Yosef Yitzchak Wilschansky

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky delivers a general lecture to yeshiva students (5783/2023)

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilschansky (3 Adar II 5711 - 8 Adar 5785) was one of the Rebbe's shluchim to Eretz HaKodesh, served as the Rosh Yeshiva of Chabad Chassidic Yeshivas Lubavitch Tzfat, an educator, was a member of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in Eretz HaKodesh and in the Moshiach headquarters. He was among the leaders of the path of faith and hiskashrus to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

Life History

Born in France on 3 Adar II 5711 (1951) to Rabbi Raphael Wilschansky.

When he was about three years old, his mother passed away and he was adopted by his grandfather, the shadar Rabbi Alexander Sender Menkin from Paris, and in the home of his uncle Rabbi Yehoshua Dobrawsky.

In his youth he studied at Tomchei Tmimim in Brunoy, France, under the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yosef Goldberg.

Towards the month of Tishrei 5730 (1969), he went to study at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim 770.

In the month of Iyar 5731 (1971), he was among the group of student shluchim sent by the Rebbe to Australia.

In 5733 (1973), after returning to 770, he joined the Committee for the Dissemination of Sichos and took part in editing the Likkutei Sichos booklets that were published weekly with the Rebbe's editing.

In Elul 5734 (1974), he married Mrs. Malka Pearl, daughter of Rabbi Moshe Ashkenazi, granddaughter of Rabbi Eliezer Krasik, Rav of the Chabad community in Tel Aviv, and began studying in the Kollel Avreichim under the Rebbe's secretariat, while continuing his work with the Committee for the Dissemination of Sichos.

On 11 Shevat 5736 (1976), he was sent by the Rebbe to Eretz Yisrael, as part of the group of shluchim to Eretz HaKodesh that the Rebbe sent to the land that year.

In the month of Iyar 5737 (1977), he established the Yeshivas Chassidei Chabad Lubavitch in Tzfat, which by the Rebbe's instruction combines Chabad students alongside baalei teshuva, together with Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Levkivker. The yeshiva today is the largest Chabad yeshiva in the world.

Rabbi Wilschansky maintained the view throughout the years that the Rebbe's identity as Melech HaMoshiach should be publicized. Even after 3 Tammuz, he continued to adhere to this position and even participated and spoke at Geulah and Moshiach gatherings held in 5755 (1995) by Rabbi Zimroni Tzik to welcome the Rebbe Moshiach Tzidkeinu. In subsequent years, Rabbi Wilschansky also attended conferences organized by the Association for the True and Complete Redemption. When the Moshiach Headquarters was established, Rabbi Wilschansky joined the administration. He served as a board member of the Million Fund. Over the years, the yeshiva under his leadership became known as a yeshiva that takes an uncompromising line of faith in the Rebbe's words, publicizing the message of Geulah and the Rebbe's eternal life while placing special emphasis on strong hiskashrus to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

Rabbi Wilschansky signed the psak din that the Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach, and also signed a psak din that the Rebbe is alive and existing in a physical body, and that this should be publicized.

Under the yeshiva he headed, he opened branches in Haifa, Nof HaGalil and Tel Aviv, as well as a small yeshiva in Tzfat, Yeshivas Chanoch L'Naar, and a "Technological Torah Institute" designed for students who need a more personal framework. Additionally, he established and contributed to the establishment of many educational institutions in the country, and served as a board member of the Chabad community in Tzfat.

Every year he led the central Rambam Siyum in Tiberias.

He passed away on Shabbos Kodesh 8 Adar 5785 (2025), after a prolonged illness at the age of 74.

His funeral left on Sunday 9 Adar at 12:00 from the 'Levi Yitzchak Synagogue' through the large Chabad Chassidei Lubavitch Yeshiva and he was buried in the cemetery in Tzfat, near his mother's burial place. Thousands of his students and associates attended his funeral.

He left behind sons and descendants, shluchim of the Rebbe, who are mekusharim to the K"K Admor Melech HaMoshiach.

