Pictures of Rebbes

Ashrei

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 1:33 pm

We want to give our apt a more kedusha vibe, and we feel that pictures of rebbes are conspicuously absent.

Step 1: Who's photos?
I'm not sure who's photos to buy since I'm a BT. I’m trying to think of some rebbes we may have relation to through our Rabbi, who would be the Amshinover Rebbe (Jerusalem) and the “Soloveitchik” rebbe (the latter of which I know close to nothing about, since there’s no Wikipedia article on him).

I wanted to put up photos of some generally "great" rabbis, which wouldn't label us as a specific type of chassid. Such as the chofetz chaim (although there's only that 1 image of him, and I've heard that's not really what he looks like). Any suggestions?

Then I thought we could put up photos of 2 or 3 local rabbis who we’re close with… What do you think?

Any other suggestions or comments?

Step 2: Getting the photos.
I live in Flatbush. Eichler's and other mainstream shops seam to have mostly very big paintings with elaborate frames. I'd like some smaller more subtle images to choose from. They could be photos proper, which I could have framed for example. Any suggestions? Could I get them online anywhere??

Thank you!

Seraph

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 1:53 pm

Since my husband and I don't ascribe to one specific derech, we chose pictures of rabbanim who meant something to us, that we respect and look up to, and had an effect on our lives. Often it was someone who's sfarim affected us, or that we've met and hence feel a more personal connection to.
We currently have hanging on our wall pics of the chofetz chayim, rav moshe feinstein, rav berland, rav shach, the satmer ruv, the baba sali, rav kaduri, the michtav meeliyahu, etc. Interesting combination, but it suits us.
Are there any particular sfarim you feel affected your life? Perhaps hang up the pics of those authors...

Ruchel

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 2:32 pm

Quote:

We want to give our apt a more kedusha vibe, and we feel that pictures of rebbes are conspicuously absent.

Don't worry, most people don't have them.

Quote:

I wanted to put up photos of some generally "great" rabbis, which wouldn't label us as a specific type of chassid. Such as the chofetz chaim (although there's only that 1 image of him, and I've heard that's not really what he looks like). Any suggestions?

Make a combo of different types so you're not labelled.

Quote:

Then I thought we could put up photos of 2 or 3 local rabbis who we’re close with… What do you think?

I find it a bit weird, unless they're real gedolim of world wide reputation. My husband was a student of a rav who is known virtually by any frum in Europe and surely known by some in Israel and America, well we wouldn't think of putting his picture...

Quote:

Could I get them online anywhere??

sure, google!

OOTBubby

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 2:50 pm

Chara wrote:

the “Soloveitchik” rebbe (the latter of which I know close to nothing about, since there’s no Wikipedia article on him).

Do you mean the Brisker Rov (Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik who lived in EY and was one of the Gedolei Hador) or one of his descendants (in EY) or relatives (in the US or Europe)?

Ashrei

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 3:32 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

Chara wrote:

the “Soloveitchik” rebbe (the latter of which I know close to nothing about, since there’s no Wikipedia article on him).

Do you mean the Brisker Rov (Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik who lived in EY and was one of the Gedolei Hador) or one of his descendants (in EY) or relatives (in the US or Europe)?

Actually, I think he's not a "rebbe," so yes, just a "rav." I don't know much about him, just that he's our rav's rav.... He's a great rabbi. I believe he's alive today

OOTBubby

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 3:49 pm

Chara wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

Chara wrote:

the “Soloveitchik” rebbe (the latter of which I know close to nothing about, since there’s no Wikipedia article on him).

Do you mean the Brisker Rov (Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik who lived in EY and was one of the Gedolei Hador) or one of his descendants (in EY) or relatives (in the US or Europe)?

Actually, I think he's not a "rebbe," so yes, just a "rav." I don't know much about him, just that he's our rav's rav.... He's a great rabbi. I believe he's alive today

Well, the Brisker Rov is not alive today. If the one you refer to is from EY, then likely either Rav Dovid Soloveitchik (I believe his son) or Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik (I believe his grandson), though there are other possibilities. If you want to put up a picture of him, you should find out who you mean:) And, yes, any of those would be a Rav, not a rebbe.

ChossidMom

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 4:19 pm

Yesterday at the Shabbos table I told dh that I wanted to put up some "rabbi pictures". He wanted to know of whom. I told him Reb Aryeh Levine, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Ya'akov Kamenetsky. Basically he said "no way". He's not a "rabbi picture" kind of guy. We do have one huge photo of the previous Amshinov Rebbe who passed away about 25 years ago. That's it.

BTW my reason for wanting pix of these particular rabbonim is how I feel when I look at their shining countenances. I also like pix of the Lubavitch Rebbe. I think I'd get stoned if I put one on my wall in Kiryat Sefer LOL.

Besiyata Dishmaya

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 5:11 pm

If you don't want these big paintings of Rebbes and Gedolim, but you want a selection of various tzaddikim, how about buying several picture frames where you can insert small pictures. You can then put in "Rebbe Cards" with pictures of Rebbes and Gedolim, you know those kinds that kids trade, like they have for, lehavdel, baseball players.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 5:21 pm

If I were going to put up rebbe pictures, here are some of my faves: Rabbi Simcha Wasserman, Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz, Rabbi Avraham Pam, Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, plus roshei yeshiva who personally impacted our lives.

We do have a wall of prints my mother had picked up somewhere, of Yerushalayim. Really beautiful and evocative. There are some awesome calendars, if you want to keep costs down. Go to your friendly neighborhood Judaica store and take a look at the calendars. Some may be such high quality that under glass in a complementary frame they will really enhance your home, aesthetically and spiritually.

