A small collection of antiquarian books I acquired this week include an attractive complete set of the Yerushalmi published for the first time with the commentary of the Ridbaz, R. Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky.
The Ridbaz served as rabbi in Slutzk and devoted over 30 years of his life to studying Yerushalmi. While writing of his commentary on it, he had access to the Vilna Gaon’s own copy of the Yerushalmi with his extensive marginal handwritten notes, which greatly aided him.
He started publishing a set of Yerushalmi with his commentary and others in 1899, but found himself lacking funds to print the final volume. So in 1900 he traveled to America to fundraise. His visit to the United States was a great success, and he was received with great honors wherever he traveled. When he returned to Europe, he published the final volume and dedicated it to his American benefactors.
The Ridbaz returned to America in 1903 to strengthen its Jewish communities and establish a European-style yeshiva. He accepted a position as chief rabbi of the Russian-American congregations in Chicago and served as the Zekan Harabanim of the United Orthodox Rabbis of America.
Unfortunately, his attempts at regulating shechitah in Chicago and implement other takanot was met with fierce opposition by some local rabbis, which led to his resignation just 10 months later. After spending some time visiting various kehilot in the United States, the Ridbaz made aliyah to Safed where he resided until his death in 1913.
