# Paysach Krohn

Paysach J. Krohn (born January 29, 1945) is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, mohel (practitioner of Jewish circumcision), author, and lecturer. His lectures and books focus on topics related to ethics and spiritual growth. He is the author of the "Maggid" series of books for Mesorah Publications, Ltd., inspired by the stories of Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, who was known as the "Maggid of Yerushalayim". Krohn also authored a work on bris milah (religious circumcision), also published by ArtScroll.

## Early life

Krohn was born in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. His father, Rabbi Avrohom Zelig Krohn, was a mohel in Brooklyn. He decided to build a practice in Queens and found a job at a hospital there. He moved his family to Kew Gardens when Paysach was seven years old. Paysach participated in the Kew Gardens Pirchei boy's choir.

## Relationship with Rav Sholom Schwadron

Krohn is the author of a series of "Maggid" books inspired by the stories of Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, who was known as the "Maggid of Jerusalem". Schwadron delivered mussar talks every Friday night from 1952 to 1992 to the public at the Zikhron Moshe shtiebel in Jerusalem. Krohn met Schwadron when his father invited Schwadron to stay with them during one of his frequent fund-raising trips to the United States in late 1964. Schwadron insisted on paying rent, which Krohn agreed to reluctantly. During the five months that Schwadron resided with the Krohns, a close bond formed between him and the family. When Schwadron announced that he was leaving after Passover 1965 to travel back to Israel by boat, the entire family saw him off at the pier. Then Krohn's father handed Schwadron an envelope containing all the "rent money" he had paid, as he had never intended to keep it. A few days later, Krohn's father missed his guest so much that he decided to greet him when his boat docked in Israel. He and his wife quickly arranged passports and flew to Israel two days before Schwadron arrived and greeted him.
Avrohom Zelig Krohn was diagnosed with a terminal illness after this event and died the following year. Six months later, the family received a letter from Schwadron saying that he was coming to America again. Schwadron became a surrogate father to Krohn's seven orphans.
With Schwadron's encouragement and input, Paysach Krohn penned the first of his "Maggid" books, The Maggid Speaks, published in 1987. Schwadron died before the publication of the second book in the series, Around the Maggid's Table. Subsequent titles (Along the Maggid's Journey, In the Footsteps of the Maggid, Echoes of the Maggid, Reflections of the Maggid, etc.) memorialized Schwadron's influence on the overall project. As of 2012, Krohn had published eight books in the series.

## Mohel

Krohn is a fifth-generation mohel. When his father became ill, Paysach learned this skill to support his family. At age 21, he was the youngest mohel ever certified by the Brith Milah Board of New York. He has officiated at thousands of religious circumcisions, with three-quarters being on Long Island.

## Other activities

Krohn lectures in the Jewish world, sharing stories in the manner of a maggid while also collecting stories for his speeches and books. He also leads Jewish historical tours in Europe, discussing the history of Jewish communities prior to World War II. He documented the first of these trips in his 2007 book, Traveling with the Maggid.
Along with Esther Jungreis, Krohn has served as a guest speaker at the annual Shavuot retreat hosted by Gateways since 2005.
In December 2004, he initiated the organization PaL (Phone and Learn) in the United Kingdom, which connects individuals interested in Jewish learning with tutors for weekly study sessions over the phone.

## Personal

Krohn's wife, Miriam, is one of the principals of Shevach High School in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, New York.
On December 6, 2024, Krohn suffered a stroke while attending the Agudath Israel of America convention. He is undergoing physical therapy.

## Works

* Bris Milah. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1985. ISBN 9780899061986.
* The Maggid Speaks: Favorite Stories and Parables of Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, Shlita, Maggid of Jerusalem. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1987. ISBN 089906230X.
* Around the Maggid's Table: More Classic Stories and Parables from the Great Teachers of Israel. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1989. ISBN 0899065627.
* Yad Eliezer: a collection of various halachos, mitzvos and minhagim pertinent to left-handers 1996|origyear=1st ed. December 1990|publisher=Self-published}}
* In the Footsteps of the Maggid: Inspirational Stories and Parables about Eminent People of Yesterday and Today. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1992. ISBN 0899065961.
* Along the Maggid's Journey: A Collection of All New Inspirational Stories and Parables from Around the World and Across the Generations. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1995. ISBN 0899063233.
* Echoes of the Maggid: Heartwarming Stories and Parables of Wisdom and Inspiration. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 1999. ISBN 1578192617.
* Reflections of the Maggid: inspirational stories from around the globe and around the corner. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 2002. ISBN 1578197511.
* Traveling With the Maggid: A journey to great Torah centers of yesteryear. Mesorah Publications Ltd. 2007. ISBN 978-1422602294.
* In the Spirit of the Maggid: Inspirational Stories that Touch the Heart and Stir the Spirit. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 2008. ISBN 978-1422608722.
* Perspectives of the Maggid: Insights and Inspiration from the lectures of Rabbi Paysach Krohn. Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 2012. ISBN 978-1422611845.

## Audio lectures

* Click here to download MP3 shiurim by Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Interview with Rabbi Paysach Krohn by Chazaq's Rabbi Yaniv Meirov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6AxmVEpVkM