ViewMate Posting VM 26262

Submitted by Anne Samachson