Avraham Danzig (ben Yehiel Michael, 1748—1820; אברהם דנציג) was a
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
, ''
posek
In Jewish law, a ''Posek'' ( he, פוסק , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the position of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities a ...
'' (legal decisor) and
codifier, best known as the author of the works of
Jewish law called ''
Chayei Adam
Chayei Adam (חיי אדם "The Life of Man") is a work of Jewish law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), dealing with the laws discussed in the Orach Chayim section of the Shulchan Aruch. It is divided into 224 sections - 69 dealing with daily ...
'' and ''Chochmat Adam''. He is sometimes referred to as "the ''Chayei Adam''".
Biography
Danzig was born in
Danzig (Gdańsk),
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
(hence his name), in 1747 or 1748 into a prominent rabbinic family. When he was fourteen, his father sent him to study at the
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
''
yeshivah
A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are stud ...
'', after exacting a promise from him "that he would not mingle with the
Moderns
The organisation now known as the Premier Grand Lodge of England was founded on 24 June 1717 as the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster. Originally concerned with the practice of Freemasonry in London and Westminster, it soon became known as ...
" who were then gradually coming into prominence through the influence of
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn (6 September 1729 – 4 January 1786) was a German-Jewish philosopher and theologian. His writings and ideas on Jews and the Jewish religion and identity were a central element in the development of the ''Haskalah'', or ' ...
.
He studied in Prague for four years under Rabbi
Yechezkel Landau
Yechezkel ben Yehuda HaLevi Landau (8 October 1713 – 29 April 1793) was an influential authority in halakha (Jewish law). He is best known for the work ''Noda Biyhudah'' (נודע ביהודה), by which title he is also known.
Biography
Land ...
and Rabbi Joseph Liebermann. He was then offered a position as rabbi in
Vilna
Vilnius ( , ; see also #Etymology and other names, other names) is the capital and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the munic ...
, but declined, earning his livelihood as a merchant (frequenting the
fairs
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.
Types
Variations of fairs incl ...
of
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
and
Königsberg
Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was name ...
- which are referred to in his writings). Only in his later years, and after having lost almost his entire fortune through the explosion of a
powder-magazine, could he be induced to accept the position of ''
dayan'' in Vilna, where he served until 1812. He died there on September 12, 1820.
Danzig is one of three authorities on whom Rabbi
Shlomo Ganzfried
Shlomo Ganzfried (or ''Salomon ben Joseph Ganzfried''; 1804 in Ungvár – 30 July 1886 in Ungvár) was an Orthodox rabbi and posek best known as the author of the work of Halakha (Jewish law), the ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch'' (Hebrew: קיצ ...
based his rulings in the ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch''.
His descendants include Rabbi Neil Danzig and Rabbi Joseph Meyer Danzig, son of Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Danzig, who was born in Jerusalem and named after his prominent ancestor.
Works
Danzig wrote several important works, but he is especially known for ''
Chayei Adam
Chayei Adam (חיי אדם "The Life of Man") is a work of Jewish law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), dealing with the laws discussed in the Orach Chayim section of the Shulchan Aruch. It is divided into 224 sections - 69 dealing with daily ...
'' and ''Chochmat Adam'', his works of ''
halacha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...
'' covering the laws of the ''
Shulchan Aruch
The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in I ...
'' dealing with
everyday life.
''
Chayei Adam
Chayei Adam (חיי אדם "The Life of Man") is a work of Jewish law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), dealing with the laws discussed in the Orach Chayim section of the Shulchan Aruch. It is divided into 224 sections - 69 dealing with daily ...
'' ( he, חיי אדם, "The Life of Man") deals with the laws discussed in the ''
Orach Chayim
Orach Chayim, (''manner/way of life'') is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of Halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim. This section addresses aspects of Jewish law pertinent to the Hebrew calendar (be it the daily, weekly, monthly, o ...
'' section of the ''Shulchan Aruch''. It is divided into 224 sections - 69 dealing with daily conduct and prayer, and 155 with ''
Shabbat'', and
holidays. In this work, Danzig collected and critically sifted the
Acharonic material, in the field of ''halakha'' written in the more than two and a half centuries since the appearance of the ''Shulchan Aruch''. ''Chayei Adam'' was intended primarily "for the cultured layman", as opposed to rabbinic scholars, and the work is thus presented in a readily accessible form. The parallel work ''Nishmat Adam'', published together with ''Chayei Adam'', discusses the ''halachic'' issues in greater depth. The two are usually printed together. In many cities, societies were formed for the purpose of studying ''Chayei Adam''.
