ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 115595 - Translation - Tombstone - Poland - Zdunska Wola - Lipschitz, Lipszyc, Lypszyc


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Tombstone
Approval Date: 10/14/2026 4:22 PM
Family Surname: Lipschitz, Lipszyc, Lypszyc
Country: Poland
Town: Zdunska Wola
Date of Image: 1837

Click the picture to enlarge

I'm trying to read this gravestone from the Zdunska Wola Jewish cemetery (tag E 215), said to be Elazar Lipschitz, d. 12 Menachem Av 5597. I can read lines 1, 6, 7, 9 and 10. Hard to read: line 2 (ירא שם / כימים?), lines 3-5, and especially line 8, which may name his father. Could someone give a transcription and translation, and confirm the year on line 9 (5597 or 5596)? Thank you.

Source: photo sent by a family member (original photographer not stated). The Hershfeld family tree page for this stone credits Simon Srebrny; I have not confirmed it is the same photo. I am not claiming a family link.

Response

10/14/2026 8:44 PM

VM 115595

I type slowly in Hebrew, so I’ll provide a transliteration instead. If there are any specific lines you’d like to see in the original Hebrew, please let me know.

Pay-Nun, Po Nikbar

Ish holech tamim

Leylot sam keyamim

Oved bore’av binne-imim

Zechut avotav mesuyamim

Rav otzar belumim: haRav

haTazdik haGvir hamefursamim, mem-vav-hay [Moreinu haRav]

Elazar zayin-tzadi-lamed-hay [zecher tzadik l’chayei ha’olam] Lifschitz/Lipschitz

Mi’Pietrkov: nun-vav-nun [niftar v’nikbar] beyom alef

yud-bet Menachem Av taf-kuf-tzadi-zayin ???

taf-nun-tzadi-bet-hay [tehay nishmato tzrura bitzror haChayim

=========================

Here lies

a trustworthy man

he treated nights as if they were days [in other words, he spent much of the night studying]

he served his Creator pleasantly

[he had] the merit of his well-known fathers [ancestors]

a great treasure, full of learning: the Rav,

the righteous one, the lord, renowned, our teacher, the Rabbi

Elazar, may the memory of the righteous live forever, Lifschitz/Lipschitz

From Pietrkov: He passed away and was buried on the first day [of the Hebrew week]

The 12th of Menachem Av 5597 [see notes]

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.

====================================================================
The year is followed by three additional characters. Usually, these characters are lamed-fay-kuf, representing the words lifrat katan, meaning “according to the small count”, indicating that the thousands digit is omitted but is understood (to be 5). The characters that appear here might mean the same thing, but I not familiar with this abbreviation, if that is what it is.

The year must be 5597, as in this year the 12th day of Menachem Av was on a Sunday. In 5596, it was a Tuesday.

ViewMate Posting VM 115595

Submitted by Shloime Glicksman

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 115595

Submitted by Shloime Glicksman