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Delatyn Authors

The transliterations of Hebrew and Yiddish words and names are based on the spellings found in the on-line library catalogues of Brandeis University, Harvard University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and the Library of Congress.

R' Chayim Bloch (26 June 1881- 23 January 1973)

R' Chayim Bloch (full name R' Moshe Chayim Ephraim Bloch) was a member of a family of scholars and rabbis from Delatyn and neighboring Nadworna. He was a descendant of the early Chassidic author, Moshe Chayim Ephraim of Sudilkov, a grandson of the Ba'al Shem Tov. R' Bloch studied in Yeshiva, and until World War I was a wealthy businessman in Delatyn. When the Russians invaded he moved to Vienna with his wife and children. In 1915, he was drafted into the Austro-Hungarian army, and served in the trenches for 9 months, until he succumbed to illness. On release from the hospital, he served as chaplain to the Jewish prisoners in a prisoner of war camp. R' Bloch continued to observe kashrut during his military service, despite the extreme difficulty. It was during this period that he wrote Der Golem and also a diary, published as Kriegstagebuch Eines Juden (War Diary of a Jew). In 1939 he moved to New York where he remained until his death.

Biographical information on R' Chayim Bloch can be found in the introduction to the English edition of The Golem and in:

View the Bloch family tree.

In 1909 Yudl Rosenberg published Nifla'ot Maharal im ha-Golem in which he introduced the Maharal's golem as the defender of a Jewish community confronted by a blood libel. A decade later, Chayim Bloch published The Golem. Mainly a retelling of Rosenberg's tale, Bloch brought his ability as a superb storyteller and introduced a new feature, the potentially violent nature. of the golem. Rosenberg and Bloch laid the foundation for today's widespread dissemination of the story.

Discussions of Chayim Bloch's version of the golem story can be found in:

Books by R' Chayim Bloch:

  1. Aus Mirjams Brunnen : chassidische Erzälungen und Legenden. J. Melzer Verlag. Darmstadt : 1966. (originally published as Priester der Liebe, see below).

    2. Title: From Miriam's Well : Chassidic narratives and parables.
  2. Blut und eros im jüdischen schrifftum und leben von Eisenmenger über Rohling zu Bischoff. Sensen-verlag. Vienna : 1935.

    3. Title: Blood and eros in Jewish writings and life.
    Subject: Blood in Jewish religion and folklore.
    (see Ve-da' mah she-tashiv below).
  3. Dovev sifte yeshenim. Tif''eret. New York : 1959.
  4. Even mi kir tizak. New York : 1953/4.
  5. Das geliebte Land : Sagen aus Palastina. R Löwit Verlag. Vienna : 1937.

    6. Title: The beloved land : Legends from Palestine.
    Subject: Jewish folk literature.
  6. Gemeinde der chassidim ihr werden und ihre lehre, ihr leben und ihr treiben. B. Harz . Berlin : 1920.

    7. Title: The Chassidic Community : Its genesis and teachings, its manners and customs.
  7. Hekhal le-divre Hazal u-pitgamehem. Bet mishar sefarim Pardes u-bet defus Sha'ulzon. New York : 1948.
  8. Hersch Ostropoler, ein jüdischer Till-Eulenspiegel des 18. Jahrhunderts; Seine Geschichten und Streiche. B. Harz . Berlin : 1921.

    9. Subject: Jewish wit and humor.
  9. Israel der Gotteskämpfer, der Baalscham von Chelm und sein Golem. ein ostjüdisches Legendenbuch. B. Harz . Berlin : 1920.

    10. Title: Israel the G-d Struggler, the Baal Shem of Chelm and his Golem, an East European Jewish Legend Book.
    Subject: By the 16th century, golem-making was associated with 2 rabbis, Eliahu Baal Shem of Chelm (d. 1583) and Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal of Prague (d. 1609).
  10. Das jüdischer Amerika; wahrnehmungen und betrachtungen. Verlag "Das Leben" Wien-Brigittenau : 1926.

    11. Title: Jewish America; perceptions and views.
  11. Das jüdischer Volk in seiner Anekdote; Ernstes und Heiteres von Gottsuchern, Gelehrten, Künstlern, Narren, Schelman, Aufschneidern, Schnorrern, Reichen, Frommen, Freidenkern, Täuflingen, Antisemiten. Verlag für Kulturpolitik. Berlin : 1931.

