Reb Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi Epstein of Krakow zy"a, the Maor VaShemesh
The Maor VaShemesh zy"a
דער מאור ושמש זי״ע
Upcoming yahrzeit: 6 July 2027 (5787)
The matzeivah and the observed yahrzeit are Rosh Chodesh Tammuz (1 Tammuz). Most accounts, and the 200th yahrzeit marked in Krakow in 2023, give the year as 5583 (1823). English Wikipedia gives 1825.
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The Maor VaShemesh zy"a — Reb Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi Epstein of Krakow — was a great talmid of Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a, and one of the first to bring Chassidus to Krakow. He was born around 1754 (some write 1753). Sources do not agree which town called Neustadt was his birthplace, so we do not guess. He later lived in Krakow, and there he was niftar on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz. Most accounts give the year as 5583 (1823); the 200th yahrzeit was marked in Krakow in 2023. English Wikipedia gives 1825. He rests in the nayer Beis Hachaim on ul. Miodowa, not in the Remah Beis Hachaim.
After learning by Reb Elimelech zy"a, he was sent to Krakow. At first there was strong opposition from those who were against Chassidus, and he still built a Chasidic group in the city. His Torah was later printed as the sefer Maor VaShemesh on the Chumash, and it is still learned in many places. He had two sons: Reb Yosef Baruch, known as the Guter Yid of Neustadt, and Reb Aharon HaLevi Epstein of Krakow, who opened a Chasidic beis midrash in the city.
His son Reb Aharon zy"a was niftar on 7 Kislev 5642 (29 November 1881) and rests right beside him. The older matzeivah next to the newer black granite stone is Reb Aharon’s: it begins “mi-ben harav hakadosh Maor VaShemesh,” and names Aharon HaLevi Epstein, son of Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi, baal Maor VaShemesh. That stone was renewed in 5770, on the place of the earlier matzeivah that was destroyed in the years of the churban. Your kvittel will be placed on the kever of the Maor VaShemesh zy"a in the nayer Beis Hachaim in Krakow.
Historical background
In the years after Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a, Chassidus was still new in a city like Krakow, which already had a great Torah kehillah and also those who were against the new way. The Maor VaShemesh zy"a settled there and, with time, Krakow became a place of Chassidus as well. He was niftar early in the nineteenth century, after the Remah Beis Hachaim was no longer the kehillah’s regular burial place, and he was laid to rest in the nayer Beis Hachaim on ul. Miodowa, where his son Reb Aharon later was buried beside him.
Before & after
Who came before
- Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a — His rebbi
Who came after
- Reb Aharon HaLevi Epstein of Krakow zy"a — His son; he opened a Chasidic beis midrash in Krakow and rests beside his father in the nayer Beis Hachaim
- Reb Yosef Baruch, the Guter Yid of Neustadt zy"a — His other son
In his dor
- Reb Mendel of Rimanov zy"a — A fellow talmid of Reb Elimelech of Lizensk zy"a
- The Chozeh of Lublin zy"a — A leading tzaddik of the same dor, also a talmid of Reb Elimelech zy"a
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.
- Wikipedia: Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Maor VaShemesh); gives 1825 and Nowy Korczyn — see notes in sources.md
- YIVO Encyclopedia: Epstein, Kalonimos Kalman of Kraków (1754–1823)
- Krakow Jewish Community: 200th yahrzeit of Rabbi Kalman Kalonimos Epstein, June 2023
- Polish Wikipedia: Aron Epstein (son of the Maor VaShemesh; 7 Kislev 5642 / 29 November 1881)
- Hebcal date converter (Hebrew–Gregorian yahrzeit dates, including 5787)
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