Sepher Tanya [compilation of Jewish law and custom as applied by the Jews of Italy]

Akiva Joseph Schlesinger ("Lev Ivri") Copy A longtime resident of Jerusalem, R. Akiva Joseph Schlesinger (1838-1922) was born in Pressburg, Hungary, where his Mohel was R. Moses Schreiber (the Chatham Sofer). Later, Schlesinger studied in the Pressburg Yeshiva of R. Abraham Samuel Benjamin Schreiber (the Kerthav Sopher). Schlesinger's most famous work, "Lev Ivri" is a commentary to the ethical will of Chatham Sopher, calling for unswerving adherence to tradition. Nonetheless, Schlesinger could be innovative within the confines of Jewish law. Thus, he wore the recently-discovered blue thread of techeleth and blew the shofar on the Sabbath in the Old City of Jerusalem. Furthermore, he was instrumental in settling Eretz Israel, specifically the establishment of the new settlement of Petach Tikvah. See M.A.Z. Kinstlicher, He-Chatham Sopher ve-Talmidav (2005), p. 534; N.Z. Friedmann, Otzar Harabanim, 'A-16803