R. Yaakov son of R. Moshe Yehuda Leib Landa

Liepāja / Libau / Libava

Born on 5 Iyyar 5653 (21 April 1893) in Kornitz, to his father who was the city's rabbi. He studied at the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in Lubavitch. At the end of 5673 he was appointed rabbi in Kornitz as his father's substitute. During the First World War he served as the court rabbi by the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Maharshab) in the city of Rostov. He headed the organization Tiferet Bachurim in Moscow, where he taught Torah to students not studying at a yeshiva.

At the beginning of 5688 he left Russia for Latvia, and in Tishrei 5689 (October 1928) was accepted as rabbi of the Hasidic congregation in Liepāja,1) where he served until his ascent to the Holy Land at the beginning of the month of Elul 5694 (August 1934).

He first served in the rabbinate in Ramatayim (Hod HaSharon), and in 5695 (1935) was elected rabbi of Bnei Brak, where he served until his passing on 26 Shevat 5746 (5 February 1986), and his resting place is on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Toldot Chabad BePolin, Lita veLatviya, pp. 48–49. Newspaper HaYnt, 3 Elul 5694. Collection Sha'arei Tzion, Tevet–Adar 5695, p. 72.
Here lies \
the Rabbi \
R. Yaakov Landa, of blessed memory, \
son of the Rabbi \
R. Moshe Yehuda Leib, of blessed memory, \
who poured water from a vessel upon the hands of \
the holy Rebbe, our master \
R. Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch, \
of blessed and holy memory, \
and was greatly attached to him, \
and was rabbi of Bnei Brak. \
Passed away on Wednesday \
26 Shevat 5746. \
May his soul be bound in the bond of life.

Latvia and Rabbis

1)
A photograph of the letter of rabbinate from Tishrei 5689 was published in Toldot Chabad BePolin, Lita veLatviya, p. 49. In Igrot Kodesh of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Mohariatz), vol. 2, p. 131, a blessing letter to him from 21 Marcheshvan 5689 upon receiving the letter of rabbinate. See also there, vol. 16, p. 468. In the collection Yagdil Torah, New York, booklet 51, p. 77, a letter of recommendation written for him by the Gaon of Rogatchov was printed, in connection with the elections for the rabbinate in Ventspils that were held on 15 Sivan 5692, in which R. Landa submitted his candidacy (as mentioned above under the rabbis of Ventspils, from the newspaper Batag). See also Yagdil Torah there, end of section 14: “Fri., 13 Sivan 5692, Dvinsk. Regarding your inquiry about the rabbi for Libau, R.Y., if he receives ordination and authorization from the rabbi of Riga, may he live [R. Menachem Mendel Zak], to decide and judge… I too agree with this that you can accept him as rabbi in their city, and I will be brief. Yosef Razin, rabbi here.”