Reb Chaim Halberstam of Sanz zy"a, the Divrei Chaim
The Divrei Chaim of Sanz zy"a
דער דברי חיים פון צאנז זי״ע
Upcoming yahrzeit: 2 May 2027 (5787)
Send a kvittel to this keverBiography
The Divrei Chaim zy"a, Reb Chaim Halberstam, was the Sanzer Rav, and the founder of Sanzer Chassidus. He was born in 5553 (1793) in Tarnogrod. He was a talmid of Reb Naftali of Ropshitz zy"a, and through him he held the mesorah of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a. After years in the rabbonus in other kehillos, he became rav in Sanz (Nowy Sacz), where he led a large court and was niftar on 25 Nissan 5636 (19 April 1876).
His Torah was later printed as Divrei Chaim on the Torah and as Shu"t Divrei Chaim. He was known for a fiery avodah and for a hanhaga built on halacha. Among his sons was the Shineve Rav, Reb Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam zy"a. His grandson, Reb Shlomo Halberstam zy"a, later founded the Bobov dynasty.
He rests in the ohel in the Beis Hachaim of Sanz. The tziyun stands behind a gold-colored fence, and many kvittlach are left there. Your kvittel will be placed on his kever in Sanz.
Historical background
In the nineteenth century, Galicia was full of Chasidic courts, and Sanz became one of the great ones. The Divrei Chaim zy"a built that court on the mesorah that came down from Lizensk through Ropshitz, and his children and einiklach carried it further — to Shinova, to Bobov, and to other kehillos.
Before & after
Who came before
- The Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a — The mesorah of Sanz comes down from him, through Reb Naftali of Ropshitz zy"a, the Divrei Chaim's rebbi. There is not yet a Ropshitz page on this site.
Who came after
- The Shineve Rav zy"a, Reb Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam — His son. After the Divrei Chaim's histalkus he served for a short time in Sanz itself, and then returned to Shinova.
- Reb Shlomo Halberstam zy"a, the first Bobover Rebbe — His grandson, a son of Reb Meir Noson zy"a. He later founded the Bobov dynasty.
In his dor
- The Aryeh D'Bei Ilai zy"a, Reb Aryeh Leibush Lipschitz of Brzesko — A contemporary rav in nearby Brzesko. The Shineve Rav, the Divrei Chaim's son, married into this family.
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.
Send a kvittel
Send a kvittel to The Divrei Chaim of Sanz zy"a
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.