Shabbatai HaKohen

Sabbatai ben Meir ha - Kohen (* 1621 in Amstibovo, Lithuania (Polish Mścibów, white russ Mstibava ( Мсьцібава ) today in Belarus ); † February 20, 1662 in Holešov in Moravia), often known by the acronym CHESS, after his first work Sifte ha - Kohen called, was a Jewish scholar and Talmudist Dezisor.

Life

Sabbatai ha - Kohen was born into a Lithuanian family of scholars, both his father and his grandfather were rabbis. Sabbatai was initially taught by his father, and later studied at the yeshivas in Tykocin, Krakow and Lublin. At the age of 24, he published his most important work in Krakow, Sifte ha - Kohen, coinciding with Ture Sahaw, the main work of his opponent David ben Samuel ha -Levi. Sabbatai returned to Vilna, married the daughter of the wealthy Samson Wolf, a grandson of Moses Isserles, who supported him financially. 1650 he was appointed as a judge in the rabbinical court of Moses Lima.

1655, when the Swedish troops invaded during the Second Northern War in Vilnius, Sabbatai fled to Lublin, and shortly afterwards to Prague and then to Moravia. He was eventually appointed as a rabbi by Holešov, where he worked until his death.

The local dating back to the 16th century, developed in the 17th and 18th century synagogue is named after him. It is now a museum. Sabbatai's grave in the Jewish cemetery of Holešov is frequented by visitors from all over the world.

Works

Sabbatai wrote several halachic writings and was also involved in the Kabbalah. His Talmud comments are still an important part of Talmud study. His most famous work is Sifte ha - Kohen ( "Lips of the Priest" ), a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch. He has also written a representation of the Cossack Khmelnytsky Uprising under.