R. Yitzchak son of R. Naftali Zioni

Rēzekne / Rezhitsa

Born on 22 Tammuz 5585 (8 July 1825) in Lucin, to his father the city's rabbi. By his second marriage, son-in-law of R. Yosef Rabinson, rabbi of Krāslava.

He was dayan in Polotsk for about half a year, and in 5614 was accepted as rabbi in Krāslava. He served as rabbi there for 7 years, until 5621 (1854–1861), when he was accepted as rabbi in Rēzekne and was called on its account “R. Itzele Rezhetser.”

He served here until his passing on 25 Shevat 5660 (25 January 1900), and his resting place is here.

Author of the responsa Olat Yitzchak, vol. 1 (Vilna 5645), vol. 2 (there, 5657), where he cites in several places the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe author of the Tanya and the responsa Tzemach Tzedek. In vol. 1, section 21, he also cites from Likutei Torah on Song of Songs, and in section 72 he cites from Igeret HaTeshuvah in the Tanya.

A responsum to him on the matter of permitting an agunah was printed in the responsa Tzemach Tzedek,1) Even HaEzer, vol. 1, section 74, and his own responsa on this in his aforementioned book (vol. 1, section 192).

An additional responsum to him on this in the responsa Nachalat David, section 42. Yet another responsum on this was printed in the responsa Binyan shel Simcha, Even HaEzer, section 6. His brother also wrote him a responsum on this, printed in the responsa Zioni, vol. 1, section 34.2)

Approbations from him: Me'il Shmuel, vol. 1 (Vilna 5657), Darash Moshe (Vilna 5663), Masekhet Kallah Rabbati with the commentary Ma'ayan Ganim (by his relative R. Yisrael Zeligman, Vilna 5654).

In the community almanac for the year 5700 of the Rēzekne community, an article about him was printed, stating that when he lived in Krāslava, being in a Hasidic environment there, he was drawn close to Hasidism and afterward brought this inclination with him to Rēzekne as well. He studied much Hasidism and especially the book Tanya, and established in Rēzekne at the “Green” Beit Midrash where he prayed — Hasidic customs such as Hakafot on the night of Shemini Atzeret and more.

Megilat Yochasin, letters 34–35. Yachas Avot, letters 91–93 (where his will was also printed). Newspaper HaMelitz, 22 Adar I 5660.

On his grave there was an ohel, upon which was written:

A monument \
to the soul of the righteous and pious (?) \
the rabbi, \
the luminary (?), chain of lineage, our master (?) Rabbi \
Yitzchak, \
son of the Rabbi the G[aon] R. Naftali \
Zioni. \
Passed away 25 Shevat, \
year 5660. May his soul be bound in the bond of life.

Latvia and Rabbis

1)
In the indices to the responsa Tzemach Tzedek, p. 169, it is written that he was “rabbinic decisor in Recitsa,” when of course it should say Rēzekne.
2)
And further there he writes: “A few years after I wrote this, the new Tzemach Tzedek of the Rebbe the holy Gaon and Hasid our master R. Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, of blessed and holy memory, was published, and I found there in vol. 1, section 74, this very question, as follows, about the agunah who has been so for eleven years since her husband drowned in the Dvina river, and at the beginning of his drowning he was struck by one plank with great force etc. (It is explicit that this is the very same question, sent from Krāslava to the Rebbe and his answer and the answer to him not mentioned, only noted for himself…), and further he engages in the words of the Tzemach Tzedek. However, in the notes to the responsa Tzemach Tzedek there it is noted that in the manuscript it is written “to the rabbinic decisor R.Y.Tz. of Krāslava,” and if so it was indeed written to him and not as he wrote in the responsa Zioni.”