Abraham Klausner. Minhagim.

(CEREMONIES)

Jacob Marcaria

Riva di Trento

1559

Vinograd, Riva 8.

The first book of local religious custom (Minhag). The Jews of Aschkenaz have long been recognized for the particular religious significance they place upon Minhag. Therefore, it is perhaps of little wonder that the first collection of customs emerged from that same community. Abraham Klausner (d. 1408), an Austrian Talmudist, was the mentor of Israel Isserlein (author of the Terumath HaDeshen), Jacob Moellin (the Mahari”l) and Isaac Tyrnau, cementing his influence in the foundation of the spread of Nusach Aschkenaz and Minhag Literature in general. In fact, the latter two students each wrote their own Sepher Minhagim, no doubt inspired by the reverence their master had for the preservation of custom. For more on medieval Aschkenaz and Minhag, see I.M Ta-Shema’s, Minhag Aschkenaz HaKadmon (1992) and H. Soloveitchik’s response in his Collected Essays II (2014) pp. 29-69 and 122-201.