Moses Sofer

Moses Schreiber (24 September 1762 – 3 October 1839), 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 an 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, education, opposition to radical change. Sofer established a yeshiva in Pozsony/Pressburg (Bratislava), the Pressburg Yeshiva, which became one of the most influential yeshivas in Central Europe, 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 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.