Akeres Habayis

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 5:50 pm

LOL to chosidmom

I think u should put up pictures of rebbeim that u are drawn to
(who do u go for sheilos, who posken for u?)that is a derech.if they are litvish then put up famous rebbeim from the mussar movement.Rav Dessler,Vilna Gaon etc.if they are chassidim,put up rebbeim from that sect.

your children get a sense of who they are,and when people walk into your home they know where they stand.if u want to have pictures up,that give no clear definition of what hashgafah u are.then it will show that u are "all over the place"and a "new BT",and "wishy washie".which brings up the question"your observance".silly I know. how your home is shows what type of family u are.

either
save yourself the aggravation and ask your rav whose pictures should u put up to give your home a "more kedusha vibe".
or
put up brochos and midot they also give a kedusha vibe,and teaches chinuch to your children,until u do know where u stand.
hatzlacha,its not easy

mimivan

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 5:55 pm

Akeres Habayis wrote:

I don't think there is anything wrong with having two different types of rebbes or tzadikkim!
The "Thing" in my neighborhood (which is mainly traditional sephardim who like to go to Chabad events) is to have a picture of the Baba Sali alongside The Lubavitcher Rebbe...why not? They were close friends!

mimivan

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 5:58 pm

ChossidMom wrote:

Hey chossidmom...my kids walked through Kiryat Sefer with those "forbidden words" written on their kippot (not allowed on Imamother shhh!) and no one stoned me...in fact, a Litvish rosh Yeshivah looking guy helped us with our bags!
but they certainly thought my Maya wrap was weird!

Akeres Habayis

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 6:14 pm

mimivan wrote:

Akeres Habayis wrote:

I totally agree,BUT she lives in flatbush,ashkenazi,and some do judge,and use the thought process I mentioned.the fact she had to mention she is BT means she wants to fit in without making a statement.

but I could be wrong...have been before.flatbush is a looong way from your neighborhood Wink

no offense to flatbushers LOL

please jump in and give your two cents

Ashrei

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 8:33 pm

Such great suggestions, thank you!

OOTBubby, good point about the Soloveitchik thing, we'll hold off until we know more...

MeThinks: We have been looking for those rebbe cards you mentioned! WHERE ARE THEY?!?!?! Do you know of a specific store in flatbush/bp, or online??? Seriously, I can't find them.

Fayge, I like your suggestion for images of yerushalayim. I was actually thinking, a long time ago, of getting a picture of the beis hamikdash. Is that weird? Maybe just some landscape pictures are better...

All that being said Akeres Habayis probably makes the most sense to me. I do like to be consistent and real deal. Our rav's rebbe is Amshinov. I know a little about the Amshinover rebbe in Jerusalem. We have friends who go to him for brachas and questions etc., and if we were to go to Israel, we'd probably make it a point to see him for a blessing. But I can't find a picture of the Jerusalem Amshinover Rebbe. Do you think we should put up pictures of other rebbes from his line?

Anyway, I think your take on Flatbushers is accurate. So thanks to all your input, I concluded to hold out for an image of the Amshinover Rebbe and decorate the rest of the apt with brachas, middot, images of Yerushalayim, etc.... Oh, and WHERE ARE THOSE REBBE CARDS??? (I just want them)

Tova

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 10:15 pm

The only gedolim we have on our walls are:

1) Rav Moshe Feinstein
2) Chofetz Chaim, the well-known pic which is supposedly not really of him

The latter we hung up after we named our bechor Yisrael Meir after the Chofetz Chaim.

We are Litvish; I imagine if we were Chassidish we would have many more pictures of the Rebbes whose derech we would be following.

I agree w/ you, Chara, that I don't go for the ostantatious looking framed pictures; seems to take away from the gadol/tzaddik.

I do, though, have a few albums of the "Rebbe pictures" that kids collect. My brothers used to collect, so my father would buy for the boys whenever he would see. Well, I always wanted them too, so I also got. Now I cannot wait to pass them onto my kids. I am now thinking that maybe I'll get one of those big frames with several 4x6 openings and hang some of these up in the den...

Tova

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 10:24 pm

Oh, Chara, I meant to add,

Pictures/ artwork of Yerushalayim is beautiful, and I have two such hangings in my living room. One with a passuk and one Mizrach one. Coincidently, the passuk contains my daughter's name, born long after we acquired the artwork!

Also, I personally am in love with Kever Rachel. I have a piece of artwork with an artists drawing of it (the outside with the dome, which is actually not how it currently looks) and under it a blown-up photograph that I personally took when I was in seminary of the actual tzion - navy blue velvet covering with the passuk "Mini Kolech MiBechi." Actually when I went back to Kever Rachel less than 2 months ago it is now covered w/ a white velvet covering, and nearby hangs a (now-yellowed) portion of Nava Applebaum's wedding dress Hy"d Sad

Don't mean to get carried away here, but the bottom line is - what ever SPEAKS TO YOU...

louche

Sun, Jun 28 2009, 11:48 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

Chara wrote:

OOTBubby wrote:

Chara wrote:

the “Soloveitchik” rebbe (the latter of which I know close to nothing about, since there’s no Wikipedia article on him).

Do you mean the Brisker Rov (Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik who lived in EY and was one of the Gedolei Hador) or one of his descendants (in EY) or relatives (in the US or Europe)?

Actually, I think he's not a "rebbe," so yes, just a "rav." I don't know much about him, just that he's our rav's rav.... He's a great rabbi. I believe he's alive today

That's for sure! The Soloveichik dynasty is one of the most respected and well-known in LITVISH Judaism.