Rabbi Azriel HaLevi Ish Horowitz zt"l, the Rosh HaBarzel, Av Beis Din of Lublin
Rabbi Azriel HaLevi Horowitz zt"l
רבי עזריאל הלוי הורוויץ זצ״ל
Upcoming yahrzeit: 22 November 2027 (5788)
Send a kvittel to this keverBiography
Rabbi Azriel HaLevi Horowitz zt"l, av beis din of Lublin, was known as the Rosh HaBarzel, in Yiddish der Eizener Kop. He was born in Zamość in 5517 (1757), a son of Rabbi Dov of Zamość, as later accounts name his father. The matzeivah calls him the son of the great rav, moreinu, of Zamość. He served as rav in Kraśnik, and in 5566 (1805/6) he became rav of Lublin. He was niftar there on Shabbos, 22 Cheshvan 5579 (21 November 1818), and he rests in the old Jewish cemetery on Grodzisko hill, ul. Kalinowszczyzna.
The inscription on the matzeivah begins with the kovod of a gaon and rav, and names “mohorar Azriel HaLevi Ish Horowitz,” av beis din of the holy kehillah of Lublin, “neki kapayim.” It records that he was gathered on Shabbos Kodesh, 22 Cheshvan 5579. At the top is a Levite pitcher, the siman of a Levi. The black stone with the red frame that stands today is a later matzeivah, following the wording of the original stone; an older photograph of that original stone is on this page.
He was av beis din of Lublin in the years when the Chozeh of Lublin zy"a lived in the city. He is remembered as having stood against the Chassidim of Lublin, and in particular against the way of the Chozeh. At the same time, some accounts record a warmer relationship with the early Rebbes of Peshischa. We mention this only as the sources record it. His chiddushim and teshuvos were printed many years later under the name Rosh Barzel.
He rests in the same old Beis Hachaim as Rabbi Shalom Shachna zy"a. The photographs show the two matzeivos standing one beside the other, with kvittlach at the older stone. Your kvittel will be placed on his kever there.
Historical background
The old Jewish cemetery of Lublin stands on Grodzisko hill, at ul. Kalinowszczyzna. It is one of the oldest batei chaim in Poland, and it was the regular burial place of the kehillah until around 1829, when a newer cemetery was opened. Rabbi Azriel, who was niftar in 1818, was therefore buried here, not in the later cemetery. The Chozeh of Lublin zy"a, who was niftar in 1815, also rests in this older Beis Hachaim, in an ohel; there is not yet a page for him on this site. The two stones in the photographs are Rabbi Azriel’s later matzeivah and, right behind it, the old matzeivah of Rabbi Shalom Shachna zy"a.
Before & after
Who came before
- Rabbi Dov of Zamość — His father, as later accounts name him
Who came after
- —
In his dor
- The Chozeh of Lublin zy"a — He lived in Lublin in the same years; Rabbi Azriel is remembered as having stood against the Chassidim of the city, and in particular against the way of the Chozeh. There is not yet a page for the Chozeh on this site
- The early Rebbes of Peshischa zy"a — Some accounts record a warmer relationship with them, even while he stood against the Chassidim of Lublin
- Rabbi Shalom Shachna zy"a of Lublin — Of an earlier dor; his old matzeivah stands today immediately beside Rabbi Azriel’s later stone
Sources
The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.
- Hebrew Wikipedia: Azriel Horowitz (22 Cheshvan 5579 / 21 November 1818; old Jewish cemetery, Lublin)
- Zadikim.net: Rabbi Azriel HaLevi Horowitz of Lublin (22 Cheshvan 5579, as recorded on the matzeivah)
- Teatr NN Lexicon: Old Jewish cemetery in Lublin (Grodzisko / Kalinowszczyzna; Shalom Shachna, 1558)
- Virtual Shtetl: Old Jewish cemetery in Lublin, ul. Kalinowszczyzna (Grodzisko hill)
- Hebcal date converter (Hebrew–Gregorian yahrzeit dates, including 5787)
Send a kvittel
Send a kvittel to Rabbi Azriel HaLevi Horowitz zt"l
Write the names and your bakashah. The kvittel will be brought to this kever. A pidyon of eighteen dollars or more goes with it; you choose the amount, and you will be taken to a secure payment page. The shliach receives the kvittel only once the pidyon is received.