    12. El Pueblo Judio a Traves de la Anecdota : Historias serias y jocosas des devotos, ... y antisemites. Translated by Luis Blanco de Vincente. 1945. (Spanish).
    Title: The Jewish People in Their Anecdotes : earnest and cheerful G-d-seekers, scholars, artists, fools, scolders, boasters. beggars, rich men, pious men, free thinkers, the baptized, antisemites.
    Subject: Jewish wit and humor.
  12. Kabbalistiche sagen. Im Verlag der Asia major. Leipzig : 1925.

    13. Title: Kabbalistic tales.
    Subject: Stories about R' Isaac Luria.
  13. Kovets mikhtavim mekoriyim meha-Besht zal ve-talmidav. Hotsa'ah 'Ivrit Menorah. Vienna : 1923.
  14. Kum nv et he harim teshuvah al pesak din me agudat ha rabanim. New York : 1948/9.
  15. Masa Federbush; tokhehat megulah leha-Rav Federbush. Bronx, NY : 1959.
  16. Me'ashrim to'im u-matim. Hadar. New York : 1952/3.

    17. Subject: halacha (Jewish law), responsa.
  17. Meharsham : ha-posek ha-aharon, ve-zeh shemo be-kirvo Moh. R. Shalom Mordekhai Hakohen Shvadron, "Berzaner Rav". J. Majeski. Brooklyn, NY : 192?.
  18. Mevo ha-Talmud. Makor. Jerusalem : 1970/1. (Reprint).
  19. Mi natan li-meshisah Yaakov ve-Yisrael le-vozezim? Bronx, NY : 1957.
  20. Ostjüdische Humor. B. Harz . Berlin : 1920.

    21. Title: East European Jewish Humor.
  21. Der Prager golem, von seiner "geburt" bis zu seinem "tod". B. Harz . Berlin : 1920.

    22. The golem by Chayim Bloch, legends of the ghetto of Prague. Translated by Harry Schneiderman. Vienna : 1925.
    Le Golem : légendes du ghetto de Prague par Chayim Bloch. Translated by Francois Ritter. J.H.E. Heitz. Strasbourg : 1928. (French)
    De Golem : legenden uit het ghetto van Praag. W.J. Thieme. Zutphen : 1930. (Dutch translation).
    Subject: Jewish folk legend. Stories of the Maharal of Prague. By the 16th century, golem-making was associated with 2 rabbis, Eliahu Baal Shem of Chelm (d. 1583) and Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal of Prague (d. 1609).
  22. Priester der Liebe, die Welt der Chassidim. Amalthea-Verlag. Zürich : 1930. (reprinted as Aus Mirjams Brunnen, see above).

    23. Title: Priests who love, the world of the Chassidim.
  23. ha-Sefer ha-shahor. New York : 195?. (Translation of the Yiddish book : A shvarts bukh).

    24. Title: The Black Book.
  24. Talmudische weisheit : altjüdische Wechselgesprache. Vienna : 1921.

    25. Title: Talmudic wisdom : ancient Jewish discussion of commerce.
  25. Ve-da' mah she-tashiv. Reznik-Salis. New York : 1943.

    26. Subtitle: Appropriate replies to inquiries from the Vatican.
    Subject: Refutation of Erich Bischoff's charges contained in Das Blut in juedischen Schrifttum und Brauch (1929), a book which appeared to be influential in Vatican circles.
    (see Blut und eros im jüdischen schrifftum und leben von Eisenmenger über Rohling zu Bischoff above).
  26. Ve-hayah mahanekha kadosh. New York : 1964/5.

R' Jacob Yokel Horowitz (1834-1915)

R' Jacob Yokel Horowitz served for a period of time as Rabbi of Delatyn, starting in 1861/2. See the Delatyn chronology.

Details on R' Jacob Yokel Horowitz can be found in :

and in the Encyclopedia Judaica article on his father, R' Meshullam Issachar ben Aryeh Leib ha-Levi Horowitz.

Books by R' Jacob Yokel Horowitz:

  1. Avne ha-Shoham : kelulim bi-khelilat ha-pilpul veha-halalhah. Bi-defus Y. Eharenfraiz. Lvov : 1880.

    2. Sefer 1 : Sefer ha-nafshot.
    Subject: Talmud commentary. Halacha (Jewish law).
  2. Shirat Dodim. 1894.

    3. Subject: Commentary on the Song of Songs with a chassidic approach.

Copyright © 2000 David Sotkowitz, all rights reserved. Last updated 20 Feb 2000.