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Moses Sofer
Moses Schreiber (September 24, 1762 – October 3, 1839), known to his own community and Jewish posterity in the Hebrew translation as Moshe Sofer, was an Austro-Hungarian rabbi. He was one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the 19th century.
He was a teacher to thousands and a powerful opponent of the Reform movement in Judaism, which was attracting many Jews in the Austrian Empire, and beyond. As Rav of the city of Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia), he advocated for strong communal life, first-class education, and uncompromising opposition to Reform and radical change.
Sofer established a yeshiva in Pozsony/Pressburg (Bratislava), the Pressburg Yeshiva, which became the most influential yeshiva in Central Europe, producing hundreds of future leaders of Hungarian Jewry.[citation needed] This yeshiva continued to function until World War II; afterward, it was relocated to Jerusalem, under the leadership of the Chasam Sofer's great-grandson, Rabbi Akiva Sofer (the Daas Sofer).
Sofer published very little during his lifetime; however, his posthumously published works include more than a thousand responsa, novellae on the Talmud, sermons, biblical and liturgical commentaries, and religious poetry. He is an authority who is quoted extensively in Orthodox Jewish scholarship. Many of his responsa are required reading for semicha (rabbinic ordination) candidates. His chiddushim (original Torah insights) sparked a new style in rabbinic commentary, and some editions of the Talmud contain his emendations and additions.
Moshe Sofer was born in Frankfurt to Shmuel and Reizel in the year 5563 AM. His ancestors were ritual scribes, and from this profession the family name was derived. On his father's side he was a descendant of the Yalkut Shimoni and a descendant of Rashi, likewise he was the great-grandson of Rabbi Shmuel Shattin Katz, called the Maharshal"kh of Frankfurt. At the age of six he was already learning Torah with Rabbi Meshulam Zalman Hasid, and at the age of seven it is already known to us that he innovated Torah novellae of his own. When he was nine he studied in the yeshiva of Rabbi Nathan Adler in Frankfurt – a rabbi considered his primary rabbi, and even served him as a substitute for a father – and at the age of thirteen he was already preaching on matters of Halakha. Likewise he also studied with Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz author of the book Hafla’ah and with Rabbi David Tebli Shayar in Mainz and additional rabbis. Besides his Torah studies he also studied mathematics, astronomy and general history, with Rabbi Tebli.
In the year 1806 he was appointed rabbi in Pressburg (today Bratislava the capital of Slovakia), which was the large and important community in Hungary, there he continued to disseminate Torah in the Pressburg Yeshiva to which came students from many countries whose number reached up to 500. He served as rabbi of the district and as head of the yeshiva about 33 years – until the day of his death, and in parallel also served as a mohel.
In the year 1812, five years after he arrived in Pressburg, his first wife died, and he married Sorl, the widow of R' Avraham Moshe Kalischer and the daughter of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. From this wife were born all his children, four sons (Avraham-Shmuel, Shimon, Yozfa, and Yitzchak Leib), and seven daughters (Hindel, Gitl, Yentl, Simcha, Reichel, Reizel and Esther). In the year 1832 Sorl died, and after some years Rabbi Moshe Sofer married Chaya, the widow of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Heller from Altenburg in Hungary.
His disciples established yeshivas throughout all of Hungary and served in the rabbinate in various communities. Not only his disciples revered him and magnified his name, also well-known Torah scholars such as Rabbi Mordecai Benet, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolioth, Rabbi Moshe Mintz, and many others revered him, honored him, and granted him a special halakhic status. Jews from many communities in Central Europe (Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia of today) turned to him with questions regarding the laws of prohibition and permission and other matters. He was considered the last posek upon whom one could rely and conduct according to his rulings, and his rulings were accepted without any objection in the communities of Hungary in particular, and the communities of Israel in general. The name of the Chatam Sofer went out to renown in all Jewish communities, and even non-Jewish judges sent to him questions pertaining to Jewish law.
