# Chaim Ozer Grodzinski

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Lithuanian rabbi and Talmudic scholar (1863–1940)

Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Personal life Born (1863-08-24)August 24, 1863 9 Elul 5623 AM (Hebrew calendar) Iwye, Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire (now Belarus) Died August 9, 1940(1940-08-09) (aged 76) 5 Av 5700 AM (Hebrew calendar) Vilnius, Soviet Lithuania Parent Rabbi David Shlomo Grodzinski Occupation Rav of Vilnius, Lithuania Religious life Denomination Orthodox Senior posting Other Leader of Lithuanian and European Jewry

**Chaim Ozer Grodzinski**[1] ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): חיים עוזר גראדזענסקי; August 24, 1863 – August 9, 1940) was a *[Av beis din](/source/Beth_din#Officers_of_a_beth_din)* (rabbinical chief justice), *[posek](/source/Posek)* (halakhic authority), and [Talmudic](/source/Talmud) scholar in [Vilnius](/source/Vilnius), [Lithuania](/source/Lithuania) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for over 55 years.[2] He played an instrumental role in preserving [Lithuanian yeshivas](/source/Pre-World_War_II_European_Yeshivos) during the [Communist era](/source/Soviet_Union), and Polish and Russian yeshivas of Poland and during the [Nazi](/source/Nazism) [invasion of Poland](/source/Invasion_of_Poland) in 1939, when he arranged for these yeshivas to relocate to Lithuanian cities.

 Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (right) conversing with Rabbi [Shimon Shkop](/source/Shimon_Shkop)

## Biography

Chaim Ozer Grodzinski was born on 9 [Elul](/source/Elul) 5623 (24 August 1863)[2] in [Iwye](/source/Iwye), [Belarus](/source/Belarus), a small town near Vilnius. His father, David Shlomo Grodzinski, was rabbi of Iwye for over 40 years,[2] and his grandfather was rabbi of the town for 40 years before that.[3]

When he was 12 years old he went to study with the *perushim*, a group of Lithuanian Torah scholars in [Eishyshok](/source/Eishyshok) where he became [bar mitzvah](/source/Bar_and_Bat_Mitzvah).[2]

At the age of 15, he began studying at the [Volozhin yeshiva](/source/Volozhin_yeshiva) and was accepted into [Chaim Soloveitchik](/source/Chaim_Soloveitchik)'s [shiur](/source/Shiur_(Torah)).[2] He was married in his early twenties to Leah Grodnenski. Her father, Eliyahu Eliezer Grodnenski, was the head of the [Beth Din](/source/Beth_din) of Vilna (this was the most senior rabbinical position in Vilna). In 1887, after two years of marriage and at only 23 years old, Grodzinski took over his father-in-law's position, upon the latter's sudden passing.[2]

### Leadership

In 1887 he was appointed as a dayan (religious judge) of the [beth din](/source/Beth_din) of Vilna.[4] He was a participant in the founding conference of [Agudath Israel](/source/World_Agudath_Israel) (in [Kattowitz](/source/Katowice), Silesia, in 1912) and served on the party's Council of Sages.[4][5] He also was a co-founder and active leader of the [Va'ad ha-Yeshivot](/source/Va'ad_ha-Yeshivot) (Council of the Yeshivot),[4] based in Vilnius, an umbrella organization that offered material and spiritual support for yeshivot throughout the eastern provinces of Poland from 1924 to 1939. He wrote a three-volume work *Achiezer*.[3]

He assisted in the management of the Rameilles Yeshiva of Vilnius. His students included [Yehezkel Abramsky](/source/Yehezkel_Abramsky), [Eliezer Silver](/source/Eliezer_Silver), [Moshe Shatzkes](/source/Moshe_Shatzkes), and [Reuven Katz](/source/Reuven_Katz).[2]

In 1909, there was a meeting in Hamburg, Germany, that was the precursor of [Agudas Yisroel](/source/World_Agudath_Israel), whose main goal was to combat the Zionists and the Mizrachi against Zionism.[6] Grodzinski was the first chairman of the Moetzes Gedolei Torah, the rabbinical advisory board to the Agudah.[7]

### Death

Grodzinski died of cancer[3] on 9 August 1940 (5 [Av](/source/Av_(month))[8] 5700).

