Baruch Dayan, the truth teller: The writer and historian Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Alfasi, the late author of numerous books on the history of the Hasidic movement, died today (Thursday) at the age of 97.
The late, z"l, was born in Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur night, 10th of Tishrei 1947, to his parents, Yisrael Alfasi, a Gur Hasid, one of the first industrialists in Tel Aviv.
Alfasi himself was associated with the Rebbes from the 'Beit Yisrael' and 'Hafni Menachem' residences.
In 1983, he was ordained to the rabbinate by Rabbi Shlomo Goren. He served as rabbi of the 'Kummiut Avraham' synagogue in Tel Aviv, founded by Rabbi Shlomo Goren, after Rabbi Goren's passing - until his age prevented him from serving in this position.
In the 1950s, he was the editor of the magazine "Hazon" of the Mizrahi Youth Movement. He served as a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University and at "HaShachar" College - a college for retirees in Tel Aviv, and served as chairman of the General Staff's Cultural Committee, and also served as secretary to those who served as Minister of Transportation and Deputy Minister of Welfare.
He was the editor of the newsletter 'Shabbat BeShabto', one of the first weekly Torah bulletins, between 1984 and 1994.
His research work
The late author wrote over 90 books. He wrote about his work style: "We are from the previous generation. Everything was written by hand, without computers and without assistants.".
He was the first to engage in the field of compiling Hasidic biographies in an academic manner, and distinguished himself in his day in his professional genealogical work.
In his books, he assigned significant values to hundreds and thousands of unknown Hasidim whose illustrious work would have been forgotten. His studies are recognized both in Hasidim circles and among scientists, and are among the fundamental sources that accompany anyone involved in the field.
Over the years, he has won many awards for his research, including: the Prime Minister's Award and the Rabbi Kook Award for Torah Literature (2004).
He was also 'the darling of the city of Tel Aviv'.
His family:
In the mid-1950s, he married Adina Bartler, daughter of Menachem Asher Bartler, a Hasidic Vizhnitz and founder of Kiryat Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. Her brother is Rabbi Yitzhak Bartler, Rosh Yeshiva 'Eitari', and her sister is married to Rabbi Katriel Kolodetsky, Rosh Yeshiva 'Yishuv HaChadash'.
Alfasi's sister, Rachel Pardani, was the mother of Gila Katsav, whose acquaintance Alfasi was involved in with Moshe Katsav, later President of the State of Israel, whom she married, and of Yair Pardani, a Chabad Hasid in Tiberias.
From his books:
Hasidism and the Land of Israel: The attitude of Hasidism throughout its generations to the immigration to the Land of Israel and its becoming the center of life for the Jewish people in our generation, based on the doctorate.
Lover of Israel from Apta - The History and Life of Avraham Yehoshua Hashil from Apta, published by the Seftai Tzaddikim Institute.
Encyclopedia of Hasidism - Personalities (3 volumes), Rabbi Kook Institute Publishing House, Jerusalem, Part 1 - 1986, Part 2 - 1981, Part 3 - 1985 (2004).
Encyclopedia of Hasidism - Books (Volume One: Letters A-T), published by the Rabbi Kook Institute, 1974. Together with Rabbi Shalom Chaim Porush.
The Prophecy of Lublin - on Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak Horowitz "The Prophecy of Lublin", published by the Rabbi Kook Institute.
Hasidism, Maariv Publishing House. 1977.
Hasidism in Romania, Segula Publishing.
Hasidism from Generation to Generation (a new edition of "Hassidut" with additional information, documents and keys), "Machon Da'at Yosef", Part One - From the Ba'alim to the Fifth Generation, Jerusalem 1995, Part Two - "From the Sixth Generation to the Present Day", 1998.
The Illuminating Land - The Story of the Seven Chabad Lubavitch Rebbes.
The Holy Grandfather - A book about Rabbi Yissachar bar Mardushitz, Sinai Publishing House.
The Hasidic Story and Deed - Hasidic Stories and Sayings from the Baal Shem Tov, His Disciples and the Disciples of His Disciples, Talpiot Publishing.
The History of Yaakov Yosef - On Rabbi Yaakov Yosef HaCohen of Polnea and His Descendants, published by the Talpiot Institute.
Hasidic teachings - history, Torah and philosophy of one thousand six hundred Hasidic figures, published by the Rabbi Kook Institute.
Tiferet Shabteferet - Beit Gur for generations, Sinai Publishing.
The Rebbe of Kotzk: His History, Disciples, and Teachings, with Sources, Bitan Ha-Safer Publishing House, Tel Aviv 1972. Jerusalem: Rabbi Kook Institute, 1973
Based on Wikipedia
