Living Legacy: The Baruch Ta’am

Yehuda Alter 

The 7th of Tammuz marks the yohrtzeit of Rav Baruch Teumim-Frankel, known as the Baruch Ta’am, ABD Leipnik, a ga’on and tzaddik who illuminated the world with his Torah. 

He was born in the year 1760 to his father, Rav Yehoshua Yechezkel Feivel ABD Ostrovtza who was known as “Rav Feivel Teumim,” who traced his lineage to generations of ga’onim and rabbonim. 

The Baruch Ta’am was tremendous ga’on in Torah, a master in every area of Torah, an incredible lamdan, and deeply erudite and sharp in his learning, spending his days and nights immersed in the study of Torah. He also taught thousands of talmidim, many of whom went on to become ga’onim and rabbonim in their own right. He was also known as a ba’al mofes and po’el yeshu’os. 

He authored many seforim, and was counted among the gedolei hador. The Chasam Sofer refers to him as Ge’on Yisroel, who disseminated Torah in Klal Yisroel with sharpness and mastery.” He also refers to him as “Rabban Shel Yisroel.” 

At the age of eighteen, he was already known as a tremendous genius, and he was then appointed as the rov of Vishnitza, Galicia. There, he became a great marbitz Torah to many talmidim, as he learned with great hasmodoh. Although he suffered persecution from the misnagdim in the town, he nevertheless stood steadfast in his rabbonus and harbotzas Torah. 

In 1802, he became the rov of Leipnik, which was then a bustling Jewish metropolis. There he established his yeshiva and it was considered one of the most prominent yeshivos in the region. Great ga’onim emerged from his yeshiva, and he also worked to raise the level of Yiddishkeit in the town. 

The Baruch Ta’am placed a special emphasis on the holy Shabbos. He would say that on Shabbos, every Yid is like a king. But a king who sleeps is no king, therefore a Yid must be sure to remain awake on Shabbos in order to guard the kingdom of Shabbos Kodesh. 

He was also known as a fierce general in the battle for Torah and Yiddishkeit—often with great mesirus nefesh. He fought the maskilim and secularists who took down with them many innocent neshamos. Thousands were rescued spiritually from the clutches of haskallah thanks to the efforts of the Baruch Ta’am. 

In his old age, he lost his eyesight. In a letter to the Chasam Sofer, he wrote: I am grateful to fulfill the dictate of Chazal that Torah is only acquired by a person who kills himself for the acquisition of Torah, and since a blind person is considered dead, I have now fulfilled this dictum.” 

He also expressed the hope that since he expended such mesirus nefesh for Torah, the Torah will remain by his children and grandchildren—a hope that indeed came to fruition in his offspring who were likewise accomplished talmidei chachomim. 

There are many stories about the Baruch Ta’am’s mesirus nefesh for Torah. 

At the time of his passing in 1828, he left behind an incredible legacy in his monumental seforim and in his many illustrious children.