Rav Yaakov Yosef of Ostrog zt"l
הרב יעקב יוסף בן יהודה לייב מאוסטרוג זצ"ל
Tishrei 20 , 5551
Rav Yaakov Yosef of Ostrog zt"l
AUTHOR OF RAV YEVI
Rav Yaakov Yosef of Ostrog, the son on Rav Yehudah Leib, the Rav Moreh Tzedek of Ostrog, was born in 5498 (1738).
He was among the greatest third generation leaders of chassidus. He was a talmid muvhak and disciple of Rav Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, and was very close with other disciples of the Baal Shem Tov as well.
In 5526 (1766), Rav Yaakov Yosef succeeded his father as maggid and rav in Ostrog. There he attracted many disciples and new followers of chassidus. He had great oratory and rhetorical talent and his derashos drew multitudes of listeners.
Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev testified that Rav Yaakov Yosef was a “holy man of G-d,” and his colleague, Rav Asher Tzvi of Ostrog, said that he was “holy and sanctified from the womb.”
He is renowned for his sefer, Rav Yabi on the Torah, 53 chapters of Tehillim, and perushim on Shas and aggadata. He named it Yabi after the acronym ייבי for Yaakov Yosef ben Yehudah. The sefer was very well received, spread far and wide, and he himself was came to be called ‘Rav Yabi’ after it. The work contains numerous teachings from the Baal Shem Tov, Rav Nachman of Kossuv, and Rav Menachem Mendel of Bar and it has been reprinted many times.
The sefer is replete with derashos and mussar, warning and rebuking us to refrain from slander, informing, and bribery, and from adopting irreligious social reforms. He delivers sharp words against leaders who frightened their congregants, and words of love for the poor, of whom he said merited greater revelations of the secrets of Torah than the wealthy. He praises those who study the deeper, inner layers of Torah over the those who exclusively peruse its straightforward external teachings.
Rav Yaakov Yosef expresses his love for the Jewish people, who refrain from pursuing the pleasures of this world, but rather direct all of their efforts and intentions toward the World to Come. With his pure, simple faith, he attests that “everything hinges upon emunah!”
He taught, as did the Baal Shem Tov, that the primary purpose of Torah study was to bring one to action, in the correct fulfillment of the Torah’s commandments. Therefore, the goal was to know the halachos and not to dwell on sharp pilpul and subtle mental gymnastics that led nowhere practical, for this is not called Torah lishmah. He discusses the ways of the tzadik but less so than most other chassidic sefarim.
Rav Yaakov Yosef commanded in his last will and testament that no praises and honorifics were to be engraved on his matzeva, only his name and position.
His sons were Rav Elyakim Getzel, who succeeded him as rav and maggid in Ostrog; Rav Pinchas, who succeeded him as rebbe in Ostrog, and Rav Yehuda Leib Levin, progenitor of the famed Yevin family. His son-in-law was Rav Avraham, the son of Rav Tzvi Favlitsh.
He passed away on the 4th day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos, the 20th of Tishrei, 5551 (1790).