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Sofer led the Jewish community in Erlau for some 64 years. Shortly after the Germans [[History of the Jews in Hungary#Occupation and deportation|occupied Hungary]] in May 1944, they placed the Jewish population in [[Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe|ghettos]]. In June, the Germans deported Sofer and his entire community &ndash; some 3,000 Jews<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=29mfAAAAMAAJ&q=shimon+sofer |title=Shema Yisrael: Testimonies of devotion, courage, and self-sacrifice, 1939 &ndash; 1945 |author=Kaliv World Center |publisher=[[Targum Press]] |year=2002 |isbn=1-56871-271-5 |page=319}}</ref> &ndash; to [[Auschwitz concentration camp|Auschwitz]]. They arrived on 21 [[Sivan]] (June 2), and were gassed a few hours later.<ref name="hamodia"/> Sofer was 94 at the time of his death. His son, Rabbi Moshe Sofer, was murdered at the same time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chinuch.org/Sivan.php |title=Gedolim Yahrtzeits |last=Saltiel |first=Manny |publisher=Chinuch.org |year=2011 |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>
Sofer led the Jewish community in Erlau for some 64 years. Shortly after the Germans [[History of the Jews in Hungary#Occupation and deportation|occupied Hungary]] in May 1944, they placed the Jewish population in [[Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe|ghettos]]. In June, the Germans deported Sofer and his entire community &ndash; some 3,000 Jews<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=29mfAAAAMAAJ&q=shimon+sofer |title=Shema Yisrael: Testimonies of devotion, courage, and self-sacrifice, 1939 &ndash; 1945 |author=Kaliv World Center |publisher=[[Targum Press]] |year=2002 |isbn=1-56871-271-5 |page=319}}</ref> &ndash; to [[Auschwitz concentration camp|Auschwitz]]. They arrived on 21 [[Sivan]] (June 2), and were gassed a few hours later.<ref name="hamodia"/> Sofer was 94 at the time of his death. His son, Rabbi Moshe Sofer, was murdered at the same time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chinuch.org/Sivan.php |title=Gedolim Yahrtzeits |last=Saltiel |first=Manny |publisher=Chinuch.org |year=2011 |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>


Sofer authored a book of responsa, ''Hisorerus Teshuva'' (hence he is known as "The Hisorerus Teshuva"), and ''Shir Maon'' on the Torah. He was able to pay for the publication of these works only with the help of his wife, who sold all her jewelry to cover the printing costs. He also edited the works of his father and grandfather and prepared them for publication.<ref name="hamodia"/>
Sofer authored a book of responsa, ''Hisorerus Teshuva'' (hence he is known as "The Hisorerus Teshuva"), and ''Shir Maon'' on the Torah. He also edited the works of his father and grandfather and prepared them for publication.<ref name="hamodia"/>


Sofer's grandson, the late Rabbi Yochanan Sofer, re-founded the Erlau community in Israel in 1953. Rabbi Yochanan printed his grandfather's ''[[Sefer (Hebrew)|sefarim]]'' at the Institute for Research of the Teachings of the Chasam Sofer ({{lang-he|מכון חת"ם סופר}}), which he established. Rabbi Yochanan also presided over the Ohel Shimon-Erlau Yeshiva, named in memory of Rabbi Shimon Sofer.
Sofer's grandson, Yochanan Sofer, re-founded the Erlau community in Israel in 1953. Yochanan printed his grandfather's ''[[Sefer (Hebrew)|sefarim]]'' at the Institute for Research of the Teachings of the Chasam Sofer ({{lang-he|מכון חת"ם סופר}}), which he established and also presided over the Ohel Shimon-Erlau Yeshiva, named in memory of Shimon Sofer.