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Moses Sofer
Moses Schreiber (September 24, 1762 – October 3, 1839), known to his own community and Jewish posterity in the Hebrew translation as Moshe Sofer, was an Austro-Hungarian rabbi. He was one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the 19th century.
He was a teacher to thousands and a powerful opponent of the Reform movement in Judaism, which was attracting many Jews in the Austrian Empire, and beyond. As Rav of the city of Pressburg (now Bratislava, Slovakia), he advocated for strong communal life, first-class education, and uncompromising opposition to Reform and radical change.
Sofer established a yeshiva in Pozsony/Pressburg (Bratislava), the Pressburg Yeshiva, which became the most influential yeshiva in Central Europe, producing hundreds of future leaders of Hungarian Jewry.[citation needed] This yeshiva continued to function until World War II; afterward, it was relocated to Jerusalem, under the leadership of the Chasam Sofer's great-grandson, Rabbi Akiva Sofer (the Daas Sofer).
Sofer published very little during his lifetime; however, his posthumously published works include more than a thousand responsa, novellae on the Talmud, sermons, biblical and liturgical commentaries, and religious poetry. He is an authority who is quoted extensively in Orthodox Jewish scholarship. Many of his responsa are required reading for semicha (rabbinic ordination) candidates. His chiddushim (original Torah insights) sparked a new style in rabbinic commentary, and some editions of the Talmud contain his emendations and additions.
Moshe Sofer was born in Frankfurt to Shmuel and Reizel in the year 5563 AM. His ancestors were ritual scribes, and from this profession the family name was derived. On his father's side he was a descendant of the Yalkut Shimoni and a descendant of Rashi, likewise he was the great-grandson of Rabbi Shmuel Shattin Katz, called the Maharshal"kh of Frankfurt. At the age of six he was already learning Torah with Rabbi Meshulam Zalman Hasid, and at the age of seven it is already known to us that he innovated Torah novellae of his own. When he was nine he studied in the yeshiva of Rabbi Nathan Adler in Frankfurt – a rabbi considered his primary rabbi, and even served him as a substitute for a father – and at the age of thirteen he was already preaching on matters of Halakha. Likewise he also studied with Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz author of the book Hafla’ah and with Rabbi David Tebli Shayar in Mainz and additional rabbis. Besides his Torah studies he also studied mathematics, astronomy and general history, with Rabbi Tebli.
In the year 1806 he was appointed rabbi in Pressburg (today Bratislava the capital of Slovakia), which was the large and important community in Hungary, there he continued to disseminate Torah in the Pressburg Yeshiva to which came students from many countries whose number reached up to 500. He served as rabbi of the district and as head of the yeshiva about 33 years – until the day of his death, and in parallel also served as a mohel.
In the year 1812, five years after he arrived in Pressburg, his first wife died, and he married Sorl, the widow of R' Avraham Moshe Kalischer and the daughter of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. From this wife were born all his children, four sons (Avraham-Shmuel, Shimon, Yozfa, and Yitzchak Leib), and seven daughters (Hindel, Gitl, Yentl, Simcha, Reichel, Reizel and Esther). In the year 1832 Sorl died, and after some years Rabbi Moshe Sofer married Chaya, the widow of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Heller from Altenburg in Hungary.
His disciples established yeshivas throughout all of Hungary and served in the rabbinate in various communities. Not only his disciples revered him and magnified his name, also well-known Torah scholars such as Rabbi Mordecai Benet, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolioth, Rabbi Moshe Mintz, and many others revered him, honored him, and granted him a special halakhic status. Jews from many communities in Central Europe (Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia of today) turned to him with questions regarding the laws of prohibition and permission and other matters. He was considered the last posek upon whom one could rely and conduct according to his rulings, and his rulings were accepted without any objection in the communities of Hungary in particular, and the communities of Israel in general. The name of the Chatam Sofer went out to renown in all Jewish communities, and even non-Jewish judges sent to him questions pertaining to Jewish law.