19 Facts About Yankel Talmud

Yaakov Dov Talmud was a Hasidic composer of Jewish liturgical music and choirmaster in the main synagogue of the Gerrer Rebbes both in Ger, Poland, and in Jerusalem, Israel.

Yaakov Dov Talmud was born on 18 December 1885 in Warsaw, Poland, to a family of Gerrer Hasidim.

Yankel Talmud was orphaned at a young age and was raised by Kotzk Hasidim in that city.

Yankel Talmud became a member of the choir the very next Shabbat.

Yankel Talmud broadened his understanding of music and prayer by visiting well-known baalei tefillah such as Reb Zeidel Rovner and Reb Nissan Belzer.

Yankel Talmud became the choirmaster in the main Ger synagogue during the leadership of the fourth Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter, the Imrei Emes.

Yankel Talmud wrote hundreds of melodies for every part of the prayer service, investing each tune with rich emotional expression.

Yankel Talmud received many requests from other choirs and musicians to compose music for them, but he demurred, reserving his talent solely for the Gerrer Rebbes and their Hasidim.

Yankel Talmud's inspiring melodies became so popular and widely known that it is said that thousands of Gerrer Hasidim sang them in the Nazi death camps.

Yankel Talmud married, went into business, and served as a community activist in Poland.

Yankel Talmud was a representative to the first Knessiah Gedolah of the World Agudath Israel in Frankfurt in 1923.

Yankel Talmud found work as a kashrut supervisor at Assaf Harofeh Hospital.

In 1940, when the Imrei Emes arrived in Mandatory Palestine after his escape from war-torn Europe, he encouraged Yankel Talmud to continue to compose new melodies.

Yankel Talmud proceeded to compose 20 new pieces for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Purim, and Shavuot every year, up to and including the year of his death.

Yankel Talmud traveled to Jerusalem for every Shabbat Mevorchim to lead the prayers in the synagogue of the fourth Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Alter, and to eat a meal by the Rebbe.

Yankel Talmud suffered a heart attack in his later years and underwent surgery in 1963.

Yankel Talmud died a few days later during the Sukkot holiday.

Yankel Talmud did not know the rules of musical composition or how to read music.

Yankel Talmud collaborated with Werdyger to prepare the first three collections of Songs of the Gerer Chassidim, with Werdyger singing to the accompaniment of a choir and orchestra.