Rav Yosef Meir Weiss of Spinka zt"l
הרב יוסף מאיר בן שמואל צבי ווייס זצ"ל
Iyar 6 , 5669
Rav Yosef Meir Weiss of Spinka zt"l
(1838-1909)
The Imrei Yosef was born on 18 Adar in the year 5598 (1838) in the town of Munkacz (Mukachevo). His father was Rav Shmuel Weiss, ra’avad, or head of the Munkacszer Beis Din.
The Spinka rebbe was a prominent Torah scholar, and talmid of the Maharam Asch, Rav Meir Eisenstadter, the rabbi of Ungvar (Uzhhorod), and of Maharam Asch’s son, Rav Menachem Eisenstadter also of Ungvar.
In chassidus, he was a disciple of Rebbe Shmuel Shmelke of Selish, author of Tzeror Hachaim, and also of his uncle, the kabbalist, Rav Yitzchak Eizik Weiss of Svalyava.
An ardent chassid from his youth, in his early years he travelled to the Rebbe, the Sar Shalom of Belz, who testified that he has a "good brain." He also opened a yeshivah in Bursha and travelled to Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Vizhnitz and to Rav Chaim of Sanz, author of Divrei Chaim.
According to tradition, the Imrei Yosef learned a particular avodah, a novel approach to avodas Hashem from each of his primary rebbes:
From the Sar Shalom of Belz, he learned the derech of Torah study; from his rebbe muvhak, Rav Aizikel Zidichover, he learned then derech ha’tefillah; and from the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, he learned the derech of avodas Hashem through chessed.
After his second marriage in Munkacsz, he began to study under his rebbe muvhak who was his relative, Rebbe Yitzchak Eizik of Zidichov (Zydaczow Galicia). The Mahari considered the Imrei Yosef to be his most illustrious talmid and would sit with him daily and converse for hours about wisdom and fear of Heaven, while at other times they studied seforim hakedoshim Likutei Torah V'Shas.
In 1870, his teacher, the Zidichover appointed him as a chassidic rebbe, but he refused to receive chassidim during his teacher's lifetime. Only in 1876, did he finally concede, heeding his rebbe, Rav Chaim of Sanz who also ordained him as a rebbe. From then on, he began receiving chassidim in Spinka in the Maramureş region where he lived with his third wife, the daughter of Reb Ezra Yaakov Bash of Spinka.
Rav Yosef Meir Weiss’ name quickly spread throughout Hungary and Galicia, and thousands of Chassidim became his disciples. Among them, were many prominent Torah scholars such as Rav Shalom Mordechai Schwadron, also known as the Maharsham of Berezhan, Rav Yaakov Gottleib, who was AvBeisDin Miskoltz, and Rav Meir Schwartz, who was AvBeisDin Podoheitz. He also had close ties with tzaddikim of his times such as: Rebbe Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam of Sighet, author of Yetev Lev; Rav Dov Beirish of Dolyna; Rebbe Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova, author of Divrei Yechezkel; and others.
He was reputed for his amazing erudition in both revealed and hidden realms of the Torah. When he traveled to Rav Chaim of Sanz, the rebbe welcomed him and they discussed Kabbalistic works at length.
The Spinka nusach ha’tefillah resembled and followed those of Zidichov. Rav Yosef Meir's fervent tefillos inspired multitudes of his chassidim.
Many tales and stories are told of the miraculous wonders he performed, through his blessings and counsel with ruach hakodesh (Divine Inspiration).
His son the Mahari of Spinka testified that his father’s berachos “achieved salvation and that many barren women bore children through his tefillos. His tefillos also healed the sick… I can almost say that every word emitted from his holy mouth was answered…" (Introduction to the sefer, Imrei Yosef, named Asara Maamaros).
The Imrei Yosef had multiple challenges in his life. Hardships included his losing two wives to illness. He had become ill as well, but was miraculously cured through a berachah from his rebbe, Rav Aizikel of Zidichov. He would fast every Wednesday as a zechus for the kinderlach of Klal Yisroel.
After his passing on 6 Iyar 5669 (1909) at age 71, his ohel became a renowned place for prayer and salvation.
In 5732 (1972), his remains were disinterred and reinterred in the Segulah Cemetery in Petach Tikva, Eretz Yisroel.
His chiddushei Torah were published in his magnum opus and namesake, the 7 volume Imrei Yosef on Chumash and Moadim. He also published his rebbe’s sefer, Likutei Mahari.
His son and successor was Rav Yitzchok Isaac named after his rebbe the Zidichover. His sons-in-law where: Rav Nachman Kahana AvBeisDin of Spinka and Rav Avigdor Pollak, who was his third rebbetzin’s son from her previous husband, Rav Yonasan Pollak of Seloshi.
His biography, Pe’er Yosef by Rav Alexander Sender Weiss of Spinka contains a kuntres Berachos VeHodaas that recounts the customs and ways of the rebbe during the weekdays and holidays as well as the nusach Hakafos for Simchas Torah.
