Gadol

Usage

The term gadol hador refers to the "great/est of the generation", denoting a rebbe who is presumed to be even greater than the others. Other variations of the term are Gadol Yisrael or Gadol BeYisrael (plural: Gedolei Yisrael), meaning "great one of the Jewish people".

A similar title is Rashkebahag, which is an acronym for "Rabbon shel kol bnei hagolah" "sage and teacher of the entire Diaspora". Another term is Manhig Yisroel (plural: Manhigei Yisroel), literally "leader of the Jewish people".

The title gadol hador is usually only given to one sage at a time, while the title "Rashkebahag" can be given to a few, and the term Gedolei Yisrael collectively refers to all leading rabbis in the Haredi community.

The term is generally applied to leaders since World War I. Major rabbis from earlier generations are known as Rishonim or Achronim.

Role

Often, a gadol functions as a rosh yeshiva. A gadol is quite often also a posek (a decisor of halakha) and may be the author of rabbinic literature and responsa.

Adherents of Haredi Judaism often presume that a gadol has some degree of ruach hakodesh ("divine spirit"); the gadols teachings and statements therefore become the crux of rabbinic authority.

According to Nota Greenblatt, posek and rosh yeshiva of Margolin Hebrew Academy, a true gadol is far more than a great Talmid Chakham; he is someone that has wisdom, concern for others, and has fully developed his middos.

Rabbi Chaim Epstein has been quoted as saying:

Related concepts

In Hebrew halachic texts, gadol is also used as a term for a Jewish boy who turns thirteen, and is viewed as an adult regarding to his obligation to practice the 613 commandments. This is the age of bnei mitzvah. When a Jewish girl reaches the age of twelve, according to Jewish law, she is called a gedolah (the feminine form of gadol).

Kohen Gadol refers to the High Priest of Israel in the time of the Temple in Jerusalem. Shabbat Hagadol is the Shabbat prior to Passover.

In modern Hebrew, "gadol" is used as slang to mean something is extremely cool, out of this world, superb, awesome, absurdly funny, or hilarious. For example, upon hearing a funny joke one might interject "Gadol!"

In English writing, the transliterated word "gadol" generally refers to a prominent rabbi.

Recognized ''gedolei hador''

The following are names of rabbis of the non-Hasidic communities that were or are widely recognized to be the gadol hador:

[[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]]

• Vilna Gaon
• Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin
• Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis Halevi)
• Rabbi Akiva Eger
• Rabbi Moses Sofer (Chasam Sofer)
• Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik (Chaim Brisker)
• Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor
• Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim)
• Rabbi Aharon Kotler
• Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski
• Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (the Chazon Ish)
• Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin
• Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
• Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
• Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
• Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner
• Rabbi Elazar Shach
• Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv
• Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
• Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel
• Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg
• Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman
• Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
• Rabbi Gershon Edelstein
• Rabbi Dov Lando

[[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox]]/[[Religious Zionism|Religious Zionist]]

• Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
• Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik ("the Rav")
• Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein
• Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

References

References

1. Devorah Klein. "Midwest Agudath Israel council annual conference". [[Hamodia]].
2. ''[[Ami (magazine). Ami]]'' (203): 61. Jan 28, 2015.
3. (23 April 2020). "Vilna Gaon's 300th Yartzeit".
4. Frand, Rabbi Yissocher. (2021-04-15). "Tzaraas Teaches a Major Life Lesson About Negiyus -- Personal Bias".
5. Krohn, Paysach J.. (1989). "Around the maggid's table: more classic stories and parables from the great teachers of Israel". Mesorah Publications.
6. "Leilão Bidspirit-Rabbi Akiva Eiger's Personal Copy".
7. "Born In Vilna".
8. Doe, John. (2016-08-24). "The Hidden World of Shidduchim - Mishpacha Magazine".
9. devcontent. (2018-09-12). "And Seal Us for Life - Mishpacha Magazine".
10. "Why 1840?".
11. "And how can Zionists go against the Chofetz Chaim?".
12. Scarr, Cindy. (2023-11-14). "In Sights: Issue 986 - Mishpacha Magazine".
13. "Living Legacy: Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, zt"l {{!}} Boro Park 24".
14. Slifkin, Natan. "On Criticizing Gedolim".
15. Henkin, Rabbi Yehuda-Herzl. (2003-09-05). "“A Generation That Knew Not Yosef”: Remembering a Gadol Hador on His Thirtieth Yahrzeit".
16. Elinsky, Kate. (2022-04-06). "On Re-Reading a Banned Book: Nathan Kamenetsky's Making of a Godol".
17. (7 October 2010). "Hidden in plain sight, more from Rav Moshe Feinstein". [[The Jewish Star (New York).
18. "Rabbi Moshe Feinstein".
19. Kirzner, Yisroel Mayer. (December 1981). "By the Writing Desk of the Master: Reflections on "Pachad Yitzchok: lgaros Ukesavim"". [[The Jewish Observer]].
20. (Feb 20, 2019). "Filling the Void". [[Mishpacha Magazine]].
21. "Easy Does It".
22. (2015). "The Gadol Hador: An Inside Glimpse of Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt"l".
23. (10 October 2013). "Where Do We Go From Here? Remembering Rav Ovadia Yosef".
24. (7 August 2018). "Hacham Ovadia Yosef – The Most Accomplished Rav of Recent Generations".
25. "One Hundred Thousand at Mir Rosh Yeshiva Funeral".
26. Hoffman, Rabbi Yair. (2020-06-08). "An Interesting Story With Rav Yeruchem and Rav Scheinberg - VINnews".
27. (12 December 2017). "A Glimpse Into The Life Of The Gadol Hador, Maran Hagaon HaRav Aron Leib Shteinman ZATZAL".
28. (2 October 2020). "Tehillim for the Gadol Hador". [[Yeshiva World News]].
29. "Important Letter From the Gadol Hador, Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita".
30. Dov, Yehuda. (2023-05-30). "Rabbi Gershon Edelstein: Biography Of a Gadol - VINnews".
31. (2025-04-17). "Incredible Anivus: Hagaon Harav Dov Landau Asks For Mechila. Here’s Why [See the Video]".
32. Sylvetsky, Rabbi Avraham Y.. "An introduction to Rav Kook's concept of teshuva".
33. (2017-11-12). "It Might Be Worth It".
34. Griffith, Brad. (2015-04-22). "In Memory of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, zt”l".
35. Sacker, Dan. (2020-11-12). "'It was the honour of our lives to work for Rabbi Lord Sacks'".