What was Rabbi Yaakov Ben Zion Mendelsohn of Glasgow reading? And what was his connection with the author of this book?
Rabbi Yaakov Denezohn (or Denisohn), published this book of Shaylos and Tshuvos (questions and answers), Sheeris Yaakov (The Offspring of Jacob), originally in 1896. This second edition was published in 1911 in Saszfalu.
I had great difficulty finding anything about him, until I looked in Ohalei Shem, a famous directory of world-wide Rabbonim, published in 1912. The Rabbonim were asked for their biographical details, and, under Libau in Latvia was Rabbi Denezohn.
He was born in 1840, his father, Mordechai, was born in Shklov, and his mother was from the Rappoport family. He was educated in Slutsk by Rabbi Yosef Dov Ber Halevi Soloveichik, and received semicha from him and from Rabbi Betzalel HaKohen of Vilna and from Rabbi Eli, head of the Rabbinical Court of Zager and Lida. In 1873 he was appointed Rabbi of the city of Uzvent, county of Kovno. And in 1887 he was appointed Rabbi in Libau. He wrote this book, with the approbations of rabbis of the generation, and wrote many novellae of Torah for the rabbinical journal Ohel Yitzchok, which was published in Hungary, and for HaMaasaf which was published in Jerusalem. In his writings there are many chidushim (novel ideas) in halacha (Jewish law) and aggada (legend). His only son, Rabbi Ari Leib was the son-in-law of Rabbi Aaron Sher of Varna in the Telz district.
Rabbi Denizohn died on May 7, 1919 and is buried in the Libau Jewish cemetery.
My copy has ownership stamps of Rabbi Yaakov Ben Zion Mendelsohn from his period in Glasgow.
He is another of Britain’s slightly forgotten rabbis. He was a well-known and respected scholar, Talmudist and pulpit rabbi, and a rabbinical author. His original name was Rabbi Yaakov Ben Zion Morein and he was born in Kreitzburg (Latvian Krustpils), in the Vitebsk district of Russia, in 1875.
The connection is that both Rabbi Mendelsohn and Rabbi Denezohn lived in Latvia. When this edition was published in 1912, Rabbi Deneohn was it Libau, and Rabbi Mendelsohn was in Glasgow. They are both listed in Ohalei Shem in 1912.
Rabbi Mendelsohn (Morein)’s rigorous Talmudic education started at age 7, and culminated with semicha (his rabbinical diploma) from the Rogatchover rebbe, one of the great rabbis of the time.
Rabbi Morein was drafted into the Russian army and deserted. He changed his name to Mendelsohn to make it harder for the Russian authorities to track him, and emigrated to England. He may have been briefly in Hull and in 1897 he was appointed Rabbi of the Chevras Torah synagogue in Leeds, then in Gateshead in 1905 and then in Glasgow, Scotland.
In Glasgow, Mendelsohn defied business interests to bring down communal costs for Passover Matzos. He rented the production facilities of Consolidated Biscuit, koshered it, and ran Matzah production, causing the prior bakery cartel to lose all business for the year. He was active in Zionist circles – in 1909 the Jewish Chronicle records him speaking at a Zionist meeting in Glasgow, pledging loyalty to the Zionist leaders.
When the First World War war broke out, Rabbi Mendelson’s son Chaim was old enough to be conscripted. After Rabbi Mendelson’s experience with the Russian Army, he wanted to avoid that, and relocated to the United States in 1915. He spent the rest of his life in Newark, New Jersey. In 1919, he took the Rabbinical position of Congregation Tifereth Israel of Brisk d’Lita. In 1921 he was appointed as the rabbi of Newark, with primary jurisdiction over matters of Shechita and Kashrus, a position he held until his death.
Rabbi Mendelson changed shul positions several times, going to Congregation Adas Yisroel, Chevra B’nai Jacob Anshe Galicia, and eventually founded his own shul, Congregation Beis Hamedrash Hagadol.
Distinguished for his scholarship and devotion to the Jewish community, Rabbi Mendelson was a member of Knesseth ha-Rabbanim (the Assembly of Hebrew Orthodox Rabbis of America and Canada), where he was considered an expert in kashruth. He became a leader of the organization, and was featured at or presided over many of its conventions.
He died in 1941, leaving a widow, five sons, four daughters and twelve grandchildren. Another son, Shmuel Dov, died in a scalding accident in Gateshead in 1905. He is buried in the North Arlington Jewish Cemetery.
Rabbi Mendelson was a talented author of Talmudic and Rabbinic works. He wrote six volumes of scholarship:
Sha’arei Tzion (Leeds, 1903) – on the Talmud (with approbation from Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen, Dayan of Vilna)
Sefer Hatzid (Leeds, 1904) – laws relating to ritual slaughter.
Midrash Yaavetz (Glasgow, 1911) – Halacha and Aggadah on the Book of Genesis.
Mishnas Yaavetz on Chagiga (Leeds, 1913) a summary of the final rulings of this volume of Talmud.
Mishnas Yaavetz (1928) an anthology of three previously unpublished books by the author
Jewish Miscellanies 