Stories of Rav Yosef Meir Weiss of Spinka zt"l
The Chakal Yitzchok of Spinka wrote about his father the Imrei Yosef:
I once heard him tell and I think he said outright that he could hear the cries of the wicked calling out from Gehinnom and from kaf hakela, and that the angel who rules Purgatory, called the Sar Gehinnom, warns the Tzaddikim not to daven on behalf of the resho’im. However, a true Tzaddik pays him no heed and davens for them. He also once told how the reason why he sits and conducts Sholosh Seudos for so long into the night past the time Shabbos ends (as his custom was to say Torah and tell stories for a long time) was because he had mercy and compassion for the reshoim, that they should not be returned to Gehinnom right after Shabbos (and I understood from him that as long as he sat and conducted his Sholosh Seudos tisch they refrained from sending the reshoim back into Gehinnom). He once told us a story about the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, who said that the Rif, Rav Alfasi, had the power to prevent the wicked from being returned to Gehinnom as long as he kept Shabbos Sholosh Seudos, and this was his custom as well – to lengthen and stretch it out as long as he could. (Introduction to Imrei Yosef Vol. I Bereishis, Eser Maamoros 9:6, 9:8)
The Imrei Yosef of Spinka once came to serve as sandek at a bris. There was a great gathering from all the environs to see the Tzaddik. After the seuda, the Imrei Yosef was honored with leading the bensching. As the Tzaddik recited Birkas HaMozon from the Siddur Arizal as was his custom, one of the Chassidim stood listening behind the Rebbe’s chair.
As the Rebbe reached the words, “Please [Hashem] do not require us to benefit from the gifts of flesh and blood nor need their loans,” the Rebbe became very excited. The Chassid who was listening, however, was troubled by the following thought: How could the Rebbe become so excited and daven to Hashem not to need the gifts of others, when the Chassid knew full well that at the conclusion of the Birkas HaMozon, the Rebbe would sit down and begin to accept pidyonos and kvitlach, monetary gifts traditionally given along with the notes of supplication that the Chassidim presented to the Rebbe, asking him to daven for them, effect a salvation and bless them? Wasn’t it hypocritical of the Rebbe to daven for parnossa from Hashem alone and not to benefit from the gifts of flesh and blood, when everyone knew that in just a few minutes he would be given monetary gifts from the Chassidim?
But the Chassid checked himself; he knew that Chazal say anyone who thinks thoughts against their Rebbe is as if he thinks against Heaven, and so he tried to push these negative thoughts out of his head.
The Rebbe, however, seemed to somehow know exactly what his Chassid was thinking. As he concluded bensching, he turned around to the Chassid and asked aloud, “It seems almost contradictory for me to ask Hashem not to benefit from people’s gifts. However, Chazal composed the same nusach of Birkas HaMozon for everyone to recite, whether they benefit from their own handiwork and toil or whether they benefit from others.
Those Rebbes of whom the pasuk in Tehillim says, ‘And he gave him from the gold of Sheba and he prayed on his behalf,’ they accept pidyonos and monetary gifts to pray for their Chassidim who are devoted and connected to them. Their entire parnossa is made up of gifts from people! How can they recite this nusach in Birkas HaMozon?” The Spinka Rebbe, the Imrei Yosef, answered his own question. “When a Rebbe accepts a pidyon for davening on behalf of his Chassid and the Chassid experiences a salvation and is delivered through that yeshua, this is not a gift; it is, in fact, a financial business transaction, the payment given for goods just like any other business deal where there is buying and selling involved. The Rebbe who prays has not received a free gift, since in exchange for his tefillos he granted the Chassid a yeshua. But if the Rebbe’s tefillos were not immediately answered, then the money given is like a loan, which is repaid once the prayers are answered and the yeshua granted. If the prayers remain, Heaven forbid, unanswered, then the money remains a true free gift, since nothing was given to the Chassid in exchange. This is what the Rebbes daven for when they recite Birkas HaMozon and ask of Hashem, ‘Please let us not benefit from the gifts of flesh and blood and not need their loans.’ They are asking that the tefillos and berochos they give their Chassidim in exchange for the pidyonos and kvitlach they receive should be answered, granted and fulfilled so that the monetary transaction is not considered a loan or a gift but rather a fair exchange of goods and services rendered for payment!” (Rav Yaakov Yosef Weiss, Introduction to Imrei Yosef Moadim Vol. 1)
Rav Melech Biderman told how two brothers, Rav Meir and Rav Zanvil Kahana, came together to visit the Tzaddik, the Imrei Yosef of Spinka, on Parshas Shekalim. Both brothers had suffered greatly and needed a yeshua: Rav Meir’s wife was ill and they had no children, and Rav Zanvil’s children were weak and sickly.
On Erev Shabbos, Rav Meir entered and asked for a beracha. He was told to donate a pidyon of a hundred gold coins and he would have a complete salvation! And so he did. His brother did not have time to enter the Rebbe’s room before Shabbos and instead approached on Shabbos. At the tisch the Chassidim have the minhag to donate bottles of wine, and as each Chassid laid down his bottle at the table, Rav Zanvil approached. Soon it was his turn and he laid down his bottle and asked the Rebbe for a beracha for his sick children. The Imrei Yosef blessed them with a beracha for a refua sheleima and then he explained:
On Shabbos Shekalim all tefillos can be answered! The Gemara says in Berachos 26b that the tefillos were instated by Chazal to correspond to the korbanos. Now the purpose of the machatzis hashekel donation was to raise the funds needed to purchase the korban tamid for the entire upcoming year. Thus, the mitzva of shekalim prepared the korbanos for the entire year. Shabbos Shekalim is therefore a time when we can daven for the prayers of the entire year to be accepted and fulfilled lerachamim uleratzon – and be answered! Needless to say, both brothers’ prayers were fully answered and they got their needed salvation! (Pe’er Yosef p. 25)