## Works

Grodzinski's [halachic opinion](/source/Posek) was highly regarded among the rabbis of his generation. His best known work is "*Ahiezer*" a collection of his *"shutim*" ([responsa](/source/Responsa#In_Judaism)). The work is known for its lengthy discussions centered on analysis as opposed to final ruling. [9] In this work he often quotes Rabbi [Akiva Eiger](/source/Akiva_Eiger). Other works include two collections of correspondences by Rabbi Grodzinski on more general communal and *[Hashkafic](/source/Hashkafa)* matters.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["A Letter From R'Chaim Ozer"](https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/a-letter-from-r-chaim-ozer/2021/03/05). *[The Jewish Press](/source/The_Jewish_Press)*. March 5, 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-glimpses_2-6) [Sorasky, Aharon](/source/Aharon_Sorasky) (22 July 2010). "Glimpses of Greatness: Reb Chaim Ozer *Is* Klal Yisrael". *[Hamodia](/source/Hamodia) Features*. p. C3.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-observer_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-observer_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-observer_3-2) Brafman, Rabbi Aaron. ["Ish HaEshkolos: He led world Jewry from Vilna"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100721031516/http://www.tzemachdovid.org/gedolim/jo/tpersonality/achiezer.html). *[The Jewish Observer](/source/The_Jewish_Observer)*. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ben-Sasson_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ben-Sasson_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Ben-Sasson_4-2) Ben-Sasson, Haim Hillel (2007). "Grodzinski, Ḥayyim Ozer". In [Berenbaum, Michael](/source/Michael_Berenbaum); [Skolnik, Fred](/source/Fred_Skolnik) (eds.). *[Encyclopaedia Judaica](/source/Encyclopaedia_Judaica)*. Vol. 8 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. pp. 91–92. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-02-866097-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-02-866097-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Eisenberg, Ronald (2014). *[Essential Figures in Jewish Scholarship](https://books.google.com/books?id=osM0AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241)*. Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson. p. 241-242.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Shapiro, Yaakov (2018). [*The empty wagon : Zionism's journey from identity crisis to identity theft*](http://worldcat.org/oclc/1156725117). Bais Medrash Society. p. 718. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-64255-554-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-64255-554-7). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1156725117](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1156725117).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Biography of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) and his relationship to the Rabbi Meir Baal Haneis charity in Israel"](https://www.rabbimeirbaalhaneis.com/Rabbi%20Chaim%20Ozer%20Grodzinski.asp). *www.rabbimeirbaalhaneis.com*. Retrieved 2022-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Letters"](https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/letters-to-the-editor/letters-to-the-editor-257/2013/06/19/2). *[The Jewish Press](/source/The_Jewish_Press)*. June 19, 2013. the 5th of Menachem Av, the yahrzeit of both the AriZal and Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** See [He: חיים עוזר גרודזנסקי#תורתו](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%96%D7%A8_%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%93%D7%96%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%99#תורתו) and [He: חיים עוזר גרודזנסקי#מספריו](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%96%D7%A8_%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%93%D7%96%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%99#מספריו)

v t e Volozhin Yeshiva Faculty Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin Eliezer Fried Refael Shapiro Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis Halevi) Chaim Soloveitchik Chaim of Volozhin Yitzchak Volozhin Location Valozhyn, Belarus Alumni Shmuel Alexandrov Meir Bar-Ilan Zelig Reuven Bengis Micha Josef Berdyczewski Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin Hayim Nahman Bialik David Cohen Israel Davidson Alter Asher Droyanov Baruch Epstein Moshe Mordechai Epstein Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Abraham Harkavy Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman Jacob Joseph Nachum Kaplan Chaim Mordechai Katz Abraham Isaac Kook Moyshe Kulbak Moshe Landyski Boruch Ber Leibowitz Aryeh Levin Isser Zalman Meltzer Samuel Mohilever Shlomo Polachek Yitzhak Isaac Halevy Rabinowitz Yitzchak Yaacov Reines Mnachem Risikoff Zundel Salant Refael Shapiro Shimon Shkop Chaim Soloveitchik Zalman Sorotzkin Elchonon Wasserman Kalman Zev Wissotzky See also: Valozhyn, Belarus

v t e Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Europe World Agudath Israel Past members Avraham Mordechai Alter Meir Arik Dovid Bornsztain Shlomo Zalman Breuer Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky Meir Simcha of Dvinsk Moshe Mordechai Epstein Avraham Yaakov Friedman Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Yisrael Meir Kagan Aharon Kotler Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern Meir Dan Plotzky Yitzhak Yaakov Rabinovich Sholom Dovber Schneersohn Meir Shapiro Chaim Soloveitchik Zalman Sorotzkin Yehuda Leib Tsirelson Shmuel Dovid Ungar Elchonon Wasserman Menachem Ziemba Israel Agudat Yisrael Degel HaTorah Past members Pinchas Menachem Alter Simcha Bunim Alter Yisrael Alter Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Yosef Shalom Eliashiv Aryeh Finkel Nosson Tzvi Finkel Avraham Yaakov Friedman Avraham Yaakov Friedman Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi Yisroel Moshe Friedman Levi Yitzchak Horowitz Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz Isser Zalman Meltzer Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Yitzchok Scheiner Elazar Menachem Shach Yitzchak Isaac Sher Yochanan Sofer Zalman Sorotzkin Dov Yaffe Shabsi Yogel Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman Gershon Edelstein Baruch Weisbecker Present members Yaakov Aryeh Alter Nachum Dov Brayer Menachem Mendel Hager Yisroel Hager Zvi Elimelech Halberstam Mayer Alter Horowitz Yissachar Dov Rokeach Moshe Hillel Hirsch Dov Lando Baruch Dov Povarsky Yitzchok Zilberstein Eliezer Yehuda Finkel United States Agudath Israel of America Past members Dovid Feinstein Moshe Feinstein Mordechai Shlomo Friedman Mordechai Gifter Refael Reuvain Grozovsky Shlomo Heiman Levi Yitzchak Horowitz Yitzchok Hutner Yaakov Kamenetsky Chaim Mordechai Katz Aharon Kotler Shneur Kotler Avraham Yaakov Pam Yaakov Perlow Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman Gedalia Schorr Eliezer Silver Joseph B. Soloveitchik Baruch Sorotzkin Yisrael Spira Elya Svei Mendel Zaks Aaron Schechter Present members Elya Brudny Hillel David Aharon Feldman Yosef Chaim Frankel Aharon Dovid Goldberg Yaakov Horowitz Shmuel Kamenetsky Malkiel Kotler Shlomo Miller Yerucham Olshin Yosef Harari Raful Yitzchok Sorotzkin Shimon Yehuda Svei Category

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF 2 GND FAST National United States Poland Israel People Deutsche Biographie Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chaim Ozer Grodzinski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Ozer_Grodzinski) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Ozer_Grodzinski?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.