Akiva Eger
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Akiva Eger, or Akiva Güns, , (Eisenstadt, 1761 – Poznań, 1837) was an outstanding Talmudic scholar, influential halakhic
decisor
and foremost leader of European Jewry during the early 19th century.
Akiva Eger was born in Eisenstadt
- the most important town of the Seven Jewish Communities of Burgenland
, Hungary
, (now Austria
). He was a child prodigy and was educated first at the Mattersdorf
yeshiva
and later by his uncle, Rabbi Wolf Eger, (1756-1795) (b. 5516, d. 6 Tishrei 5556), at the Breslau (Wrocław) yeshiva, who later became Rabbi of Tziltz and Leipnik. Out of respect for his uncle he changed his surname
to Eger. He therefore shared the full name Akiva Eger with his maternal grandfather, the first Rabbi Akiva Eger (1722-1758) (b. 5482, d. 15 Elul 5518), the Mishnas De'Rebbi Akiva who was Rabbi of Zülz, Silesia
from 1749 and Pressburg
from 1756.
He was the rabbi
of Märkisch Friedland
, West Prussia
, from 1791 until 1815; then for the last twenty two years of his life, he was the rabbi
of the city of Posen
(Poznań
). He was a rigorous casuist of the old school, and his chief works were legal notes and responsa
on the Talmud
and the Shulkhan Arukh. He believed that religious education was enough, and thus opposed the party which favored secular schools. He was a determined foe of the Reform movement, which began to make itself felt in his time.
, Poland
and chief rabbi
of Posen from 1837 to 1852. His daughter Sorel (Sarah) Eiger Sofer (1790-1832) (b. 5550, d. 18 Adar II 5592), was the second wife of the Chasam Sofer
(1762-1839) Rabbi of Pressburg
.
An urban legend of sorts has circulated that his son, R. Shlomo, sat shiva for his son Leibel Eiger when he became a student of Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner
, the Mei Shiloach. This story is almost certainly fabricated for there is no source for such an event and R. Akiva Eiger was not an enemy of the Hassidic movement (though R Shlomo his son did not look upon them favorably he would not innovate such a practice against his eminent father's will). Leibel Eiger became a rebbe (along with Yaakov Leiner) after the death of Rabbi Leiner.
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
decisor
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
and foremost leader of European Jewry during the early 19th century.
Akiva Eger was born in Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
- the most important town of the Seven Jewish Communities of Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, (now Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
). He was a child prodigy and was educated first at the Mattersdorf
Mattersburg
Mattersburg is a town in Burgenland, Austria. It is the administrative center of the District of Mattersburg and home to a Bundesliga football team, SV Mattersburg.- Location :...
yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
and later by his uncle, Rabbi Wolf Eger, (1756-1795) (b. 5516, d. 6 Tishrei 5556), at the Breslau (Wrocław) yeshiva, who later became Rabbi of Tziltz and Leipnik. Out of respect for his uncle he changed his surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
to Eger. He therefore shared the full name Akiva Eger with his maternal grandfather, the first Rabbi Akiva Eger (1722-1758) (b. 5482, d. 15 Elul 5518), the Mishnas De'Rebbi Akiva who was Rabbi of Zülz, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
from 1749 and Pressburg
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
from 1756.
He was the rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
of Märkisch Friedland
Miroslawiec
Mirosławiec is a town in Wałcz County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,837 inhabitants .The 12th Air Base of the Polish Air Force is located 5 km north of the town.- People :* Akiva Eiger...
, West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
, from 1791 until 1815; then for the last twenty two years of his life, he was the rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
of the city of Posen
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
(Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
). He was a rigorous casuist of the old school, and his chief works were legal notes and responsa
Responsa
Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
on the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
and the Shulkhan Arukh. He believed that religious education was enough, and thus opposed the party which favored secular schools. He was a determined foe of the Reform movement, which began to make itself felt in his time.
Progeny
Among his children were his two sons, Abraham (1781-1853) and Solomon (1785-1852), a rabbi in KaliszKalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and chief rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Posen from 1837 to 1852. His daughter Sorel (Sarah) Eiger Sofer (1790-1832) (b. 5550, d. 18 Adar II 5592), was the second wife of the Chasam Sofer
Moses Sofer
Moses Schreiber, known to his own community and Jewish posterity as Moshe Sofer, also known by his main work Chasam Sofer, , , was one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the nineteenth century...
(1762-1839) Rabbi of Pressburg
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
.
An urban legend of sorts has circulated that his son, R. Shlomo, sat shiva for his son Leibel Eiger when he became a student of Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner
Mordechai Yosef Leiner
Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica was a rabbinic Hasidic thinker and founder of the Izhbitza-Radzyn dynasty of Hasidic Judaism.Rabbi Mordechai Yosef was born in Tomashov in 1801 to his father Reb Yaakov the son of Reb Mordechai of Sekul, a descendant of Rabbi Shoul Wahl. At the age two he became...
, the Mei Shiloach. This story is almost certainly fabricated for there is no source for such an event and R. Akiva Eiger was not an enemy of the Hassidic movement (though R Shlomo his son did not look upon them favorably he would not innovate such a practice against his eminent father's will). Leibel Eiger became a rebbe (along with Yaakov Leiner) after the death of Rabbi Leiner.