Wife of Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagen
ישראל מאיר ב"ר אריה זאב הכהן
Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim of Radin, PolandDate of Death:
Fri. September 15, 1933 -
Elul 25 5693
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Directions to Kever: Mount Judah Cemetery in Ridgewood, Queens maintains computerized records and will provide a detailed location map upon request. Location: Section: 1, Block: V, Gate: 1, Path: R06, Grave: 109, Map: 014V, Society: TAL TOR TIPH JER, located at the corner of Lebanon Road and Sinai Avenue
Name Listed on Cemetery Database: KAGAN, FRIEDA (MIRIAM)
Biographical Notes:
Photo Caption: Kever of the Chofetz Chaim, Radin, Belarus, Credit: DZ
Photo Caption: Recently discovered (video) picture of the Chofetz Chaim in Vienna, Credit: University of South Carolina
Photo Caption: “Muga” stamp attributed to the Chofetz Chaim, Credit, IFJCAH
Photo Caption: Gartel of the Chofetz Chaim (identified by its unique rust/orange color stains), the Gartel is now owned by his grandson Rabbi Yisroel Meir Zacks of Brooklyn, Credit: IFJCAH
Photo Caption: Rebbitzine Miriam Fraida Kagen, second wife of the Chofetz Chaim, Credit: Eliyahu Zaks, Lakewood, NJ
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The Chofetz Chaim married his first wife, Frieda, at age 17. They were married until she passed away when he was about 63! Thus 45 years of marriage.
The Chofetz Chaim told his son (quoted in the son’s short biography of his father “michtavay Chafetz Chaim”):
“Without your mother, I could not have reached what I reached in Torah! Since she was willing to live on very simple financial means. She didn’t even ask for dry bread! Certainly not beautiful clothing or a beautiful house. Her only wish was that her husband and children should grow in Torah and their avodas Hashem.”
Whatever the Chafetz Chaim said about his first wife we can be confident he said about his second wife, who he married when he was about age 65.
Age 65 was very old in those times, and it was not an age to get remarried, and the Chofetz Chaim was quite poor as well. Nevertheless, he followed the directive of Chazal to always remarry and have more children, as one never knows what will come from the earlier children. So, he married Miriam Frieda who was 30 years his younger. She gave birth to more children, and he was zocheh to live about another 30 years!
In fact, from Miriam Frieda, he had a daughter who married Rav Mendel Saks ztl who took over the Radin Yeshiva after the Chafetz Chaim’s passing and then reestablished the yeshiva in New York after the War.
His son was Rav Hillel Zaksztl who was a major Rosh Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel and Rav Hillel’s son Rav Yitzchok Zev shita still runs that Yeshiva (Knesses Hagedolah) to this very day. Other descendants of the Zaks family went on to build fine Torah families.
In contrast, this writer is not aware of any surviving descendants of the first wife after the Holocaust.
Towards the end of his life the Chofetz Chaim wanted to move to Eretz Hakodesh/Eretz Yisroel. However, his flock in Europe begged him to stay there and continue to lead there.
The Chofetz Chaim’s mind was firmly made up. They made their plans and even bought a house in Petach Tikva. They set a departure date and he and his wife packed their bags. However, in a heavenly last-minute change of events, his beloved wife, Miriam Frieda, on the very day of departure, became ill, too ill to travel, and he gave up on his holy dream, to tend to the needs of his holy wife. Because of that, he continued to serve klal Yisroel in Europe till his passing.
The Chofetz Chaim compiled most of the Mishneh Berurah and many other seforim while being married to Miriam Frieda and we can be sure that the Chofetz Chaim would have attributed all the credit for those seforim and the greatness be achieved then to his second wife just as he did to his first wife.
Miriam Frieda escaped the war via Shanghai and arrived in the US in 1941. She lived there (about) another 5 years until her passing on 22 Adar-A year 5706/1946.
May her zechus protect us. and may our Torah and mitzvos achieved through her partnership with her holy husband, be a zechus for her neshama as well.
please correct date of petirah at the top of the page.
Torahanytime. R.Abraham Nissanian. 6.10.24
He quotes that the wife of the Chofetz Chayim was 10 years older than him! That his stepfather said to the Chofetz Chayim’s mother:”Your son will marry my daughter, or I will divorce you”The Chofetz Chayim upon hearing this married this woman.
Esther, I believe the story you are discussing occured weith the Chofetz Chaim’s first rebbetzin. He was offered shidduchim with the daughters of many wealthy men who could support him, but chose instead to marry his stepsister out of gratitude to his stepmother
There is an interesting story about the Rebbetzin in the biography of Rav Nota Greenblatt. Rav Nota, as a bochur, would visit the rebbetzin, with his rebbi Rav Moshe Feinstein. Once, they found her crying bitterly. When they asked why, she told them that she had once become ill, and her husband, the Chofetz Chaim comforted her, telling her she would live another twenty years. It was now the 20th year since that promise. She died later that year.