Moses Sofer

Moses Schreiber(1762–1839), known to his own community and Jewish posterity in the Hebrew translation asMoshe Sofer, also known by his main workChatam Sofer,Chasam Sofer, orHatam Sofer(trans.Seal of the Scribe, and acronym forChiddusheiToirasMoisheSofer), was one of the leadingOrthodoxrabbisof EuropeanJewryin the first half of the nineteenth century.
He was a teacher to thousands and a powerful opponent of theReform movement in Judaism, which was attracting many Jews in theAustrian Empire, and beyond. AsRavof the city ofPressburg, he advocated for strong communal life, first-class education, and uncompromising opposition to Reform and radical change.
Sofer established ayeshivainPozsony(Pressburgin German; todayBratislava, Slovakia), thePressburg Yeshiva, which became the most influential yeshiva in Central Europe,producing hundreds of future leaders of Hungarian Jewry.This yeshiva continued to function untilWorld War II; afterward, it was relocated toJerusalem, under the leadership of the Chasam Sofer's great-grandson, RabbiAkiva Sofer(theDaas Sofer).
Sofer published very little during his lifetime; however, his post-humously published works include more than a thousandresponsa,novellaeon theTalmud, 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 forsemicha(rabbinic ordination) candidates. Hischiddushim(original Torah insights) sparked a new style inrabbinic commentary, and some editions of the Talmud contain his emendations and additions.
Sofer was born inFrankfurt am Mainon September 24, 1762.
His father's name was Shmuel and his mother's was Reizel, the daughter of Elchanan.Shmuel's mother, Reizchenwas a daughter of theGaonofFrankfurt,Shmuel Schotten.
At the age of nine, Sofer entered the yeshiva of RabbiNathan Adlerat Frankfurt, akabbalistknown for its strict and unusual ritual practices.He was a pupil ofPinchas Horowitzof Frankfurt for one year, leaving in 1776 for the yeshiva of another rabbi,David Tebele Scheuer, in the neighboring city ofMainzwhere he studied in 1776 and 1777, then returned to his native city.
In 1782Nathan Adlerbecame rabbi ofBoskovice,Moravia, and on Adler's advice Sofer went toProstějov, Moravia.
There, on 6 May 1787, Sofer married Sarah,the daughter of Moses Jerwitz, the rabbi of Prostějov. Sofer became a member of theChevra Kadisha, and eventually became head of the yeshiva in Prostějov.
In 1794 Sofer became rabbi ofStrážniceafter he had received government permission to settle there. In 1797, he became rabbi ofMattersdorf, one of the seven communities (known as theSiebengemeinden, orSheva Kehillot) ofBurgenland, where he established a yeshiva. His pupils there includedMeir Ash, the rabbi ofUzhhorod.
Sofer declined many offers for the rabbinate, but in 1806, he accepted a call to Pressburg (Pozsonyin Hungarian; todayBratislava, capital ofSlovakia). There, he established ayeshiva, which was attended by as many as 500 pupils. Hundreds of these pupils became the rabbis of Hungarian Jewry. Among them were:
For a short period of time during theNapoleonic WarinPressburgin 1809, Moses Schreiber retreated to a small vineyard town,Svätý Jur, where he organised a charity for his fellow citizens affected by the war.
Sofer's first wife Sarah died childless on 22 July 1812.
In 1813(23 Cheshvan 5573), he married for the second time, to Sarel (Sarah) (1790–1832, d.18 Adar II 5592), the widowed daughter of RabbiAkiva Eiger, Rav ofPoznań. She was the widow of Rabbi Avraham Moshe Kalischer (1788–1812), Rabbi ofPiła, the son of Rabbi Yehuda Kalischer, author ofHayod Hachazoka.
With his second wife, Sofer had three sons and eight daughters. All three of his sons became rabbis:Avrohom Shmuel Binyamin Sofer(known as theKtav SoferorKsav Sofer);Shimon Sofer(known as theMichtav Sofer), who became the Rav ofKraków; andYozef Yozpa Sofer.
