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

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

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.

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