Member of Agudas Chasidei Chabad

In 5761 (2001), Rabbi Shlomo Maidanchik, chairman of Agudas Chasidei Chabad in the Holy Land, appointed Rabbi Wilshansky as a member of the Aguch administration. The Chabad Rabbinical Court approved the appointment, and the court secretary Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yeruslavsky even participated in the association meeting where the decision was made and blessed it in the name of the court. After about a year, a letter was received from the court announcing that the appointment was made without permission. Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi and Rabbi Yosef Hecht informed the Aguch administration that this letter had no halachic or practical validity and they should continue to operate as usual. After Rabbi Maidanchik's passing in 5764 (2004), all members of the court again approved his joining the association.

His Books

• Shaarei Yeshiva - Shiurim - This book collects some of Rabbi Wilshansky's lectures, which were delivered in the yeshiva as part of the "general lectures" every Thursday, presented with light editing. The first book in the series covers the first sections of Likkutei Sichos.
• Shelucho Shel Adam Kemoto (A person's emissary is like himself) - A compilation of all the Rebbe's talks on the laws of agency (shlichus), with added pilpulim (analytical discussions) and investigations into the Rebbe's words - from lectures he delivered. The collection was edited by his son-in-law Rabbi Levi Nisilvich.

His Family

Rabbi Wilshansky at the gathering of 28 Sivan 5755 (1995). Beside him: his father-in-law Rabbi Moshe Ashkenazi, Rabbi Yeshayahu Hertzel and Rabbi Ben Zion Grossman

His wife: Malka Pearl (from the house of Rabbi Moshe Ashkenazi).

His sons

• Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wilshansky - Rabbi of the Neve Geula community, and head of the Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Lubavitch Haifa.
• Rabbi Meir Wilshansky - Head of Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Lubavitch Tzfat.
• Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Wilshansky - Head of Chanoch Lana'ar Yeshivas in Tzfat and rabbi of the "Young People's" community in the holy city of Tzfat.
• Rabbi Shmuel Alexander Sender Wilshansky - Director of the Semicha Institute in Milan, Italy.
• Rabbi Yisrael Shneur Zalman Wilshansky - Head of the Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Ketana Lubavitch Tzfat.
• Rabbi Betzalel Wilshansky - The Rebbe's shliach in the Pninat HaCarmel neighborhood of Haifa, teacher in Tomchei Temimim Krayot and lecturer at the Lemaan Yilmedu Institute, Nefesh Chaya branch.

His daughters

• Mrs. Zlateh, wife of Rabbi Shmuel Shlomo Lifshitz - Teacher in the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Migdal HaEmek and board member of the Yad L'Achim organization.
• Mrs. Chaya Mushka, wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Nisilvich - Chief Mashpia and board member of the Yeshiva Ketana - Chabad Chassidim Lubavitch Tzfat.

See Also

• Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Lubavitch (Tzfat).
• Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Lubavitch (Haifa).
• Chabad Chassidic Yeshiva Lubavitch Nof HaGalil (Gedolah).

Further Reading

• Mendel Tzfatman, The Departure of Shluchim to the Holy Land, panel discussion with Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky, Rabbi Yochanan Gurarya, Rabbi Shmuel Greizman and Rabbi Yisrael Yosef Hendel, Issue 542

External Links

• Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky on the website
• Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky on the website
• Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky on the website
• Tag: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky, on the 'Lachluchiut Geulahtic' website
• We believe the Rebbe will be revealed! Rabbi Wilshansky's speech, 10 Shevat 5767 at a gathering organized by the Association for the True and Complete Redemption.
• The inspiring speech at the thousands gathering in 5755 on the website
• Faithful Shliach: Pictures from Rabbi Wilshansky's life on the website
• Nothing will cool us from our pure faith on the website
• We need to demand from the Rebbe Shlita Melech HaMoshiach to say new Torah on the website
• And you shall teach them to your children - these are the students, holiday interview in Beit Moshiach weekly about his educational philosophy
• Heads of parties met with Rabbi Wilshansky, news on Chabad Info website
• Those were the days - Rabbi Wilshansky receiving L'chaim from the Rebbe as a member of the Kollel Avrechim
• The fire of hiskashrus, the flame of shlichus - address on the occasion of 3 Tammuz in the twentieth year, 29 Sivan 5774 (27.06.2014)
• The father of the Temimim, in the 'Tzfat in Momentum' issue, Sukkot 5782
• Inspiring column: How should a chassid live with the Rebbe? • Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky, on the 'Lachluchiut Geulahtic' website