Sofer's descendants named their works after the Hebrew translation ofSchreiber(scribe), Sofer's civil surname, along the lines of Sofer's workChasam Sofer; as, for instance,Michtav Sofer(son),Ktav Sofer(son), theShevet Sofer(grandson), the Chasan Sofer (grandson), theYad Sofer(great-grandson), theDaas Sofer(great-grandson), theCheshev Sofer, andImrei Sofer(2x great-grandson).
Sofer and his family lived at the end of Zamocka Street, where the Hotel Ibis is now located.
Sofer led the community of Pressburg for 33 years, until his death in 1839. It was his influence and determination that kept theReform movementout of the city.
From the late 18th century onwards, movements which eventually developed into Reform Judaism began to develop. Synagogues subscribing to these new views began to appear in centres such as Berlin andHamburg. Sofer was profoundly opposed to the reformers, and attacked them in his speeches and writings. For example, in aresponsumof 1816, he forbade the congregation inViennato allow a performance in the synagogue of acantatathey had commissioned from the composerIgnaz Moscheles, because it would involve a mixed choir. In the same spirit, he contested the founders of theReformschule(Reform synagogue) in Pozsony, which was established in the year 1827.
For Sofer,Judaismas previously practiced was the only form of Judaism acceptable. In his view, the rules and tenets of Judaism had never changed — and cannot ever change. This became the defining idea for the opponents to Reform, and in some form, it has continued to influence the Orthodox response to innovation in Jewish doctrine and practice.
Sofer applied a pun to the Talmudic termchadash asur min haTorah,"'new' is forbidden by the Torah"(referring literally to eatingchadash, "new grain", before theOmer offering is given) as a slogan heralding his opposition to any philosophical, social or practical change to customary Orthodox practice. He did not allow the addition of any secular studies to the curriculum of hisPressburg Yeshiva.
TheUniversal Israelite Congress of 1868-69inPestwas influential in affecting the direction of Judaism in Europe. To try to unify all streams of Judaism under one constitution, the Orthodox offered theShulchan Aruchand surrounding codes as the ruling code of law and observance. The reformists dismissed this notation and in response, many Orthodox rabbis  resigned from the Congress to form their own social and political groups. Hungarian Jewry split into two major institutionally sectarian groups, Orthodox andNeolog. Some communities refused to join either of the groups and called themselvesStatus Quo.
Sofer's most notable student, RabbiMoshe Schick, together with Sofer's sons, the rabbisShmuel BinyaminandShimon, took an active role in arguing against the Reform movement. They showed relative tolerance for heterogeneity within the Orthodox camp. Others, such as the more zealous RabbiHillel Lichtenstein, supported a more stringent position in orthodoxy.
In 1877, Rabbi Moshe Schick demonstrated support for the separatist policies of RabbiSamson Raphael Hirschin Germany. His son studied at theHildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary, which taught secular studies and was headed byAzriel Hildesheimer. Hirsch, however, did not reciprocate. He was surprised at what he described as Schick'shalakhiccontortions in condemning even those "status quo" communities that clearly adhered to halakhah.Hillel Lichtenstein opposed Hildesheimer and his son Hirsh in their speaking German to give sermons and their tending toward ModernZionism.
In 1871, Shimon Sofer, Chief Rabbi ofKraków, founded theMachzikei Hadasorganisation with theHasidicRabbiYehoshua Rokeachof Belz. This was the first effort ofHarediJews in Europe to create a political party; it was part of the developing identification of the traditional Orthodoxy as a self-defined group. Rabbi Shimon was nominated as a candidate to the Polish Regional Parliament, under the Austrian emperorFranz Joseph. He was elected to the "Polish Club", in which he took an active part until his death.
Another notable group isSatmar, which was founded by RabbiMoshe Teitelbaum (Ujhel), who was a Hasid who paid homage to the Chasam Sofer and had similar views to that of Rabbi Hillel Lichtenstein. His descendant RabbiJoel Teitelbaumheaded theEdah HaChareidisfor many years, living in Israel and later in the United States, where he influenced Orthodox Jewry.
