Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (), also known by his main work Ksav Sofer or Ketav Sofer ( trans. ''Writ of the Scribe''), (1815–1871), was one of the leading rabbis of Hungarian Jewry in the second half of the nineteenth century and

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...

of the famed Pressburg Yeshiva.

Early years

Shmuel Binyomin Sofer was born in Pressburg (now

Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

) on March 12, 1815. His father, the famed '' Chasam Sofer'', Rabbi of Pressburg, was the leader of Hungarian Jewry and one of the leading Rabbi's of European Jewry. His mother Sara (1790–1832) was the daughter of Rabbi Akiva Eger, Rabbi of Posen, one of the greatest

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

ic scholars of his time. When he was six years old, his family fell ill and among them little ''Shmuel Volf'', as he was called. The doctors had already given up on him. As a segulah they added "Avraham" to his name, but to no avail. They already called the

Chevra Kadisha The term ''chevra kadisha'' () gained its modern sense of "burial society" in the nineteenth century. It is an organization of Jewish men and women who see to it that the bodies of deceased Jews are prepared for burial according to Jewish tra ...

and lit candles as was the custom of the time and they said the last rites. Then the doctors approached his father the ''Chasam Sofer'' and said "We know that you are a Godly and holy man; if with your prayers you cannot help your son; on our part, all hope is lost". After hearing this; the ''Chasam Sofer'' went to a corner where all his manuscripts were; and said a short prayer. At that time the sick child Avraham Shmuel Binyomin in his great weakness started screaming the

Shema ''Shema Yisrael'' (''Shema Israel'' or ''Sh'ma Yisrael''; , “Hear, O Israel”) is a Jewish prayer (known as the Shema) that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. Its first verse encapsulates the monothe ...

, and their prayers were answered; Shmuel Binyomin's condition took a turn for the better. The bewildered doctors said to the ''Chasam Sofer''; now we truly know that you are a Godly man; to which he answered, "I hadn't given up hope, not even for a second." The great pupils of the ''Chasam Sofer'' later testified that the ''Chasam Sofer'' said at the time that "for one Jubilee, I begged him out"; as Shmuel Binyomin lived for another fifty years and died at age fifty six. He first studied under Rabbi Mordechai Ephraim Fishel Sofer (not a relation, as far as is known) and then entered his father's famous

Yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; 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 studied in parallel. The stu ...

; and became one of its outstanding students.

Adulthood

At age eighteen in 1833 he married Chavah Leah Weiss, daughter of Rabbi Yitzchok Weiss of Gorlitz, who was well known for his piety. The latter gave him a large dowry and promised to support him for 15 years. The wedding was held in the town of Kamaren after which the couple settled in Pressburg where Sofer continued his studies and helped his father with the yeshiva. He succeeded his father as rabbi of Pressburg in 1839.

Death and legacy

On December 31, 1871 the ''Ksav Sofer'' died in Bratislava and the mantle as Rabbi of Pressburg passed to his son, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer known as the ''Shevet Sofer''. Another son, Rabbi Shimon Sofer was appointed as Rabbi of Erlau (

Eger Eger ( , ; ; also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Heves County, and the second largest city in Northern Hungary (after Miskolc). A city with county rights, Eger is best known for Castle of Eger, its ...

). Shimon's grandson Rabbi Yochanan Sofer has established numerous Synagogues in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and one in the USA, naming them ''Kehila Kdosha ( trans. ''Holy Congregation'') Ksav Sofer''. A street in the

Givat Shaul Givat Shaul (, lit. (''Saul's Hill''); ) is a neighborhood in West Jerusalem. The neighborhood is located at the western entrance to the city, east of the neighborhood of Har Nof and north of Kiryat Moshe. Givat Shaul stands 820 meters above sea ...

neighborhood in Jerusalem is named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sofer, Samuel Benjamin 1815 births 1871 deaths 19th-century Hungarian rabbis Hungarian Orthodox rabbis Bible commentators Rabbis from Bratislava