Abraham ben Saul Broda
Encyclopedia
Abraham ben Saul Broda was a Bohemian
Talmudist (Talmudforscher).
Saul Broda sent his son to Cracow to pursue his Talmudic studies with Rabbi Isaac ben Ze'eb Ḥarif of that city, in order to withdraw him from what he considered the evil influences of Shabbethaism
, at that time spreading throughout Bohemia. After receiving his rabbinical diploma, Broda returned to his native city, but was soon called as rabbi
to Lichtenstadt
/Hroznětín
, and thence to Raudnitz/Roudnice n.L.
. Even then his reputation was so great that Shabbethai Bass
asked for his approbation to a book that Bass had written. Hence, when the office of chief rabbi of Prague
became vacant about 1693, it was offered to Broda, who accepted it, although it was probably not very remunerative in consequence of the great fire of 1689, which impoverished many members of the congregation. This office, from which he had doubtless expected much pleasure, involved him, on the contrary, in many difficulties; for when a difference arose between Broda and Ẓebi Ashkenazi in regard to a ritual question, all the rabbis of Prague
took sides against the former.
It was probably this that induced Broda, who disliked quarrels, to seek another position. He was called to Metz
. The documents available are conflicting as to the date of his entry into office; but the contract of the community of Metz with Broda, dated October 30, 1708, has been discovered by Kaufmann
, from which it is evident that Broda went to Metz in 1709, as claimed by Eliakim Carmoly
, and not in 1703, as Cahen
assumed. Here, as at Raudnitz and Prague, Broda's chief activity consisted in founding and directing a yeshibah; it is said that he had an excellent method of initiating into the style of the Talmud those who had never before pursued such study. His stay at Metz was of short duration; for in 1713 he was called to Frankfort-on-the-Main, where, also, he founded a yeshibah. This had a large attendance, many of his pupils becoming eminent rabbis.
Aside from these works written by him, many of his explanations of different questions are found in the works of other scholars, as in:
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
Talmudist (Talmudforscher).
Saul Broda sent his son to Cracow to pursue his Talmudic studies with Rabbi Isaac ben Ze'eb Ḥarif of that city, in order to withdraw him from what he considered the evil influences of Shabbethaism
Sabbatai Zevi
Sabbatai Zevi, , was a Sephardic Rabbi and kabbalist who claimed to be the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. He was the founder of the Jewish Sabbatean movement...
, at that time spreading throughout Bohemia. After receiving his rabbinical diploma, Broda returned to his native city, but was soon called as rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
to Lichtenstadt
Lichtenstadt
* A German name of Hroznětín* Lichtenstadt is a Jewish pedigree originated from Hroznětín* Rabbi Lichtenstadt , or Lasch, a Bohemian Talmudist* Rabbi Israel Lichtenstadt of Prague* Rabbi Moses Abigdor Lichtenstadt...
/Hroznětín
Hroznetín
Hroznětín is a town in the Karlovy Vary District of the Czech Republic.- People :* Hroznata von Ovenec * Matthias Tretzscher, aka Trötzscher , an organ-maker in Kulmbach...
, and thence to Raudnitz/Roudnice n.L.
Roudnice nad Labem
Roudnice nad Labem is a small town on left bank of the Elbe River . It has about 13 500 inhabitants and covers an area of 16,67 km². The town is situated near the famous hill Říp, which is well known for its legendary connection with Praotec Čech....
. Even then his reputation was so great that Shabbethai Bass
Shabbethai Bass
Shabbethai ben Joseph Bass , born at Kalisz, was the father of Jewish bibliography, and author of the Sifsei Chachamim supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch.-Life:...
asked for his approbation to a book that Bass had written. Hence, when the office of chief rabbi of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
became vacant about 1693, it was offered to Broda, who accepted it, although it was probably not very remunerative in consequence of the great fire of 1689, which impoverished many members of the congregation. This office, from which he had doubtless expected much pleasure, involved him, on the contrary, in many difficulties; for when a difference arose between Broda and Ẓebi Ashkenazi in regard to a ritual question, all the rabbis of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
took sides against the former.
It was probably this that induced Broda, who disliked quarrels, to seek another position. He was called to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. The documents available are conflicting as to the date of his entry into office; but the contract of the community of Metz with Broda, dated October 30, 1708, has been discovered by Kaufmann
Kaufmann
Kaufmann is a surname with many variants such as Kauffmann, Kaufman, and Kauffman. In German, the name means merchant. It is the cognate of the English Chapman . "Kaufmann" may refer to:- Kaufmann :* Aloys P. Kaufmann , Mayor of St...
, from which it is evident that Broda went to Metz in 1709, as claimed by Eliakim Carmoly
Eliakim Carmoly
Eliakim Carmoly was a French-Jewish scholar. He was born at Soultz-Haut-Rhin, then in the French department of Haut-Rhin. His real name was Goschel David Behr ; the name Carmoly, borne by his family in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, was adopted by him when quite young...
, and not in 1703, as Cahen
Cahen
Cahen is a surname that may refer to:* Cahen's constant, an infinite series of unit fractions, with alternating signs, derived from Sylvester's sequence* Cahen-Mellin integral, an integral transform- Family names :...
assumed. Here, as at Raudnitz and Prague, Broda's chief activity consisted in founding and directing a yeshibah; it is said that he had an excellent method of initiating into the style of the Talmud those who had never before pursued such study. His stay at Metz was of short duration; for in 1713 he was called to Frankfort-on-the-Main, where, also, he founded a yeshibah. This had a large attendance, many of his pupils becoming eminent rabbis.
Literary works
Broda's collected works appeared after his death. They include:- Ḥiddushe Geonim (Offenbach, 1723), consisting of scholia to the treatises Baba Ḳamma, Baba Meẓi'a, and SanhedrinSanhedrinThe Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
; - Ḥiddushe Halakot, on Giṭṭin, Wandsbeck, 1731;
- Shema'ta Ḥadta, on Ketubot and Giṭṭin, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1722;
- Eshel Abraham, on PesaḥimPesahimPesahim is the third tractate of Seder Moed of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. It is concerned mainly with the laws of the Jewish holiday Passover as well as the Passover lamb offering...
, Ḥullin, and Baba Batra, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1747; - Toledot Abraham, on Ḳiddushin and Ketubot, Fürth, 1764;
- Halikot 'Olam, the Jewish laws in the German languageGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Budapest;
Aside from these works written by him, many of his explanations of different questions are found in the works of other scholars, as in:
- Nathaniel Weil's Ḳorban Netanel, Carlsruhe, 1755;
- Ẓebi Ashkenazi's Ḥakam Ẓebi, et seq;