Rabbi Ephraim Yolles

Reb Efraim Eliezer HaCohen Yolles (written in Yiddish as Yolles) (5 Shevat 1890 - 25 Cheshvan 1988) was the Gaavad of Sambor and Chief Rabbi of the Orthodox community in Philadelphia

Life History[edit | edit source]

Born to Reb Shalom HaCohen, who was the rabbi of Stry, and Esther Sheindel, on 5 Shevat 1890 in Sambor, Galicia - a descendant of Reb Uri of Sambor. He was educated by his father, who was a student of the Shoel Umeshiv, Reb Yosef Shaul Nathanson.

In 1913, he received his rabbinical ordination from Reb David Halevi Horowitz of Stanislov and Reb Nathan Levin of Reisha. From 1916, he was appointed as a dayan in the Beis Din of Stry.

In 1921, he immigrated with his family to the United States and was appointed as rabbi of Kerem Israel congregation in Philadelphia. In 1948, he was appointed as the head rabbi of the Charedi community in Philadelphia.

In his later years, he was known as the Gaavad of Sambor or the Admor of Sambor, and served as honorary president of Agudas HaRabbonim of the United States and Canada. The leadership of Sambor Chassidus is continued by his grandson, Reb Uri Gladtzelter.

Relationship with the Rebbe[edit | edit source]

After the Frierdiker Rebbe came to the United States, Reb Yolles asked him to study Kabbalah and Chassidus with him, and he directed him to his son-in-law, the Rebbe. After the Frierdiker Rebbe's passing in 1950, he urged his son-in-law the Rebbe to accept the nesius, and since then would regularly attend his farbrengens. He was close to the Rebbe and accepted him as his personal Rebbe, visiting him several times a year. From the Igros Kodesh series, it's evident that hundreds of Torah letters were exchanged between them, both in nigleh and Kabbalah. When Reb Yolles was asked a question about science and Torah in astronomy (a contradiction between the sun's size as written in Jewish sources versus its scientific size), he referred the question to the Rebbe. His level of hiskashrus and bitul to the Rebbe was well-known.

On 19 Kislev (when the Rebbe would write which masechta he would take in Chalukas HaShas), he would give his pen to the Rebbe. Afterward, the Rebbe would return it to him, saying yasher koach, and sometimes adding more.

In Cheshvan 1956, he merited to hear from the Rebbe the maamar "Ashrei Tivchar" in yechidus, which was said in honor of his grandson's bris.

At the 10 Shevat 1976 farbrengen where the Rebbe requested rabbis to rule that Eretz Yisroel belongs to Am Yisroel, he was one of the rabbis who stood to speak.

At the 11 Nissan 1983 farbrengen, as the Rebbe was leaving, he approached and spoke with the Rebbe for a short time. When finished, he held the Rebbe's hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it warmly in front of all the farbrengen participants.

His Visits to the Rebbe on Chol HaMoed[edit | edit source]

Reb Yolles would come to 770 every year to visit the Rebbe during Pesach and Sukkos, citing "one must greet their Rebbe on the festival." During every Chol HaMoed Pesach and Sukkos, Reb Yolles would come for Shacharis and Musaf on one of the days. He would receive an aliyah to the Torah, and after davening would enter for a quasi-yechidus with the Rebbe.

His Visit on Chol HaMoed Pesach 1982[edit | edit source]

From the diary of 1982:

18 Nissan 1982

...Afterward, Reb Yolles approached him wearing a shtreimel and tallis, and the Rebbe smiled at him and spoke with him for several moments. Then Reb Yolles followed the Rebbe and went up with him in the elevator. When they exited the elevator, the Rebbe smiled (apparently having spoken with him in the elevator). Then he entered after the Rebbe together with his son-in-law and three grandchildren into Gan Eden HaTachton...

The Rebbe smiled at him and approached the table standing in Gan Eden HaTachton, with a padded (rubber) chair for the Rebbe at the head of the table.

Then Reb Yolles sat, apparently on the small bench that was there, while the others stood. The conversation's content was: First, the Rebbe asked about his sefer, whether he would publish it ready to use bound. Then the Rebbe told him they would need to count "Sefiras HaOmer" until the sefer would be ready. Then he asked the Rebbe why the Rambam doesn't write about the mitzvah that one must greet their Rebbe on the festival. [This is the reason he comes every year to the Rebbe on Chol HaMoed Pesach]. Then he asked if Eretz Yisroel needs to be prepared for Moshiach by conquering it.

