Hersz was born in 1818 in Brzeziny, Poland. Hersz's father was Mordechaj SZWARC and his mother was Hana. His maternal grandparents were Mosze and Unnamed. He had three brothers named Abram, Zys and Kiwe. He was the second oldest of the four children. He died at the age of 69 in 1887 in Zgierz, Poland.