Rosenfeld - Rabbi Yosef Chaim HaKohen

רוזנפלד - יוסף חיים הכהן

Rabbi Yosef Chaim HaKohen Rosenfeld

Rabbi Yosef Chaim HaKohen Rosenfeld (הרה"ח ר' יוסף חיים הכהן רוזנפלד ע"ה, 5693–19 Elul 5782; 1933–2022) was born in Brooklyn to Reb Chanoch Henoch HaKohen and Esther Miriam Rosenfeld. In 5716 (1956) he was one of the talmidim the Rebbe sent to Kfar Chabad to encourage the residents after the Yad HaChamishah attack. He married Malka Reizel, daughter of Rabbi Mordechai Dovber Lokshin, on 23 Kislev 5718 in the courtyard of 770, with the Rebbe officiating, and right after the wedding the Rebbe sent the couple as his shluchim to San Francisco (פריסקא in the letters), where they served about two years.

He was afterwards for many decades the executive director of Mosad Chinuch Oholei Torah in Crown Heights, and is remembered there together with founder Reb Michoel Teitelbaum as one of the yeshivah's builders. He established the Oholei Torah Shabbos minyan for talmidim in Reb Michoel's memory. See also the topic Oholei Torah (educational institution, Brooklyn).

The Frierdiker Rebbe's walking stick. In San Francisco the elderly Chassid Rabbi Shneur Zalman Bezpaloff, rabbi of Congregation Bnai David, gave Rabbi Rosenfeld his most prized possession, a walking stick that had belonged to the Rebbe's father-in-law, the Frierdiker Rebbe. Rabbi Rosenfeld flew to New York and presented it to the Rebbe. The Rebbe's reply (IK 6612) builds on it: leading with the "staff of pleasantness" (מקל נועם), the Chabad way. Since the Rebbe avoided accepting gifts, he enclosed a check in exchange; when Rabbi Rosenfeld refused payment, the Rebbe insisted, quoting "he who hates gifts will live" (Mishlei 15:27).

IK 6341 — expanding his holy work gradually ("מעט מעט אגרשנו") and preparing the Yud-Beis Tammuz farbrengen in advance.
IK 6566 — to Reb Yaakov Karasik, who sent a pidyon nefesh through Rabbi Rosenfeld; mentions the Talmud Torah under his direction.
IK 6612 — on the Frierdiker Rebbe's walking stick (above).
IK 6671 — publishing a weekly Torah article in a San Francisco Jewish newspaper.
IK 6701 — serving on a kashrus board and performing weddings as a rav.
IK 6789 — learning Hilchos Gittin, publicizing farbrengens, and selling chametz.

Hebrew spellings in the letters: רוזנפלד, ראזענפעלד.

Shiurim in this topic

6341. Encouragement for Expanding Holy Activities and Guidance in Gradual Hiskashrus עידוד להרחבת פעולות בקודש והדרכה בהתקשרות הדרגתית

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6566. The Merit of Strengthening a Talmud Torah for Health, and the Virtue of Those Who Support Torah: "Me'ushar – from His Head" זכות חיזוק התלמוד תורה לבריאות, ומעלת בעלי עבודה "תומכיה מאושר – מראשו"

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6612. Leading with Kindness and the Chabad Approach to Spreading Light הנהגה במקל נועם, ושיטת חב"ד בהפצת אור

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6671. Publishing a Weekly Article on the Week's Themes in San Francisco's Jewish Newspapers פרסום מאמר שבועי בעניני השבוע בעתונים היהודיים בסן פרנציסקו

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6701. Serving as an Adviser to a Kashrus Board but Not as a Certifier, and Officiating at a Wedding השתתפות כיועץ בועד הכשרות אך לא כמכשיר, וסידור קידושין ע"י בעל סמיכה

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6789. Fixed Study in Hilchos Gittin, Publicizing Farbrengens and the Sale of Chametz, and the Check for the Walking Stick קביעות בהלכות גיטין, פרסום ההתוועדויות ומכירת חמץ בעתונות, וההמחאה תמורת המקל

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