Yosef Avraham haLevi Heller is an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

and a member of the

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...

Hasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

movement. Rabbi Heller serves as an emeritus member of the Bais Din Tzedek (Jewish Rabbinical Court) of the Chabad community in

Crown Heights, Brooklyn Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Crown Heights is bounded by Washington Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Ralph Avenue to the east, and Empire Boulevard/East New Yo ...

; he is an authority on

Halacha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

(Jewish law) and Hasidic philosophy. Rabbi Heller holds the additional position of

Rosh Kollel A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...

, head of the community's

kollel A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...

, a

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...

for married men.''Collive.com''.
/ref>''Collive.com''.
/ref>

Rabbi of Crown Heights

As a member of the Crown Heights Beth Din (rabbinical court), Rabbi Heller is considered one of the community's chief rabbis (

Aramaic The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...

, מרא דאתרא (''Marah D'Asra'')). The rabbinical court is the spiritual and religious body governing the Crown Heights Chabad community. There are currently three rabbis serving on the Beth Din: * Rabbi Avraham Osdoba *Rabbi Yosef Heller * Rabbi Yosef Braun Each hold the title ''Marah D'Asra.''Chabad.info. "Beis Din Recommends Eishel Kapparos". ''Chabad.info''. September 23, 2012.
/ref>Collive reporter. "Crown Heights Badatz Unites". ''Collive.com''. Feb 1, 2011.
/ref>''Chabad.info''.
The Crown Heights

rabbinical court A beit din ( he, בית דין, Bet Din, house of judgment, , Ashkenazic: ''beis din'', plural: batei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel. Today, it ...

is funded by the

Va'ad Hakohol of Crown Heights ::For the ''Va'adat Ezrah Vehatzalah'', known as the ''Vaad'', see Aid and Rescue Committee Vaad is a Hebrew term for a council. Often it refers to a council of rabbis, i.e., a rabbinical council. It is a diasporic phenomenon, having no precedent ...

, a religious corporation representing the Jewish community of Crown Heights.

Appointment

Rabbi Heller, along with Rabbis

Yehuda Kalmen Marlow Rabbi Yehuda Kalmen Marlow (17 February 1932 – 23 June 2000) was a German-American Hasidic rabbi associated with the Chabad movement. Rabbi Marlow served as the rabbi of the Crown Heights Jewish community from 1985–2000. Biography Rabbi Mar ...

and

Avraham Osdoba Avraham Osdoba is an Orthodox rabbi and a member of the Chabad Hasidic movement. Rabbi Osdoba serves as a rosh yeshiva in 770 in addition to being a member of the Bais Din Tzedek (Jewish Rabbinical Court) of the Chabad community in Crown Heights, ...

, was elected to the rabbinical court in a communal election, following the passing of Rabbi

Zalman Shimon Dvorkin Zalman Shimon Dworkin was the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and a member of the Chabad Hasidic movement. Biography Dworkin was born in 1901 in Rogachov, Belarus. He emigrated to the United States in 1958. He ser ...

, the community's previous chief rabbi.Beis Moshiach Magazine. "Chabad Mourns The Passing Of Rabbi Marlow, Zt’l". ''Beismoshiach.org''.
/ref> After the passing of his wife Rabbi Heller stopped most public rabbinic activities, he still however answers rabbinic questions privately, as well as in the Kolel.

Rosh Kollel

Rabbi Heller holds the additional position of

, head of the community's

, a

for married men."Rabbi Heller and Kollel Members Visit Park Slope Mikva". ''Shmais.com''.
/ref> In

Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...

, it is customary for every community to establish a communal institution where a group of adult men study during the day. The men are in turn supported financially by the community.

Statements on Jewish Law

Rabbi Heller has publicly stated that stringencient practices in

Jewish Law ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws which is derived from the Torah, written and Oral Tora ...

(or ''

chumra A ''chumra'' ( he, חומרה; pl. ; alternative transliteration: ) is a prohibition or obligation in Jewish practice that exceeds the bare requirements of Halakha (Jewish law). One who imposes a ''chumra'' on oneself in a given instance is sai ...

s''), may not be practiced if they are at the expense of other members of one's household. Heller referred to practices common in Orthodox circles, where additional stringencies are practiced on

Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that celebrates the The Exodus, Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Ancient Egypt, Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew calendar, He ...

.Heller, Yosef. "Taking Chumros to Task". Transcribed by Agudas Avreichei Lubavitch of Kolel Menachem. ''Collive.com''. April 5, 2009.
/ref>

References

External links

CHJCC directory for the Beth Din
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heller, Yosef Living people 21st-century American rabbis American Hasidic rabbis Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis Year of birth missing (living people)