R' Meshulam Roth

R' Meshulam Roth was born on 14 Elul 5635 / 1875 in Gorodenka, Galicia (now in Ukraine). His parents were R' Shimon and Elka Roth. At the age of nine, young Meshulam was first taken to the Chortkover Rebbe, R' David Moshe Friedman, and from the Rebbe, the boy learned not only specific modes of behavior, but also to love every Jew and to feel responsible for the well-being of all Jews. R' Roth's teachers in Talmud and halachah were R' Yaakov Weidenfeld (rabbi of Grimaylov and father of the Tschebiner Rav, R' Dov Berish W.), R' Avraham Mendel Steinberg (rabbi of Brody) and R' Meir Arik (rabbi of Bucach, and perhaps the leading Galician sage of the period). For a time, R' Roth also studied with R' Yehuda Modern of Sighet, from whom he gained a strong attachment to the works of the Chatam Sofer.

R’ Roth gained fame as a prodigy, and he became expert in all aspects of the Torah. He also taught himself mathematics and science. After his marriage, he served unofficially as rabbi of his wife’s hometown. Later, he was elected rabbi of Chorostkiv (Ukraine). Although his candidacy was opposed at first by those who did not want a Chortkover chassid as their rabbi, he quickly impressed most of the community with his inaugural derashah, which lasted six hours and was delivered using no more than a Tanach, with no notes or other books.



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