His youth Akiva Eiger was born on 1
Cheshvan 5522 (October 29, 1761). in
Eisenstadt. located in western
Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary (now in
Burgenland, Austria), one of the "
Seven Communities." His brit milah is recorded in the circumcision register of the
mohel Binyamin Wolf Tevin, a leader of the Pressburg community, and it was performed on 9 Cheshvan, not on time. He was the eldest son of Moshe Ginz and Gittel Eiger. His mother, Gittel, whom her brother described as "righteous and learned like a man", was the daughter of Akiva Eiger of
Halberstadt, author of the book
Mishnat DeRabbi Akiva, rabbi of
Zülz and Pressburg, considered one of the great rabbis of
German Jewry and of the
Holy Roman Empire. Eiger of Halberstadt at age 39, and his daughter Gittel chose to name her eldest son after him, Akiva. Akiva Eiger always signed his letters: "Akiva Ginz of AS" (Eisenstadt), like his father, but on official documents, he signed "Yaakov Moshe Eiger," where the name "Yaakov" is an
anagram of "Akiva," and "Moshe" represents his father's name. Later, during his lifetime, the family adopted the mother's surname "Eiger" as it was considered genealogically more prestigious. His father, Moshe Ginz, was the son of Shmuel Schlesinger and Sarah, the daughter of Moshe Broda, and the granddaughter of Avraham Broda, rabbi of
Prague and
Frankfurt. As a child, he was recognized for his quick comprehension and phenomenal memory, and his parents directed him to study
Talmud at a very young age. His name began to spread among scholars in the area when, at just six or seven years old, he solved a difficult Talmudic
sugya that had stumped the greatest minds at the
Breslau yeshiva for a long time without resolution. The question was sent to his father by his uncle,
Rosh Yeshiva Binyamin Wolf Eiger, who later became the rabbi of
Zülz and
Leipnik (Lipnik). The solution proposed by the young Eiger earned him the reputation of a
child prodigy and sparked curiosity. Many sought to meet him and witness his abilities firsthand. At the age of seven, his father sent him to
Mattersdorf to study under the local rabbi, Natan Nata Frankfurter. When he turned 12, he returned to Eisenstadt, where he primarily studied with his father and the city's new rabbi, Asher Lemmel from
Glogau (Głogów) in
Silesia,
Prussia (today in Poland). Over the years, after his uncle (his mother's brother) recognized his level of Torah knowledge, he persuaded his parents to send him for advanced studies at his yeshiva in Breslau. Due to his age, his parents preferred to keep him close to home, so he was briefly sent to the nearby Hungarian city of Mattersdorf, to the local rabbi's yeshiva, where he strengthened his
knowledge and confidence. At age 12 (5533, 1773), he traveled to Breslau and became the close student of his uncle, Wolf Eiger, who even designated him as his successor should he be absent. In this yeshiva, he met
Yeshaya Pick Berlin, who later became the rabbi of Breslau and was known for his glosses on the
Babylonian Talmud printed as additions to the
Masoret HaShas on the pages of
Vilna Shas.
The Lissa period in the 2000s|thumb|250px In the summer of 1781, when he was about 20 years old, he married Glickl, the 18-year-old daughter (born 1763) of the wealthy Yitzchak (Itzik) Margolis of Lissa. The wedding took place in Lissa. According to their prior agreement, Akiva Eiger settled in Lissa. His father-in-law provided him with a large, well-furnished house, including a rich library, and also supported him financially so that he could devote himself to Torah study. During his time in Lissa, he befriended Yehuda Neuburg, the rabbi of Ravicz (
Rawitsch), son-in-law of Meir Posner, author of the "Beit Meir," who later corresponded with Eiger. David Tevel ben Natan Neta of Lissa also included him in his rabbinical court during his stay in the city. In Lissa, Akiva Eiger and Glickl had their first three children: • Avraham (late 1781–1853): Avraham Eiger, Akiva Eiger's eldest son, later married a woman from Ravicz (Rawitsch) near Posen (Poznań) and settled there. He eventually became the rabbi of Rogozin. He spent much time editing and preparing his father's works for print. He died on 1 Kislev 5614 (1853) and was buried in Posen. • Shlomo (1787–1852): Shlomo Eiger, later the rabbi of
Kalisz, who succeeded his father as the rabbi of Posen. • Sheindel (1788–?): She later married Moshe Heinrich Davidson of
Bromberg. While still in Lissa, Akiva Eiger established a
yeshiva in the house provided by his father-in-law, and students began gathering around him, some of whom later became rabbis themselves and maintained correspondence with their teacher. This arrangement continued until the winter of 1789–1790 (5550). In the middle of
Shevat 5550, Akiva Eiger's father died, and he mourned deeply. That summer a fire broke out, destroying most of the Jewish homes in Lissa, including the properties of his father-in-law Itzik Margolis, who was left destitute with his extended family. The yeshiva students dispersed, and Akiva Eiger was forced to move to the nearby city of Ravicz, where he was appointed as a dayan (rabbinical judge). His economic situation in Ravicz worsened daily, and the small Jewish community could not afford the salaries for its religious leaders.
