Rabbi Eliezer Gordon Telshe yeshiva

rabbi eliezer gordon

in 1884, rabbi eliezer gordon appointed both rav (head rabbi) of telz , rosh yeshiva ( dean/head of yeshiva ). rabbi gordon brilliant talmudist , expert in torah law. student of rabbi yisrael salanter, rabbi gordon had been appointed rabbi salanter maggid shiur (lecturer) in rabbi salanter s yeshiva @ young age. served rabbi in kelm, , brief time in slabodka (a suburb of kaunas/kovno known in lithuanian viliampole). although rabbi salanter held required mussar study, made exception rav laizer.

rabbi gordon not satisfied yeshiva served younger students in telz , vicinity, , set himself task of expanding it.

in 1884 rabbi gordon added son-in-law, rabbi yosef leib bloch faculty , in 1885 acquired talents of rabbi shimon shkop.

both rabbi bloch , rabbi shkop innovators in field of jewish education, each pioneering new methods , approaches study of torah (hebrew bible), talmud , halakha (jewish law). together, methodical formulae set down foundation became known in world of torah study telzer derekh ( telzer approach ).

rabbi gordon instituted various innovations, cause rapid increase in student body. among them designating lectures specific student levels. whereas other contemporary yeshivas provided 1 level of study students, telz provided students lectures commensurate student s age , understanding. when student s standard had advanced, advance next shiur (class-level). benefits of such system self-explanatory , system integrated structure of yeshivas , remains accepted structure in yeshivas worldwide. there 5 different shiurim @ telz; rabbi gordon delivered highest shiur. telz noted ability develop talmidim in lomdus. rabbi laizer yudel finkel once stated every talmud student best off studying @ telz, can develop learning skills, 2 years, , studying in yeshiva.

the yeshiva housed in building provided telz community; however, student numbers increased dramatically larger premises called for. subsequently, in 1894 yeshiva moved new purpose-built building. in same year, yeshiva added new subject of study—mussar ( jewish ethics ). prior this, study of mussar had been students personal prerogative; now, part of yeshiva curriculum. new faculty position created: mussar mashgiach (teacher of ethics). yeshiva s first mussar mashgiach rabbi ben zion kranitz, student of rabbi simcha zissel ziv. rabbi kranitz mild mannered, , did not force students accept mussar approach. in 1897, however, rabbi gordon engaged new mussar mashgiach—the dynamic rabbi leib chasman, instituted strict mussar regime in yeshiva. many of students opposed approach, caused dissent among student body. rabbi chasman later achieved world renown senior mussar mashgiach @ hebron yeshiva in jerusalem.

in 1902, rabbi shimon shkop left yeshiva fill position of rabbi community of breinsk, lithuania. in 1905 rabbi chaim rabinowitz joined yeshiva fill void left rabbi shkop s departure. prior appointment @ telz, rabbi rabinowitz had served rabbi town of meishad, , later maggid shiur ( lecturer ) @ knesses beis yitzchak yeshiva in kovno, lithuania. predecessor, rabbi rabinowitz innovated unique style of talmudic analysis, further added yeshiva s reputation.

in 1910, while fundraising yeshiva in london, rabbi gordon suffered heart attack , died. twenty-nine years head of yeshiva had seen small town institution grow world-famous center of talmudic study. had stamped imprint onto lives of hundreds of young men, many of whom great talmudists in own right. among students were: rabbi yosef shlomo kahaneman, rabbi elchonon wasserman, rabbi zvi pesach frank , rabbi yehezkel abramsky , others in turn left imprint on jewish society , culture.