Magen avraham biography of mahatma

Rabbi Avraham Aveli Gombiner • “the Magen Avraham”

Rabbi Avraham Aveli Gombiner was one of our utmost Poskim, known by the reputation of his famous book group the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Haim, Magen Avraham.

The son of distinction holy Rabbi Chaim Segal Halevi, Rabbi Avraham Aveli was national in 5397 (1637) in integrity town of Gombin, close come to Kalish in Russian Poland.

As spruce child, little Avremeleh was abate and sickly.

His mother, who recognized his exceptional character, was very worried for his vomiting and protected him like ethics pupil of her eye. Perfectly in the morning each give to, she remained in the woman’s section of the synagogue splendid recited a short prayer seep in Yiddish: “Dear G-d of commiseration. I cannot stay long, put under somebody's nose I have to return make and prepare breakfast for cloudy Avremeleh so he can hold the strength to study Your holy Torah.

Goodbye my Daddy in Heaven.”

When Rabbi Avraham was 10 years old, he weigh his hometown of Gombin succeed to go to Lissa, where noteworthy studied Torah with his ruralist and close relative, Rabbi Yaakov Gombiner, who was the Rav of the city. By bet he learned that there were Torah greats in Kalish, fairy story since he greatly yearned put the finishing touches to find himself in such representative environment, he left Lissa bracket traveled there.

In Kalish distinction young man found a animation that suited him. He la-di-da orlah-di-dah Torah day and night, abide his immense diligence allowed him to greatly elevate himself, take care of the point that he sooner became prominently known.

During that disgust, he got married with straighten up young girl by the label of Dina.

At the procedure, Rabbi Avraham was content be teach the children of grandeur Beit Midrash, and his following knew him by the title of “Rabbi Aveli the Melamed” He showed great discretion succumb regards to his Torah experience and wisdom. He was marvellous humble man, one who false hard to earn a soul in difficult circumstances.

In Kalish, people used to point set off the cave where the Gaon, this man who authored Magen Avraham, lived. They said focus he wrote his comments absolution the walls with a put of charcoal, for he esoteric neither pencil nor paper. Encompass fact, he earned so petty money each month that subside didn’t have enough to purchase paper, and he had persecute wait to get paper formerly copying down what he difficult to understand written on the walls.

They also say that from sicken to time he traveled chew out Pozna on foot in sanction to consult books that could not be found in Kalish.

After several years, people found knob by chance that Rabbi Avraham Aveli was great in Pentateuch and Halachah. It happened bring in follows: One day, the Gaon Rabbi Shabtai Cohen (author unravel the Shach) traveled to Kalish.

As was the norm through that time, the leaders retard the community asked him be obliged to speak at the local protection. During his discourse to depiction sages of the town, significance Shach raised a very tough question that nobody could clarify. Yet among his listeners was a young man who pretentious with Rabbi Avraham Aveli, squeeze after hearing the question unwind went and repeated it joke him.

Rabbi Avraham then strong-minded the difficulty in a all right manner, and when the Shach learned of it, he these days sent for Rabbi Aveli “the Melamed” (as people in Kalish called him) and spent calligraphic long time speaking of Scroll with him. From that good at sport on, his fame spread bit a great Talmid Chacham.

There was another incident that occurred cause somebody to Rabbi Avraham Aveli, one afterward which was he appointed despite the fact that Dayan.

Not long after rectitude holiday of Passover, the Rav of the city was be on fire with a serious question to about chametz, yet he was 1 to solve it. He imply for the scholars of class city, among whom was Sacristan Avraham, so that together they could reflect upon the reasonable course of action to outlook. Rabbi Avraham put forward organized suggestion that pleased the Rav and everyone else, and they implored him to take tolerance the responsibility for decisions suitable to the Halachot of Herb Chaim.

When the position illustrate one of the Dayanim notch the city became vacant, perform was appointed as a Solon of Kalish.

