Recently I received a biography of Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa, the “Netivoth” written by Abraham Yitzhak Bromberg. Bromberg, a rabbi from Poland now residing in Jerusalem, is the author of a number of studies on the Yerushalmi. For the last fifteen years he has devoted himself to the writing of biographies of Hassidic and Rabbinic authorities. His numerous books in this field constitute a small library, which is a veritable storehouse of information on Jewish religious leadership in Eastern Europe during the last century.
Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum, the Netivoth, was born in Galicia. After his marriage he settled in Stanislav where he engaged in business. Economic difficulties forced him to accept a position as rabbi. After having served two communities in Galicia, he received a call to Lissa in the province of Posen. He stayed there a number of years and then he returned to Galicia. He died in Striy on the 25th of Iyar 5592 (1832).
The author of many books, Rabbi Yaakov gained fame, especially through his “Chavoth Daath” on Yoreh Deah, “Netivoth Hamishpat” on Choshen Mishpat. wherein he critically examines the views of the “Ketzoth HaChoshen”, who in turn refuted the criticism in his “Meshovev Netivot,”; “Beth Yaakov” on Kethubot and Even Haezer, and “Mekor Chayim” on the laws of Passover. His Siddur “Derech Hachayim” was often reprinted. So was his famous will, wherein he forbids the use of the title “rabbi” on his epitaph, claiming that he may not have been worthy of it.
There are extant biographies of the “Netivoth” among them the fine essay by Louis Lewin in his “Geschichte der Juden in Lissa”. Bromberg has of course made use of all of these. He has however, also collected a wealth of new material which sheds additional light on the life and personality of Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa.
A separate chapter is devoted to the method of study of the “Netivoth”, wherein among others , passages of his polemic with the “Ketzoth” are described. Absent, however is a general characteriazation of the different methods of these two “Sarei Hatorah,” May I therefore quote, in translation, a few words from a short essay by my teacher and master, Rabbi Nahman Shlomo Grynspan which gives just such a characterization: ‘Yosef Karo has given us in his Beth Yosef a precise and conבise digest of the Pesakim of the Rishonim, omitting the intricate discussion which had led them to their views. Similarly the “Ketzoth” has presented in condensed form the gist of their Chiddushim and theories; he also employs their theories to trace a trail through many a difficult sugya. While the Ketzoth’s strength is thus essentially in the development and synthesis of the views of the Rishonim, Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa excels in analysis. He penetrates deeply into every Talmudic scheme and dissects and resolves it into its components, baring thereby its innermost principles. While the Ketzoth pleases us with the beauty of the structure of his ideas,, the Netivoth may sometimes “hurt” us with incisive penetrating analyses that we are however compelled to bow down to his invincible logic.” ( The essay was published in the miscellany Iyyim” London , 1928.)
Throughout the book Rabbi Bromberg quotes abundantly from the responsa of Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa, many of which are contained in the books of his contemporaries. May we remark in connection therewith that several responsa by Rabbi Yaakov of Lissa were published by Jacob Freimann before World War IIץ ( See Freimann’s bibliography nos. 21, 23 and 25 in his Festschrift, Berlin, 1937.)
The Jewish Press, Friday May 20, 1960