Rabbi Uri of Strelisk—the Seraph רבי אורי מסטרליסק — «השרף»
disciple of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin; "the Seraph"—for a prayer that was likened to fire
Born near Lvov; the year—1757—is known only by tradition, the encyclopedias give none. He was the chief disciple of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin, and travelled also to Rebbe Elimelech and to Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz. When Rabbi Shlomo was killed in 1792 he led his Chassidim—first in Lvov, then in Strelisk.
His prayer became legend: he prayed with his whole body, for hours, and it was said that after the morning prayer he had to change his shirt. Hence the name—the Seraph, the fiery one. Yet what he demanded of his own was not fire at all: he worked no wonders and promised none, but wanted a Chassid to be poor, honest and to seek nothing for himself.
His words were set down by a disciple and appeared as Imrei Kadosh. His chief disciple and successor was Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi of Stretin; Rabbi Shalom of Belz travelled to him too. He died on 23 Elul 1826.
On the timeline
Related
Sources
Acharonim and later rabbinic literature
- Imrei Kadosh—Rabbi Uri's words as recorded by a disciple — his teaching
Scholarship
- Encyclopaedia Judaica, “Strelisk, Uri ben Phinehas” — disciple of Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin, Lvov and Strelisk, death 1826; EJ gives no year of birth
Basis: documents and evidence.