==Children==
==Children==

Revision as of 02:20, 11 January 2023

Rabbi
Shimon Sofer
TitleRabbi of Erlau
Personal life
Born
Shimon Sofer

1850
Pressburg, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (today Bratislava, Slovakia)
Died12 June 1944 (21 Sivan 5704)
Auschwitz-Birkenau, Nazi Germany
NationalityHungarian
Spouse
  • Esther Fried
  • Glikle Birnbaum
  • Malka Esther Spitzer
Children15
Parent(s)Rabbi Samuel Benjamin Sofer and Chava Leah Weiss
OccupationRabbi, rosh yeshiva
Religious life
ReligionJudaism
DenominationOrthodox Judaism
Jewish leader
SuccessorRabbi Moshe Sofer II

Shimon Sofer (1850 – 2 June 1944)[1] was the rabbi of the Hungarian city of Eger (Erlau) and the progenitor of the Erlauer Hasidic dynasty. His grandson Yochanan Sofer was the Erlauer rebbe in Israel.

Early life and family

Sofer was one of 10 children of Samuel Benjamin Sofer (1815 – 1872), a rabbi known as the Ksav Sofer, who was the son of Moses Sofer (1762 – 1839), known as the Chasam Sofer, the rabbi of Pressburg (present-day Bratislava).

Sofer lived the early part of his life in Kisvárda (Kleinwardein) in Hungary.

In 1870 he married Esther Fried. The couple had a daughter. Esther died after two years of marriage. In 1874 Sofer married his cousin, Glikle Birnbaum. The couple had a son, Akiva, but divorced soon after his birth.[1]

During this period, Sofer lived both in Uman and Kiev.

He then lived in the Polish city of Kraków, where his uncle, also a rabbi named Shimon Sofer (author of Michtav Sofer).[2]

In approximately 1875 Sofer returned to Pressburg and married another cousin, Malka Esther Spitzer, with whom he had 13 children.[1]

In 1881, Sofer became rabbi of the Hungarian city of Eger (Erlau)[1][3] where he founded a large yeshiva. He also fought Neolog Judaism, a Hungarian reform movement.[1]

Later one of his sons, Moses Sofer (author of Yad Sofer) became rabbi and dayan (rabbinical judge) of Erlau.

Death and legacy

Ohel Shimon-Erlau Yeshiva in Katamon, Jerusalem, named after Sofer.

Sofer led the Jewish community in Erlau for some 64 years. Shortly after the Germans occupied Hungary in May 1944, they placed the Jewish population in ghettos. In June, the Germans deported Sofer and his entire community – some 3,000 Jews[4] – to Auschwitz. They arrived on 21 Sivan (June 2), and were gassed a few hours later.[1] Sofer was 94 at the time of his death. His son, Rabbi Moshe Sofer, was murdered at the same time.[5]

Sofer authored a book of responsa, Hisorerus Teshuva (hence he is known as "The Hisorerus Teshuva"), and Shir Maon on the Torah. He also edited the works of his father and grandfather and prepared them for publication.[1]

Sofer's grandson, Yochanan Sofer, re-founded the Erlau community in Israel in 1953. Yochanan printed his grandfather's sefarim at the Institute for Research of the Teachings of the Chasam Sofer (Template:Lang-he), which he established and also presided over the Ohel Shimon-Erlau Yeshiva, named in memory of Shimon Sofer.

Children

Sofer had 15 children from his three wives, including Moshe Sofer.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Shdeour, E. Harav Shimon Sofer of Erlau, Hy"d. Hamodia, 23 June 2011, p. C2.
  2. ^ מוסרי הרמב"ם (in Hebrew) (2nd expanded ed.). ירושלים: מכון להוצאת ספרים וחקר כתבי יד ע"ש החתם סופר ז"ל. 1958. p. 9.
  3. ^ "Bidding Information". Virtual Judaica. 12 August 2008. Archived from [https became://www.virtualjudaica.com/Item/21237/Ketav_Zot_Zikharon the original] on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. ^ Kaliv World Center (2002). Shema Yisrael: Testimonies of devotion, courage, and self-sacrifice, 1939 – 1945. Targum Press. p. 319. ISBN 1-56871-271-5.
  5. ^ Saltiel, Manny (2011). "Gedolim Yahrtzeits". Chinuch.org. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
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