Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld
Encyclopedia
Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, also spelled Zonnenfeld, (1 Dec 1848 –26 Feb 1932) was the Chief Rabbi
and co-founder of the Edah HaChareidis, Haredi Jewish community in Jerusalem, during the years of the British Mandate of Palestine. He was originally given the name "Chaim", however, the name "Yosef" was added to him while he experienced an illness. Sonnenfeld was born in Verbó, Hungary (today: Vrbové
, Slovakia
). His father, Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zonnenfeld, died when Chaim was five years old.
He was a student of Rabbi Samuel Benjamin Sofer
(the Ksav Sofer), the son of Rabbi Moses Sofer
(the Chasam Sofer). He was also a student of Rabbi Avraham Schag in Kobersdorf
(who was himself a disciple of the Chasam Sofer); Sonnenfeld moved from the latter city to Jerusalem in 1873.
He became an important figure in Jerusalem's Old City
, serving as the right-hand man of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin
and assisting the latter in communal activities, such as the founding of schools and the Diskin Orphanage
, and the fight against secularism. He refused to meet with Kaiser Wilhelm
of Germany
who visited the Old City because he believed that the Emperor was a descendant of the nation of Amalek
. Sonnenfeld sent a delegate, a former Dutch
diplomat and writer who had become a baal teshuva
, Dr. Jacob Israël de Haan
, to Jordan
with a peace proposal for King Abdullah
.
Contrary to a number of distorted accounts, he had a warm relationship with and mutual respect for Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
, although the two were vigorous opponents in many areas. Indeed, in 1913 the two traveled together to Northern Israel to try to return lapsed Jews to Torah Judaism
.
, Talmud
, and Shulchan Aruch
. His responsa
are collected in the work Salmas Chaim.
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...
and co-founder of the Edah HaChareidis, Haredi Jewish community in Jerusalem, during the years of the British Mandate of Palestine. He was originally given the name "Chaim", however, the name "Yosef" was added to him while he experienced an illness. Sonnenfeld was born in Verbó, Hungary (today: Vrbové
Vrbové
Vrbové ; ) is a town in the Trnava Region of Slovakia. It has a population of 6,309 as of 2005. The town lies around northwest from Piešťany.- Characteristics :...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
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...
). His father, Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zonnenfeld, died when Chaim was five years old.
He was a student of Rabbi Samuel Benjamin Sofer
Samuel Benjamin Sofer
Avraham Shmuel Binyomin Sofer, , also known by his main work Ksav Sofer , , was one of the leading rabbis of Hungarian Jewry in the second half of the nineteenth century and rosh yeshiva of the famed Pressburg Yeshiva.-Early years:Shmuel Binyomin Sofer was born in Pressburg on March 13, 1815...
(the Ksav Sofer), the son of Rabbi 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...
(the Chasam Sofer). He was also a student of Rabbi Avraham Schag in Kobersdorf
Kobersdorf
Kobersdorf is an Austrian market town in Oberpullendorf, Burgenland.-Geography:Kobersdorf is located in Middle Burgenland and is divided into the districts of Kobersdorf, Lindgraben, and Oberpetersdorf...
(who was himself a disciple of the Chasam Sofer); Sonnenfeld moved from the latter city to Jerusalem in 1873.
He became an important figure in Jerusalem's Old City
Jerusalem's Old City walls
The Old City is a walled area within the modern city of Jerusalem. Until 1860, when the Jewish neighborhood, Mishkenot Sha'ananim, was established, this area constituted the entire city of Jerusalem...
, serving as the right-hand man of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin
Yehoshua Leib Diskin
Yehoshua Yehuda Leib Diskin , also known as the Maharil Diskin, was a leading rabbi, Talmudist and Biblical commentator. He served as a rabbi in Łomża, Mezritch, Kovno, Shklov, Brisk and finally Jerusalem, after moving to Eretz Yisrael in 1878....
and assisting the latter in communal activities, such as the founding of schools and the Diskin Orphanage
Diskin Orphanage
The Diskin Orphanage was an orphanage in the Old City of Jerusalem, establishedin 1881 by Yehoshua Leib Diskin. From the Jewish Quarter, it moved to Street of the Prophets outside the walls of the Old City...
, and the fight against secularism. He refused to meet with Kaiser Wilhelm
Kaiser Wilhelm
Kaiser Wilhelm is a common reference to two German emperors:* Wilhelm I, German Emperor , King of Prussia; became the first Kaiser of a united Germany...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
who visited the Old City because he believed that the Emperor was a descendant of the nation of Amalek
Amalek
The Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. They are considered to be descended from an ancestor Amalek....
. Sonnenfeld sent a delegate, a former Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
diplomat and writer who had become a baal teshuva
Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
, Dr. Jacob Israël de Haan
Jacob Israël de Haan
Jacob Israël de Haan was a Dutch Jewish literary writer and journalist who was assassinated in Jerusalem by the Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah for his anti-Zionist political activities and contacts with Arab leaders. He is believed to be the first victim of Zionist political violence...
, to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
with a peace proposal for King Abdullah
Abdullah I of Jordan
Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, King of Jordan [‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Husayn] عبد الله الأول بن الحسين born in Mecca, Second Saudi State, was the second of three sons of Sherif Hussein bin Ali, Sharif and Emir of Mecca and his first wife Abdiyya bint Abdullah...
.
Contrary to a number of distorted accounts, he had a warm relationship with and mutual respect for Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook was the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine, the founder of the Religious Zionist Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, Jewish thinker, Halachist, Kabbalist and a renowned Torah scholar...
, although the two were vigorous opponents in many areas. Indeed, in 1913 the two traveled together to Northern Israel to try to return lapsed Jews to Torah Judaism
Torah Judaism
Torah Judaism is an English term applied to a number of Orthodox Jewish groups to describe their Judaism as being based on an adherence to the laws of the Torah's mitzvot as expounded in Orthodox Halakha...
.
Works
Sonnenfeld wrote scholarly commentaries on the TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, 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 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...
. His 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...
are collected in the work Salmas Chaim.
External links
- "Guardian of Jerusalem" (Excerpt from Artscroll biography of Rabbi Sonnenfeld)