Erlau (Hasidic dynasty)

Rabbi Moshe Sofer

Rabbi Moshe Sofer, (German: Moses Schreiber), (1762–1839) and his teachings are the cornerstone and foundation of the Erlau dynasty, whose leaders were genealogically descended from him.

Moshe Sofer was a descendant of the Yalkut Shimoni and the son-in-law of the famous Talmudist Rabbi Akiva Eger (1761–1837). He was a disciple of the kabbalist, Rabbi Nathan Adler (1741–1800), and of talmudist Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz (circa 1731–1805). A talmudist and posek of his own right, Moshe Sofer became an undisputed halakhic authority and one of the leading Orthodox rabbis in the first half of the nineteenth century.

He established a yeshiva in Pressburg which became the most influential yeshiva in Central Europe. This Yeshiva was considered the largest since the time of the Babylonian Talmud[2] and produced hundreds of future leaders of Orthodox Jewry.[3] He became known by the name of the Sefarim he authored; Chasam Sofer ("Seal of the Scribe" and acronym for Chidushei Toras Moshe Sofer),

Moshe Sofer's students continued his legacy, spreading throughout Europe and the Land of Israel (then Ottoman Palestine) teaching his approach to Torah whilst maintaining an uncompromising opposition to most though not all forms of acculturation, religious reform or any breach in tradition.[4] The yeshiva in Pressburg was the forerunner of many yeshivas, such as Rabbi Moshe Schick's 800-student yeshiva in Khust.

Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Binyamin Sofer

Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (German: Wolf Schreiber), (1815–1871) succeeded his father, Moshe Sofer, as Chief Rabbi of Pressburg and rosh yeshiva.

Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer was the son-in-law of the tzadik, Rabbi Yitzchok Weiss of Görlitz. After his marriage in 1833, he became actively involved in running of the yeshiva. Together with his younger brother, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, he started editing and publishing their father's Torah commentary.

At the age of 25, upon the death of his father in 1839, he was appointed as chief rabbi Of Pressburg and Rosh Yeshiva of the already famous Pressburg Yeshiva. He led the Pressburg community for some 33 years and became renowned as a brilliant Torah commentator and halakhist. His works are known as Ksav Sofer ("Writing of the Scribe"),

Of his 10 children, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer (author of Shevet Sofer), succeeded him as rabbi of Pressburg and rosh yeshiva after his death in 1871. Another son, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, founded a yeshiva in the Hungarian town of Eger (Erlau) continuing the heritage of his father and grandfather.

The yeshiva continued to function in Pressburg until World War II, and was reopened in Jerusalem, Israel by Rabbi Akiva Sofer (the Daas Sofer) in 1950.[5]

Rabbi Shimon Sofer

Rabbi Shimon Sofer (1850–1944) was the progenitor of the Erlau dynasty. He was the son of Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (Ksav Sofer) and grandson of Moses Sofer (the Chasam Sofer).

After spending time in Uman and Kiev, Shimon Sofer spent two years (circa 1873) in Krakow in the company of his uncle, Rabbi Shimon Sofer (1820–1883), author of the Michtav Sofer. From there he returned to his birthplace, Pressburg.

In 1881,[6] he was appointed chief rabbi of Eger (Erlau). There he founded a large yeshiva, naming it Yeshivas Chasam Sofer. This yeshiva which was attended by elite Torah scholars from throughout Hungary, remained true to the philosophy and teachings of the Chasam Sofer and the Ksav Sofer.

Shimon Sofer spent most of his life editing and publishing the works of the Chasam Sofer and Ksav Sofer. The Michtav Sofer encouraged many to turn over handwritten manuscripts of the Chasam Sofer to Shimon Sofer for publishing.[7] He also authored his own sefarim; Musrei Harambam, Shir Maon and Hisorerus Tshuva. Hence he is known to many simply as "the Hisorerus Tshuva".

In all, Shimon Sofer led the Jewish community in Erlau for some 64 years.[8] His official title was av beit din, and he was referred to by his community as Rebbe.

