Pinchas Horowitz
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Pinchas HaLevi Horowitz (born in Chortkiv
about 1731; died in Frankfort-on-the-Main July 1, 1805) was a rabbi
and Talmud
ist.
, he received a thorough Talmudic education, chiefly from his older brother, Rabbi Shmelke
of Nikolsburg
, together with whom he was a follower of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the Maggid of Mezeritch. He married at an early age the daughter of the wealthy Joel Heilpern, who provided for him and permitted him to occupy himself exclusively with his studies. Adverse circumstances then forced him to accept a rabbinical position, and he became rabbi of Witkowo
, from which place he was called later on to Lachovice.
He was involved in the controversial "Get
of Cleves" case and wrote a responsum to validate the divorce. However, according to tradition, before he was able to publish the responsa his ink bottle spilled over the paper. His students convinced him that enough rabbis had written on this case and it was not necessary to rewrite it. Rabbi Avraham Abish, then the Rabbi of Frankfurt, had fought to invalidate the divorce; in response, when he died in 1769 the rabbinical court in Frankfurt vowed not to hire for the position of Chief Rabbi anyone who had wriiten a responsum validating the divorce. Since Rabbi Horowitz's responsum had never been published he was able to become the rabbi in the very prestigious community.
Although a cabalist, he disagreed with Rabbi Nathan Adler
, who held separate services in his house according to the cabalistic ritual. When Moses Mendelssohn
's Pentateuch appeared, Horowitz denounced it in unmeasured terms, admonishing his hearers to shun the work as unclean, and approving the action of those persons who had publicly burned it in Vilna (1782). Following the same principle, he opposed the establishment of a secular school in 1794. Toward the end of his life he became blind, and his son, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Horowitz, acted as his substitute in opposition to Reform Judaism
and Secular Judaism.
, Even HaEzer, Lemberg, 1837; "Giv'as Pinchas," a collection of eighty-four responsa, in 1837; and "Panim Yafos," a cabalistic commentary on the Pentateuch, printed with the Pentateuch, Ostrog
, 1824 (separate ed. 1851, n.p.).
Rabbi Horowitz was one of the last pilpul
ists in Germany, and he therefore represents the developed stage of rabbinical dialectics. It was in keeping with these views that he opposed secular education and even the slightest change of the traditional form of public worship (see his denunciation of a choir in the synagogue, in "Givas Pinchas," No. 45). His works are still used in fierce opposition to Progressive Judaism
.
Chortkiv
Chortkiv is a city in the Ternopil oblast in western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chortkiv Raion . Population: 29,057...
about 1731; died in Frankfort-on-the-Main July 1, 1805) was a 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...
and 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....
ist.
Life
The descendant of a long line of rabbinical ancestors and the son of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Horowitz of ChortkivChortkiv
Chortkiv is a city in the Ternopil oblast in western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chortkiv Raion . Population: 29,057...
, he received a thorough Talmudic education, chiefly from his older brother, Rabbi Shmelke
Shmelke of Nikolsburg
Shmelke of Nikolsburg was one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes. Born Shmuel Horowitz Shmelke of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg, Moravia) was one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes. Born Shmuel Horowitz Shmelke of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg,...
of Nikolsburg
Mikulov
Mikulov is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic with a population of 7,608 . It is located directly on the border with Lower Austria. Mikulov is located at the edge of a hilly area and the three Nové Mlýny reservoirs...
, together with whom he was a follower of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the Maggid of Mezeritch. He married at an early age the daughter of the wealthy Joel Heilpern, who provided for him and permitted him to occupy himself exclusively with his studies. Adverse circumstances then forced him to accept a rabbinical position, and he became rabbi of Witkowo
Witkowo
Witkowo is a town in Gniezno County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, located southeast of Poznań.- External links :*...
, from which place he was called later on to Lachovice.
He was involved in the controversial "Get
Get
Get or GET may refer to:*Get , the offspring of an animal*Get , legal issues around the Jewish divorce procedure*Get , the Jewish divorce procedure...
of Cleves" case and wrote a responsum to validate the divorce. However, according to tradition, before he was able to publish the responsa his ink bottle spilled over the paper. His students convinced him that enough rabbis had written on this case and it was not necessary to rewrite it. Rabbi Avraham Abish, then the Rabbi of Frankfurt, had fought to invalidate the divorce; in response, when he died in 1769 the rabbinical court in Frankfurt vowed not to hire for the position of Chief Rabbi anyone who had wriiten a responsum validating the divorce. Since Rabbi Horowitz's responsum had never been published he was able to become the rabbi in the very prestigious community.
Although a cabalist, he disagreed with Rabbi Nathan Adler
Nathan Adler
Nathan HaKohen Adler was a German kabbalist born in Frankfurt, December 16, 1741. As a precocious child he won the admiration of Chaim Joseph David Azulai , who, in 1752, came to Frankfurt to solicit contributions for the poor of Palestine...
, who held separate services in his house according to the cabalistic ritual. When Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
's Pentateuch appeared, Horowitz denounced it in unmeasured terms, admonishing his hearers to shun the work as unclean, and approving the action of those persons who had publicly burned it in Vilna (1782). Following the same principle, he opposed the establishment of a secular school in 1794. Toward the end of his life he became blind, and his son, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Horowitz, acted as his substitute in opposition to Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
and Secular Judaism.
Works
Horowitz's chief work is "Hafla'ah," novellae on the tractate Ketubot, with an appendix, "Kuntres Aharon," or "Shevet Achim," Offenbach, 1786. The second part, containing novellae on the tractate Kiddushin, also with an appendix, appeared under the title "Sefer ha-Makneh," in 1800. Other-works are: "Nesivos la-Shavet," glosses on sections 1-24 of the Shulchan AruchShulchan 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...
, Even HaEzer, Lemberg, 1837; "Giv'as Pinchas," a collection of eighty-four responsa, in 1837; and "Panim Yafos," a cabalistic commentary on the Pentateuch, printed with the Pentateuch, Ostrog
Ostrog
Ostrog may refer to:* Ostrog, Slovenia, a settlement in Šentjernej municipality in Slovenia* Ostrog monastery, a Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery in Montenegro* Ostroh, a historic town in Ukraine* Ostrog, a Russian term for a small fortress...
, 1824 (separate ed. 1851, n.p.).
Rabbi Horowitz was one of the last pilpul
Pilpul
Pilpul refers to a method of studying the Talmud through intense textual analysis in attempts to either explain conceptual differences between various halakhic rulings or to reconcile any apparent contradictions presented from various readings of different texts.Pilpul has entered English as a...
ists in Germany, and he therefore represents the developed stage of rabbinical dialectics. It was in keeping with these views that he opposed secular education and even the slightest change of the traditional form of public worship (see his denunciation of a choir in the synagogue, in "Givas Pinchas," No. 45). His works are still used in fierce opposition to Progressive Judaism
Progressive Judaism
Progressive Judaism , is an umbrella term used by strands of Judaism which affiliate to the World Union for Progressive Judaism. They embrace pluralism, modernity, equality and social justice as core values and believe that such values are consistent with a committed Jewish life...
.