Aryeh Leib Schochet
Rabbi Aryeh Leib Schochet (אריה לייב שוחט) was a Russian rabbi who emigrated to the United States in 1906. He published one of the first books on Chassidus in America titled Lekutim Yekarim.
Biography
R. Aryeh Leib was born near Balta, Ukraine in 1845[1] to his father Yaacov Nisson a student of Rabbi Refoel of Bershad. His mother Tziporah was the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Zev Wolf Segal.[2] He grew up in a town mostly occupied by Hasidic Judaism of Rabbi Refoel of Bershad,[3] however he was a student of Rabbi Dovid Twersky of Tolna and Rabbi Yitzchok Yoel Rabinowitz (1815-1878) of Kantikaziva (Prybuzhany, Mykolaivs'ka oblast).[4] In his book he relates how his uncle Reuven took care of Rabbi Shmuel Avraham Abba Shapiro of Slovotia, while he recuperated from being lashed 1,500 times by the Russian Government. Avraham and his brother Pinchas Shapiro (both grandchildren of Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz) where the owners the Slavita printing house. As was common, the text of published books would have to be edited to not have any negative remarks about the government, when the brother's were accused of not having the proper censorship license the printing house was shut down and the brothers were sent to Siberia. In Aryeh Leib's book he relates several stories involving Rabbi Avroham and himself at the age of twelve.
Aryeh Leib died in his Brooklyn home on December 19, 1928 and was buried in Old Montefiore Cemetery in Glendale, Queens
Rabbinate
Aryeh Leib became rabbi of the Ukrainian town of Vradiyivka (Mykolaiv Oblast) which is near the southern border of modern Ukraine.[5] He served in several capacities in addition to his general rabbinic duties, including shechita or kosher animal slaughtering and as being a mohel for ritual circumcision. He was the catalyst for the founding of a Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick) organization and various charitable institutions. The founding of these organizations is detailed in a later chapter in his book.
Emigration
In August 1906 he emigrated to the United States with his son Abraham, after Abraham was drafted into the Russian army. While in Amsterdam awaiting his ships embarkment he was the guest of the Chief Rabbi. After arriving at Ellis Island he settled in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York which was the largest Jewish neighborhood outside of the Lower East Side at that time.
He had a close relationship with many of his American Rabbinic colleagues. Upon arrival he was reunited with his childhood friend Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Rabinowits the Rebbe of Monostritz. As well as The Rabbis Dovid Mordechai Twersky of Tolna-New York and Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Twersky of Tolna-Philadelphia.
Lekutim Yekarim
He published his book Lekutim Yekarim in 1926. It was one of if not the first books on the topic of chassidus published in America at that time. It was printed with several approbation from leading rabbinic figures. Including Rabbi Yehoushua Heschel Rabinowitz, the Rebbe of Monostritz, Rabbi Dovid Moredechai Twersky, Rebbe of Tolna and Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Twersky, Rebbe of Tolna - Philadelphia.
The sefer contains many essays of recorded sermons used in Radifke. It includes stories and teachings from tens of Rabbis of earlier generations. Quoted several times are Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Eliyahu of Villna, the Vilna Gaon and Rabbi Dovid'l Tolner.