The Rebbe answered: One shouldn't go conquer because this is only through Moshiach when there's a Sanhedrin etc., only then can the land be conquered, but still shouldn't conquer now. And what's being discussed regarding Eretz HaKodesh isn't war but from the halacha in Shulchan Aruch Hilchos Shabbos Siman 329 that if non-Jews siege Jewish cities, even over straw and hay we desecrate Shabbos, and go out with weapons, and this applies even if it would happen chas v'shalom in Brooklyn as well, they would desecrate Shabbos etc. And here it's about pikuach nefesh and even though it's not part of Eretz Yisroel, by returning 'Yamit' and 'Atzmona' 'Chatzar Hadar' the border is 10 km closer to Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak and Kfar Chabad and this is more pikuach nefashos. The Rebbe expressed and said to him "Have you heard such nonsense?! That they're returning the territories, and also regarding Begin signing that in another 5 years r"l hyl"t, he would be together with the Palestinians" and also mentioned regarding Chabad chassidim visiting Begin to register him for a Sefer Torah, and said that Yamit isn't part of Eretz Yisroel and about this the Rebbe said as above that it's not about whether it's Eretz Yisroel but about pikuach nefesh and here there's someone willing to give up pikuach nefesh in order to receive budget for yeshivos... (When the Rebbe spoke about the situation in Eretz Yisroel he spoke strongly and firmly and with his holy hand made a dismissive gesture and struck the... etc.).

Then he asked what is the Rambam's order regarding Moshiach's coming. The Rebbe said it's written that a man from Beis David will arise etc. and will compel all of Israel and will be victorious, and still with all these qualities he's a simple person and only after he actually builds the Beis HaMikdash will he be Moshiach. Then the Rebbe told him regarding "We Want Moshiach Now" that "now" is gematria 57 which relates to "hazan" - the One who sustains and provides for the entire world with His goodness, which is the concept of "harchev picha va'amaleihu" [Chapter 81] both in gashmius and ruchnius. Then he said to the Rebbe that he is an elevated person above all the people and a neshama klalis and the head of Bnei Yisroel. The Rebbe also said "yasher koach" to him for not mentioning "aschalta d'geulah" in the mi shebeirach said in his shul.

They stayed with the Rebbe for about 40 minutes, then stood to leave. The Rebbe spoke with him a bit more and smiled at him, and accompanied him to the entrance of Gan Eden HaTachton, watching him with a sharp gaze until he disappeared among the bochurim. Then the Rebbe went to take the siddur from the table [because they sat immediately after davening and the Rebbe was wrapped in his tallis] and entered his room.

His Final Visit Pesach 1988[edit | edit source]

From the 1988 diary: On Tuesday morning 18 Nissan 1988 after Shacharis, he arrived at 770 as he would do every year during Pesach to visit the Rebbe. The elderly gaon arrived accompanied by his sons and grandsons.

He waited at the entrance of Gan Eden HaTachton. When the Rebbe came up from the large zal and noticed him, he warmly shook his hand and then the Rebbe, R' Yolles, and his family members entered Gan Eden HaTachton. After some time, the other family members left and the Rebbe spoke with him privately.

The visit lasted about half an hour. When R' Yolles took leave of the Rebbe, the Rebbe followed him out while two grandchildren supported him and helped him walk backwards as he didn't want to turn his back to the Rebbe. On the way to the exit, a chair was brought and R' Yolles (waiting for the car to take him) sat down.

The Rebbe said to him the words "Yireh kohen b'Tzion" and then added that since it's now Yom Tov they should sing a joyous song. The crowd standing around burst into song "V'samachta b'chagecha" and the Rebbe encouraged the singing with his holy hands while looking with a radiant countenance at R' Yolles and all those around.

The Rebbe waited there for long minutes until the car carrying R' Yolles drove away from the place.

His Seforim[edit | edit source]

R' Yolles authored various seforim, including:

- Divrei Efraim Eliezer, Philadelphia, 1983

- Kisvei Achiezer - clarification of halachos, attached to his brother's sefer - R' Yeshaya Asher Yolles, Shemen HaRosh, Stry, 1933