CHAJES, TZVI HIRSCH.

Saul Meyerhoffer

Zolkiew

1840-1845

Mevo HaTalmud [introduction to the Talmud] 1845. ff. (1), 28. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 955]. * Darkei Hora'ah. 1842. ff. (4), 25, 13. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 952]. * Atereth Tzvi. 1841. ff. (1), 4. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 948]. Atereth Tzvi comprises six treatises: Mishpat HaHora'ah ff. 13. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 946]. Tiphereth L'Moshe. ff. 18. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 949]. Darkei Moshe and Tiphereth LeYisrael [against renewed blood libel. ff. 22. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 941]. Igereth Bikoreth. ff. 8. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 939]. Matbe'a HaBerachoth. (ff.12, 9. [Vinograd, Zolkiew 944]

Tzvi Hirsch Chajes (1805-1855), one of the greatest Talmudists of the day, remains something of an enigmatic figure due to his Maskilic ("Enlightened") leanings. In Zolkiew, he interfaced with the Haskalah figure Nachman Krochmal (author Moreh Nevuchei ha-Zeman). For this reason, Chajes was opposed by the Chassidim of Belz in his immediate vicinity. Nonetheless, Chajes was addressed respectfully by his contemporary R. Moses Sofer of Pressburg ("Chatham Sofer"). The two men conducted a scholarly correspondence which appears in this volume. Chajes's research and investigations of the Talmud are a unique mixture of the traditional and modern critical approaches. His glosses to the Talmud appear at the back of all standard editions, (although some anti-Maskilic elements have militated for their removal). See M. Herskovics, Mahara"tz Chajes (1972); EJ, Vol. V, cols. 327-329