''Chochmat Adam'' ( he, חכמת אדם, "The Wisdom of Man"), similarly, discusses the laws in the ''
Yoreh De'ah
Yoreh De'ah ( he, יורה דעה) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, ...
'' section of the ''Shulchan Aruch'', as well as laws from the ''
Even Ha'ezer
( “The Stone of Help” or “The Rock of the ”) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), ''Arba'ah Turim''. This section treats aspects of Jewish law related to marriage, divorce, and sexual conduct. Later, ...
'' and ''
Choshen Mishpat Choshen Mishpat is the Hebrew for "Breastplate of Judgement". The term is associated with one of the four sections of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim. This section treats aspects of Jewish law pertinent to ...
'' sections pertinent to everyday life. ''Binat Adam'' on this work corresponds to the ''Nishmat Adam'' on ''Chayei Adam''. ''Chochmat Adam'' was written in consultation with two of the greatest Torah scholars of the time -
Chaim Volozhin
Chaim of Volozhin (also known as Chaim ben Yitzchok of Volozhin or Chaim Ickovits; January 21, 1749 – June 14, 1821)Jewish Encyclopedia Bibliography: Fuenn, Keneset Yisrael, pp. 347–349; idem, Kiryah Ne'emanah, pp. 156–158; Le ...
and
Yaakov of Lisa.
The scholarship of these works is evidenced by the fact that Rabbi
Chaim Volozhin
Chaim of Volozhin (also known as Chaim ben Yitzchok of Volozhin or Chaim Ickovits; January 21, 1749 – June 14, 1821)Jewish Encyclopedia Bibliography: Fuenn, Keneset Yisrael, pp. 347–349; idem, Kiryah Ne'emanah, pp. 156–158; Le ...
, known for his opposition to "digests of halacha", granted the work his approbation (on condition that each section be
cross-referenced to the ''Shulchan Aruch'' to allow for further study). Reportedly, the ''
Chatam Sofer'' instructed his son that when unable to refer to the ''Shulchan Aruch'', he could refer to the ''Chochmat Adam'' in
making a halachic decision
Other works by Danzig include:
*''Zichru Torat Moshe'' - an introduction to the laws of ''
Shabbos
Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
''.
*''Kitzur Sefer Charedim'' - an abridgement of the classic ''Sefer Charedim'' by Rabbi
Elazar Ezkari.
*''Toldot Adam'' - a commentary on the
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
''
Haggadah
The Haggadah ( he, הַגָּדָה, "telling"; plural: Haggadot) is a Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover Seder. According to Jewish practice, reading the Haggadah at the Seder table is a fulfillment of the mitzvah to each J ...
''.
Danzig also wrote Tefillah Zakah, a penitential prayer recited by many on the eve of
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day' ...
.
Gunpowder Purim
On November 18, 1804, a gunpowder magazine exploded accidentally in Vilna, killing 31 people and destroying a large amount of property. This explosion occurred at Vilna fort and spread to areas nearby.
Among those who lost his home and his business was Rabbi Avraham Danzig. Yet Rabbi Danzig and his family were spared from death, and so grateful was he for this that he declared the date of the conflagration to be a “Pulverpurim” (Gunpowder Purim) for the Danzig family. According to this custom, the 15th of Kislev is a fast day, with the giving of extra charity.
On the following night, which is the 16th of Kislev, a Meal of Thanksgiving (''Seudas Hodaah'') is eaten.
[
]
References
* (public domain).
*Eliezer C. Abrahamson
Rabbi Avraham Danzig
''Great Jewish Leaders''
''Jewishv Virtual Library''
Avraham ben Yehiel Mikhl Danzig (1748-1820)
bh.org.il
*
Resources
''Chayei Adam'' fulltext
(Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
), daat.ac.il
''Chochmat Adam'' fulltext
(Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
), daat.ac.il
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danzig, Avraham
1748 births
1820 deaths
Haredi rabbis in Europe
Clergy from Gdańsk
People from Royal Prussia
Exponents of Jewish law
Authors of books on Jewish law