Rabbi Moshe Sofer (1885–1944), author of Yad Sofer ("Hand of the Scribe"), was dayan (rabbinic judge) of the Beth Din in Erlau. As his father aged, he became the active rav and supervised the cheder and yeshiva

Moshe Sofer edited and published the works of the Chasam Sofer, Ksav Sofer[9] and Sofer Mahir (authored by Rabbi Yitzchak Leib Sofer of Drohobych, son of Ksav Sofer)[10] and authored many of his own works on the Torah, most of which were lost during the war.

Remaining today is his responsa on the Shulchan Aruch which he named Yad Sofer (Hand of the Scribe). This responsa was published by his son, Rabbi Yochanan Sofer, who added his own commentary and notations named Itur Sofrim (Ornament of the Scribes). These sefarim were printed in 1949 in Budapest at Gewirtz Brothers Printery.[11]

The Erlau Jewish community was deported to Auschwitz by the Nazis in 1944. On 12 June 1944 (21 Sivan 5704), at the age of 94, Shimon Sofer was murdered by the Nazis together with his son, Moshe Sofer, and many others from the city of Erlau.[12][13][14] Some of Shimon Sofer's other children survived the Holocaust. Moshe Sofer's wife and four daughters were murdered by the Nazis, but he was survived by his sons, Avraham Shmuel Binyamin and Yochanan.

Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin (son of Rabbi Moshe Sofer (II)) was a Torah genius who received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Roller (Be'er Chaim Mordechai) of Piatra Neamţ, Romania.[15] Due to his humility, he refused an offer to head the renewed Yeshivas Chasam Sofer in Pest or to assume the mantle of leadership of the remaining Erlau community, most of which found refuge there. He bequeathed this task to his younger brother, Yochanan.

Thereafter, they returned to Erlau where Yochanan was appointed rabbi and was married. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer took an active role in the re-founding of the community and yeshiva together with his brother Yochanan, supporting this endeavor with personal savings from the business he established. He spent his spare time at the yeshiva engaged in Torah study with the students. He was known as a philanthropist and aided Jewish war refugees. Never married, he died in 1948 and was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Erlau.[16] His legacy remains in his handwritten Torah works, Divrei Sofer, later published by his brother Yochanan and printed by the Institute for Research of the Teachings of the Chasam Sofer (Hebrew: מכון חת"ם סופר).

Rabbi Yochanan Sofer

Rabbi Yochanan Sofer was born to Rabbi Moshe Sofer (Yad Sofer) in Erlau in 1923. He was raised by his father and grandfather, from whom he received his rabbinical education. He also studied at the Verpleleter Yeshiva in Verpelet, Hungary, whose rosh yeshiva was Rabbi Yosef Usher Pollack (1888–1944), (author of Shearis Yosef Usher).[17]

Yochanan Sofer survived Auschwitz and returned to Pest after the war to rebuild the Jewish community and Yeshiva. There he reinstated the Yeshivas Chasam Sofer together with Rabbi Moshe Stern of Debrecen.[18]

In 1947, he re-established the yeshiva in Erlau, with a small group of boys and adolescents (mostly orphans). He married and was appointed rabbi of the fledgling Orthodox Jewish community there.

Yochanan Sofer authored many Torah works. His main work is a commentary on the Talmud entitled Imrei Sofer (Proverbs of the Scribe).[19] He was one of the main leaders of the Ashkenazi Orthodox Jewish community in Israel and is one of five senior members presiding over the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel.[20][21]

He died in 2016.

Though the Erlau dynasty is not historically connected to the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidut, it is categorized as Hasidic. This may be due to its traditional code of dress and many of its members using pronunciation of Hebrew literature and prayer identical to that of the Hasidim.[24] The Rebbe also conducts a tish on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and the community identifies politically with the Hassidic Agudat Yisrael party, rather than the non-Hasidic Degel HaTorah party. Notwithstanding, the nusach of the prayers at the Erlau synagogues are traditionally nusach Ashkenaz, with daily practice and customs preached according to the teachings of the Chasam Sofer.