Starting in 1830, about twenty disciples of Sofer settled inPalestine, almost all of them in Jerusalem. They joined theOld Yishuv, which comprised theMusta'arabim,Sephardim, andAshkenazim. They also settled inSafed,Tiberias, andHebron. Together with thePerushimand Hasidim, they formed an approach to Judaism reflecting those of their European counterparts.
Notable disciples of the Pressburg Yeshiva who had major influence on mainstream Orthodoxy in Palestine were RabbiYosef Chaim Sonnenfeld(student ofKtav Sofer) and RabbiYitzchok Yerucham Diskin(son of RabbiYehoshua Leib Diskin, fromBrisk,Lithuania), who, together, in 1919, founded theEdah HaChareidisin then-Mandate Palestine.
In 1932, Sonnenfeld was succeeded by RabbiYosef Tzvi Dushinsky, a disciple of the Shevet Sofer, one of Sofer's grandchildren. Dushinsky founded theDushinskyHasidic dynasty in Israel, based on Sofer's teachings.
Sofer died inPressburgon 3 October 1839 (25 Tishrei 5600).
Today, a modern Jewish memorial, containing Sofer's grave and those of many of his associates and family, is located in Bratislava. It is situated underground belowBratislava Castle, on the left bank of theDanube. The nearbytramandbusstop is named after him.
The preservation of these graves has a curious history. The Jewish cemetery in Bratislava was confiscated during theregimein 1943, to build a roadway. Negotiations with the regime enabled the community to preserve the section of the cemetery including Sofer's grave, enclosed in concrete, below the surface of the new road. The regime complied, possibly as a consequence of a large bribe (according to one story),foreign pressure (according to another story),or for fear of a curse if the graves were destroyed (according to yet another story).
Following thedeclaration of independenceby Slovakia in 1992, new negotiations were undertaken to restore public access to the preserved graves. In the mid-1990s, the International Committee for Preservation of Gravesites of Geonai Pressburg was formed, to support and oversee relocation of tram tracks and building of a mausoleum. Construction of the mausoleum was completed after overcoming numerous technical and religious issues, and opened on 8 July 2002. Access to the mausoleum can be arranged through the local Jewish community organisation.
Manysynagoguesand yeshivas worldwide bear the name and follow the legacy of the Chatam Sofer.
The most notable recent living descendant and heir to the Sofer legacy was RabbiYochanan Sofer. Yochanan was a direct descendant and fifth generation to the Chatam Sofer. He was the leader of theErlaumovement, whose progenitor was his grandfather, RabbiShimon Soferof Erlau, a grandson of the Chatam Sofer, and son of theKtav Sofer.
Yochanan's father, RabbiMoshe Sofer (II)(Dayanof Erlau), and grandfather, Rabbi Shimon (Av Beth Dinof Erlau), perished in theHolocaust, together with most of their families. After the Holocaust, Rabbi Yochanan re-founded the Chasam Sofer Yeshiva in Pest, together with Rabbi Moshe Stern (the Debretziner Rav) and his brother, Avraham Shmuel Binyamin (II). He then returned toEger(Erlau) to re-establish his grandfather's Yeshiva.
In 1950, he immigrated to Israel, together with his students, and, for a short while, merged his yeshiva with thePressburg Yeshivaof Rabbi Akiva Sofer (Daas Sofer). In 1953, he founded his own Yeshiva inKatamon, Jerusalem, as well as theInstitute for Research of the Teachings of the Chasam Sofer. The Institute researches and deciphers hand-written documents penned by the Chasam Sofer, his pupils, and descendants, and has printed hundreds ofsefarim.
