HOROWITZ, ABRAHAM BEN SHABBETAI SHEFTEL
- HOROWITZ, ABRAHAM BEN SHABBETAI SHEFTEL
- HOROWITZ, ABRAHAM BEN SHABBETAI SHEFTEL (c. 1550–1615), one
of the most eminent talmudists of his day in Poland, a pupil of
moses isserles . Horowitz resided in Cracow and Lvov, and in 1595
was elected a dayyan for the province of Lvov (see
councils of the lands ). Horowitz, who was a keen student of
maimonides in his youth, took issue in a forcible polemical tract
with Aaron, av bet din of Poznan, who wished to restrict
Jewish instruction to the Talmud alone. Horowitz also argued for the
teaching of secular subjects because of their general importance.
Indicative of Horowitz's aristocratic attitude, in both the spiritual
and social sense, is his view that beliefs and ideas cannot be explained
to "the simple folk living in ignorance… (who) have no need of
knowledge, not apprehending what it is," and that it is unnecessary to
instruct them other than to enjoin them against committing "common
offenses such as fraud, false oaths, calumny and slander." His
rationalistic approach is reflected in the first version of his
commentary to Maimonides' Shemoneh Perakim (1577). When he
grew older, however, Horowitz increasingly turned to mysticism and
practical ethics. In this spirit he wrote a second version of the
commentary (1602) in which the emphasis on rationalistic principles is
reduced, and he states that this is "the principal (version),
superseding the earlier one." To serve as an ethical guide he wrote
Berit Avraham (Cracow, 1602?) which sets out practical
examples of the transgressions enumerated in the Viddui (see also
atonement ). His book Emek Berakhah (ibid.,
1597) is mainly a halakhic exposition of the benedictions for
enjoyments, prayers and prayer ritual. In his ethical will, Yesh
Noḥalin (Amsterdam, 1701), Horowitz formulates his conception of
the spiritual and social attributes of the ideal Jewish leader in
Poland: He should combine religious reverence and respect for the
individual, honor for the family and its status, and responsibility in
his economic and communal obligations with the duty to submit to the
disciplinary requirements of the leadership. The book became highly
popular as an ethical guide. His son was Isaiah horowitz (the
Shelah).
-BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Horodezky, in: Ha-Tekufah, 22 (1924), 290–302; H.H.
Ben-Sasson, Hagut ve-Hanhagah (1959), index; Ph. Bloch, in:
MGWJ, 47 (1903), 153–69.
(Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson)
Encyclopedia Judaica.
1971.
Look at other dictionaries:
HOROWITZ, ISAIAH BEN SHABBETAI SHEFTEL — (1632–1689), rabbi, grandson of isaiah b. abraham horowitz (Shelah). Isaiah Horowitz was born in Frankfurt. He studied there under his father and when his father was appointed rabbi of Posen in 1643, he continued to study at his yeshivah in that… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
HOROWITZ, ABRAHAM BEN ISAIAH — (1671–1744), Polish rabbi. Horowitz, born in Leipnik, Moravia, studied under his father, isaiah b. shabbetai sheftel horowitz . He assisted his father in his activities and accompanied him at the sessions of the Council of the Four Lands.… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
HOROWITZ, JACOB BEN ABRAHAM — (d. 1622), talmudist and kabbalist. Jacob was a brother of isaiah b. abraham horowitz . He studied under Judah Loew b. Bezalel (the Maharal) of Prague. In c. 1590 he lived in Szczebrzeszyn but held no official post there and is sometimes referred … Encyclopedia of Judaism
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