Maharam Shik
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Moshe Shik (Hebrew משה שיק) was a Rosh Yeshiva
and Posek
, and one of the leading Hungarian
rabbi
s of his time http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/116294/jewish/Sources.htm.
In rabbinical commentary Shik is commonly known as the Maharam Shik(מהר"ם שיק); Maharam is the acronym for Moreinu Harav Moishe, which means "Our Teacher the Rabbi Moshe" in Hebrew. The spelling of his surname varies, including Shick, Schick, and Shieck; the surname is itself an acronym for "Shem Yisrael Kadosh" ("a holy, Jewish name"), a surname
chosen by Maharam Shik's grandfather, when the Jews of Austro-Hungary were required to take on surnames http://www.mytzadik.com/tadik.asp?kever_id=220&safaid=6; see History of the Jews in Hungary: Under Joseph II (1780-1790).
, the son of Rabbi Joseph Schick. The family were descended from Rabbi Hanoch Heinich Schick of Shklov who is said to have married a daughter of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rivlin. This Shlomo Zalman had a first cousin of the same name, who was the father of the Gaon of Vilna
. Although various sources give differing genealogies of Rabbi Hanochs' ancestry, there is no doubt that he was descended from two famous scholars, Rabbi Yomtov Lipman Heller, and Rabbi Meir Katzenellenbogen of Padua
, the "Maharam Padua".
At the age of 11, Moshe Shik was sent to study with his uncle, Rabbi Yitzchak Frankel, the Av Beth Din in Regensdorf
. When he was 14, he was sent to learn under Moses Sofer
in Pressburg, where he stayed for six years. Sofer called his prodigious student "a treasure chest full of holy books". When he was 20, Moses Shik married his cousin, Gittel Frankel.
He was appointed Rabbi of Yeregin in 1838, where he opened a yeshiva
. In 1868 he became Rabbi of Chust
, Ukraine
, and moved his 800-student yeshiva there. He was active in arguing against the Haskalah
movement and called for the establishment of a counter Orthodox
movement. In 1868 his wish was fulfilled, with the establishment of separate Orthodox communities.
He died in Chust in 1879.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/116294/jewish/Sources.htm on all four parts of the Shulchan Aruch
and the 613 Mitzvot
; these She'elot U'Tshuvot - MaHaram Shik contain over 1000 discussions, on all issues of life, and are published in 3 volumes http://sefarimcenter.com/product.asp?P_ID=2255&strPageHistory=search&strKeywords=shick&numPageStartPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=all&PT_ID=all.
Other works include http://openlibrary.org/a/OL170128A/Moses_ben_Joseph_Schick:
Full text resources
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
and Posek
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 one of the leading Hungarian
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...
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...
s of his time http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/116294/jewish/Sources.htm.
In rabbinical commentary Shik is commonly known as the Maharam Shik(מהר"ם שיק); Maharam is the acronym for Moreinu Harav Moishe, which means "Our Teacher the Rabbi Moshe" in Hebrew. The spelling of his surname varies, including Shick, Schick, and Shieck; the surname is itself an acronym for "Shem Yisrael Kadosh" ("a holy, Jewish name"), a 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"...
chosen by Maharam Shik's grandfather, when the Jews of Austro-Hungary were required to take on surnames http://www.mytzadik.com/tadik.asp?kever_id=220&safaid=6; see History of the Jews in Hungary: Under Joseph II (1780-1790).
Biography
Moshe Shik was born in SlovakiaSlovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the son of Rabbi Joseph Schick. The family were descended from Rabbi Hanoch Heinich Schick of Shklov who is said to have married a daughter of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rivlin. This Shlomo Zalman had a first cousin of the same name, who was the father of the Gaon of Vilna
Vilna Gaon
Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kramer, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew acronym Gra or Elijah Ben Solomon, , was a Talmudist, halachist, kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic Jewry of the past few centuries...
. Although various sources give differing genealogies of Rabbi Hanochs' ancestry, there is no doubt that he was descended from two famous scholars, Rabbi Yomtov Lipman Heller, and Rabbi Meir Katzenellenbogen of Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, the "Maharam Padua".
At the age of 11, Moshe Shik was sent to study with his uncle, Rabbi Yitzchak Frankel, the Av Beth Din in Regensdorf
Regensdorf
Regensdorf is a municipality in the district of Dielsdorf of the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is the biggest city in the region Furttal .Katzensee is a lake on the border with the Affoltern quarter of the city of Zürich.-History:...
. When he was 14, he was sent to learn under Moses 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...
in Pressburg, where he stayed for six years. Sofer called his prodigious student "a treasure chest full of holy books". When he was 20, Moses Shik married his cousin, Gittel Frankel.
He was appointed Rabbi of Yeregin in 1838, where he opened a 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...
. In 1868 he became Rabbi of Chust
Khust
Khust is a city located on the Khustets River in the Zakarpattia oblast in western Ukraine. It is near the confluence of the Tisza and Rika Rivers...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and moved his 800-student yeshiva there. He was active in arguing against the Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
movement and called for the establishment of a counter Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
movement. In 1868 his wish was fulfilled, with the establishment of separate Orthodox communities.
He died in Chust in 1879.
Works
Maharam Shik authored responsaResponsa
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...
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/116294/jewish/Sources.htm on all four parts of the Shulchan Aruch
Shulchan Aruch
The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...
and the 613 Mitzvot
613 mitzvot
The 613 commandments is a numbering of the statements and principles of law, ethics, and spiritual practice contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses...
; these She'elot U'Tshuvot - MaHaram Shik contain over 1000 discussions, on all issues of life, and are published in 3 volumes http://sefarimcenter.com/product.asp?P_ID=2255&strPageHistory=search&strKeywords=shick&numPageStartPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=all&PT_ID=all.
Other works include http://openlibrary.org/a/OL170128A/Moses_ben_Joseph_Schick:
- Chidushe ha-Maharam Shik - Novellae on the TalmudTalmudThe 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....
- Derashot Maharam Shik - Sermons
- Sefer Maharam Shik al ha-Torah - Torah Commentary
- Maharam Shik al taryag mitsvot - on the 613 commandents613 mitzvotThe 613 commandments is a numbering of the statements and principles of law, ethics, and spiritual practice contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses...
External links and references
Biographical- The Maharam Schick - 100th Yahrzeit, tzemachdovid.org
- Rabbi Moshe Shik - Maharam Shik (Hebrew), mytzadik.com
Full text resources
- She'elot U'Tshuvot - MaHaram Shik (Hebrew), hebrewbooks.org