Over the years, Rabbi Yochanan founded many synagogues,chederim, andkollelim,  which he named after his ancestors. TheEzrat TorahCampus in Jerusalem is namedBeth Chasam Sofer, as is the Erlau Synagogue in Haifa. The chederim are namedTalmud Torah Ksav Sofer, after the Chasam Sofer's son; the kollelim and synagogues are namedYad Sofer, after Rabbi Yochanan's father; and the main yeshiva campus in Katamon is namedOhel Shimon MiErlau, after his grandfather. He has authored numerous Torah commentary works, naming themImrei Sofer.
The Erlau community is considered Hasidic style, though strictly followsAshkenazcustoms, as did the Chasam Sofer. It has branches inJerusalem,Bnei Brak,Beitar Illit,El'ad,Haifa,Ashdod, andBoro Park(New York).
The Pressburg Yeshiva of Jerusalem (Hebrew:ישיבת פרשבורג) is a leadingyeshivalocated in theGivat Shaulneighborhood ofJerusalem,Israel.It was founded in 1950 by RabbiAkiva Sofer(known as theDaas Sofer), a great-grandson of Rabbi Moses Sofer (theChasam Sofer), who established the originalPressburg Yeshivain theAustrian-Hungarian Empirein 1807. As of 2009, the rosh yeshiva is RabbiSimcha Bunim Sofer.
The yeshiva building includes aYeshiva Ketana,Yeshiva Gedolah, andkollel.
The mainbeis medrashdoubles as asynagoguewhere some neighborhood residents also pray onShabbat. The complex also includes a general neighborhood synagogue which functions as Givat Shaul's mainnusach Ashkenazsynagogue.
The Chassan Sofer Yeshiva in New York is considered the American yeshiva of the Chasam Sofer legacy. It was founded by RabbiShmuel Ehrenfeld, who was born and raised inMattersdorf, Austria. His father, Simcha Bunim Ehrenfeld, the rabbi of Mattersdorf, whose father, Rabbi Shmuel Ehrenfeld (the Chasan Sofer), was a grandson of the Chasam Sofer.
Rabbi Shmuel was rabbi of Mattersdorf from 1926 until 1938, when the congregation was dispersed by the Nazis. He escaped to America, and immediately re-established the Chasan Sofer Yeshiva in theLower East Side, from where it was later relocated toBoro Park. After his death, he was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Ehrenfeld.
The yeshiva currently enrolls over 400 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, and operates aHead Start Programand rabbinical seminary.
During the 1950s and 1960s, many synagogues in Israel were built by Hungarian Jewry, and named Chug Chasam Sofer. This network of synagogues were founded inTel Aviv,Bnei Brak,Jerusalem,Petach Tikva,Haifa, andNetanya. These synagogues still operate, but have been integrated into the larger community, with no distinct character of their own, besides for that of Bnei Brak, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Shlomo Ungar, and that of Petach Tikva, founded by Rabbi Shmaryahu Deutch.
Rabbi Ungar, a descendant of the Chasam Sofer, founded a yeshiva named Machneh Avraham, and akashrutorganization named Chug Chasam Sofer, which are both very active and well known. After Rabbi Ungar's passing in 1994, the yeshiva appointed Rabbi Altman as rabbi and rosh yeshiva, with Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Stern remaining the head of the kashrut organization.
The Pressburg institutions inLondon, England, are headed by a descendant of the Chasam Sofer, Rabbi Shmuel Ludmir (who has published some of his work).
The Dushinsky community considers itself a continuation of the Chasam Sofer dynasty – not by genealogy, but, rather, by school of thought.
The founder of the Dushinsky dynasty was Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (1865–1948), who was a disciple of Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer (theShevet Sofer), the son of the Ksav Sofer at thePressburg Yeshiva. The Dushinsky dynasty has been more integrated into the Hasidic community, with many of their customs derived fromNusach Sefard, but still remains true to the teachings of the Chasam Sofer. This is mainly due to Rabbi Yosef Tzvi's appointment as Chief Rabbi of theEdah HaChareidis, and the Dushinsky alignment with the teachings of RabbiJoel Teitelbaumof Satmar.