Kalischer, Judah Leib ben Moses

KALISCHER, JUDAH LEIB BEN MOSES (d. 1822), av betdin in Lissa. The head of the yeshivah of Lissa for many years, Kalischer was referred to as "the sharp sword" on account of his profound acumen in the study of the Talmud. He was the author of Ha-Yad ha-Ḥazakah (Breslau, 1820), novellae and casuistic discussions on 27 sections in talmudic law dealing with *ḥazakah ("presumption"). In the work he stresses that "I have come to understand and learn, but not to give decisions." His glosses to the Talmud have remained in manuscript. Kalischer was on friendly terms with Akiva *Eger. Kalischer had five sons, of whom one, ABRAHAM MOSES (d. 1812), was a sonin-law of Akiva Eger and served as rabbi of Schneidemuehl, dying there at an early age. One of his novellae is quoted at the end of the Ha-Yad ha-Ḥazakah.

Sources: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2007 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.