R' DovBer Babad of Ostrog

GEDCOM Note

SPECULATION:

Dov Ber Yekels Babad was probably the father of Hinde, the 2nd wife of Aryeh Judah Leib and the mother of Shmuel Asher. (In the 1795 Ostroh census, Hinde's father is simply listed as "Berko," i.e. Dov Ber.)

It appears that Aryeh Judah Leyb had a close relationship with R' Nachman Katz, son of R' Betzalel Katz and grandson of R' Naftali Katz, the Smichat Chachamim.

The evidence is:

1. Aryeh Judah Leyb was Treasurer of the Ostroh Chevre Kadishe, while Dov Ber Babad was a member; thus they probably worked fairly closely together.

2. Aryeh Judah Leyb's 1st wife was the daughter of R' Nachman Katz. Assuming that his 1st wife died, it would be consistent with Jewish custom if his 2nd wife was once again closely related to Nachman Katz, namely the daughter of Nachman Katz's sister.

3. As AB'D of Ludmir, treasurer of the local Chevre Kadishe, and a Merchant of the 3rd Guild, he was a prestigious and financially successful member of the Ostroh community which would have made him attractive to another prestigious family as a prospective husband.

4. Hinde's grandfather was Shmuel Babad (d. 1748). Her son, b. 1770, was also named Shmuel. This would be consistent with Jewish naming customs.

However, Biber [Biber, M. Mazkeret Gedolei Ostroah. Berdichev, 1907] states that:

"Rabbi Dov Ber had a daughter, whose name was Sarah [p. 115]" and, while he notes that there were several sons, he does not write about any other daughters.

Since he doesn't state how many sons there were, or list any names for the sons, Biber was probably unaware of all of Dov Ber's children and, carefully reviewing the original Hebrew, his language does not state that Sarah was his only daughter, just that she was one daughter.

Sarah married Asher Enzil Babad, the Gabai [who determines which congregants receive Torah honors during a religious service] & Parnas [president or trustee of the congregation] of the Chevre Kadishe. This strengthens the hypothesis that Aryeh Judah Leyb may well have married the daughter of a member of the Chrevre Kadishe.

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According to the Pinkas (minutes) of the Ostroh Chevre Kadishe, the members sent honey to Rabbi Dov Ber in Cheshvan [Oct. - Nov.] of 1736 [Rosenstein. The Unbroken Chain, 2nd Ed, p. 765].