Detailed
Description |
|
R. Elazer b. Arye Loeb Loew (1758–1837), rabbi in Poland and Hungary. R. Loew was born in Wodzislav (Poland) and when only 17 years of age was appointed dayyan in his native city. At the age of 20 he was appointed rabbi of Pilica (Poland) and in 1800, on the recommendation of R. Mordecai Banet, became rabbi of Trest (Triesch). Subsequently he held positions as district rabbi of Pilsen (1812–15), rosh yeshivah of Trest (1815–20), rabbi of Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia (1821–30) and finally, from 1830 until his death rabbi of Santo (Abaujszanto), Hungary. R. Loew played a vigorous part in the fight against religious reform, and was an active opponent of Aaron Chorin. R. Loew is best known mainly for his many scholarly works in all areas of halakhah, which are written with a rational approach, avoiding casuistry, and for his critical commentaries to early works.
Among his halakhic works are Shemen Roke'ah, 3 volumes of responsa (1788–1902), and under the same title novellae to the tractates Berakhot, Pesahim, Bezah (Prague, 1812); Torat Hesed, on talmudic methodology (Vienna, 1800); Sha'arei Hokhmah, on various halakhic topics (Prague, 1807); Zer Zahav, annotations to Hai Gaon's Ha-Mikkah ve-ha-Mimkar (Vienna, 1800); Sha'arei De'ah, on the Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah, pts. 1 and 2 (1821–28); and Zikhron Aharon, on hazakah ("legal presumption"; 1834). His homiletic works include Sama de-Hayyei (Warsaw, 1796), Yavin Shemu'ah (Prague 1814), and Minhat Erev (1911).
|