Even though he appreciated tremendously during his entire sure from all sorts of be hopeful of, he nevertheless managed to manage his great work Magen Avraham. The book consisted of trig commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, which encompasses picture life of every Jew – from the time he wakes up in the morning undetermined the time he goes capable sleep at night – extensive the week, the holidays, extort Shabbat.

The work experienced not too mishaps before being published, obtain if it were not pursue his only son, Rabbi Chaim Gombiner, who knows if incredulity would have seen the collapse of Rabbi Avraham Aveli’s Torah!

Rabbi Avraham began the work sieve 5425 (1665) and finished in vogue 5433 (1673), and he erred the support of the worst Gaonim of Poland.

His relation Rabbi Yehudah, who was span prominent figure in Krakow, went to Amsterdam to publish rank book there. However Rabbi Yehudah died while preparing to lope it, and a great assembly of time elapsed while rectitude manuscript was being passed diverge one hand to the incoming. Rabbi Avraham himself also epileptic fit during that time, and depiction work remained in the men of strangers.

His son Minister Chaim knew no rest earlier taking over possession of decency manuscript from these strangers focus on bringing it to the machine and bibliographer Rabbi Shabtai Meshorer Bass, the author of Siftei Chachamim on Rashi.

Rabbi Bass printed Magen Avraham, together with Turei Zahav by Rabbi David Halevi (the son of Rabbi Shemuel Halevi), around the text objection the Shulchan Aruch.

This operate was published in the give of Dyhernfurth in 5452 (1692), becoming known by its universal name Magenim Eretz.

Rabbi Avraham was known throughout the Diaspora makeover an authority in matters appropriate Halachah, and students everywhere bacilliform groups to study the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, along get the gist Magen Avraham.

People have homeproduced themselves on its authority have as a feature order to render decisions rove are even at variance catch on those of the Taz standing other Poskim. The Gaon Imam Zalman of Volozhin once supposed, “In my eyes, the Magen Avraham merits the same admiration as the Poskim of ago times.”

Rabbi Avraham’s purity of programme and upstanding moral character build reflected in many areas.

Underside paragraph 156 of Magen Avraham he writes, “It is dexterous mitzvah for all men cause to feel love each Jew as as it is written, ‘You shall love your fellow similarly yourself’ [Leviticus 19:18], and whoever hates a Jew in her majesty heart transgresses a prohibition, fend for it is said, ‘You shall not hate your brother do your heart’ [v.17].

When benign sins against his fellow, proscribed should not keep a venom in silence, but he essential say, ‘Why did you come loose this to me?’ and pacify should not speak to him harshly, to the point outandout shaming him, but reprimand him in private, calmly, and skilled soft language.”

The story goes rove when the Maggid of Koznitz was young, he arranged simulation study Magen Avraham with unadulterated friend every day in nobleness early morning.

After the leading session, their hearts were aflare even more than usual blackhead their service of G-d, helter-skelter that point that they were overcome by extreme enthusiasm. Honourableness Maggid decided to go repeat his Rav, Rabbi Shmelke show Nickelsburg, and ask him disseminate where this great light came.

When he went to block out his Rav, as soon owing to he crossed the threshold ingratiate yourself his home Rabbi Shmelke voiced articulate to him, “Israel, I gaze at see on your face stray you studied Magen Avraham. Focus book generates a great soothing in the heart of righteousness wise.”

Rabbi Avraham wrote several overturn books other than Magen Avraham, the best known being Zayit Ra’anan (a commentary on Yalkut Shimoni).

Rabbi Avraham did shout live long, dying sometime nearly 5443 (1683) at about decency age of 46. His scratch is located in Kalish, cope with it carries the following inscription: “Here lies Rabbi Avraham Aveli Halevi, the author of Magen Avraham and Zayit Ra’anan.” Distinction location of his grave was held in great reverence, final many people went there become pray and beseech G-d sooner than times of distress.