Zichron Yaakow

Hirsch Tzvi Dainow (known as “the Slutsker Maggid”) was born in Slutsk, in the Minsk province, in the year 1832, on the 21st of Adar. He passed away in 1877. His father, Ze’ev, was the first preacher of Dainow.

Dainow was a master orator who introduced modern preaching in the Yiddish language—without excessive metaphors, without embellishments, without singing, and without threats of hellish punishments. Unlike the old-style maggidim (itinerant preachers), who loved to use past rabbinic sayings to instill fear in the people, Dainow used clear and simple Yiddish, speaking with charm and capturing the hearts of his listeners. He described Jewish life as it was, its present condition, and its future prospects, addressing the pressing issues of his time.

He pointed out the dangers threatening the Jewish people, such as inherited misfortunes, widespread idleness, and the avoidance of manual labor. He criticized the flawed education system in traditional cheders, where children grew up without proper secular knowledge. He demonstrated convincingly that Torah should not be studied in a way disconnected from real life.

Standing on the pulpit, he urged parents to send their children to schools where they could learn the language of the land. He showed the Jewish leadership how their outdated approach was bringing ruin to the people.

Even among the Maskilim (Jewish Enlightenment thinkers), he did not hesitate to voice his opinions, as evidenced by his writings (see HaShachar, vol. 5, p. 229, and HaTzofeh). His words gained him many enemies, but he also earned significant recognition.

Dainow was one of the editors of a Jewish encyclopedia. Over the years, he added hundreds of entries to it, particularly in English. He also collected and compiled additional materials that had been omitted from the original work.

Among his other contributions, he published Memorable Dates of Jewish History, a multi-volume work containing thousands of historical records. This was published as a special edition by Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, appearing in their annual publication in 1904 (Vol. 28, pp. 5–447).