The Markisch-Friedland period Initially, Akiva Eiger was reluctant to accept a rabbinical position, preferring to be a
rosh yeshiva and teach students, relying on a living stipend provided by local Jewish benefactors. However, financial difficulties eventually forced him to take on a rabbinical position. In 1791, after the great fire in Lissa and the ensuing economic crisis, as well as the loss of his father-in-law's fortune, and following a trial period in the city of Ravicz, Akiva Eiger was appointed, through the intervention of his father-in-law and friends, to serve as the rabbi of Markisch-Friedland in
West Prussia, a position he held for 24 years, beginning on 18
Adar I 5551. Immediately upon his arrival in Markisch-Friedland, he established a
yeshiva and began gathering many students, including those from his previous yeshiva in Lissa. As was customary at the time, the local Jewish community funded the rabbi's yeshiva and its students, in addition to his regular salary. The community board's protocol in Markisch-Friedland, detailing the new rabbi's salary terms, dated 8 Adar I 5551 (1791), has been preserved. In this agreement, under the title, his monthly salary is detailed in the local currency (
Reichstaler), including special pay for his sermons on
Shabbat Shuva and
Shabbat HaGadol, Kimcha D'Pischa (Passover flour), Four Cups,
Etrog and
Lulav, free accommodation in the rabbi's residence, notary fees for certifying
marriages and
inheritance agreements. The agreement also specified the occasions on which the rabbi was entitled to be called to the Torah and to read the
Haftarah. Additionally, it stipulated that the rabbi would serve as the
Sandak (godfather) at the first
brit milah (circumcision) conducted each month in the community. The initial salary was modest, and Akiva Eiger, who saw that it was insufficient to support his family, suspected that the community leaders assumed he had savings from the dowry he received from his wealthy father-in-law. However, as he did not have such funds, he approached the community board to request a raise, emphasizing that he only wished to receive the minimum necessary for his subsistence: During the early period of his tenure in Markisch-Friedland, his fourth child, Sharl (Sarah), was born. She was married in her first match to Avraham Moshe Kalischer, the rabbi of Schneidermuhl, the son of Yehuda Leib Kalischer of Lissa, author of the "Yad HaChazakah." His daughter Tzipora, born in Markisch-Friedland, died in her youth. During the Markisch-Friedland period, Akiva Eiger established his first students. His innovations on the Talmud and his annotations on the Mishnah and
Shulchan Aruch were mostly written there. Akiva Eiger began responding to halachic queries from across Europe and became known as one of the greatest halachic respondents of his generation. His responsa from this period are addressed to the rabbis of major communities in Italy, Germany,
Moravia, Poland, and Russia. Even the local authorities entrusted him with decisions concerning Jewish life. In addition to issuing halachic rulings, studying, and spreading Torah, Akiva Eiger was involved in all public needs in his city, especially those of the disadvantaged. He served as a member of the board of directors in all charity organizations in the city and even founded specific charitable organizations for neglected areas until his arrival. At his initiative, the city established the "Holy Society for Wood Distribution," a charitable fund aimed at ensuring a steady supply of firewood to heat the homes of the poor during the harsh winter.
The death of his first wife On 12
Adar I 5556 (1796), two months after they walked their daughter to her
wedding canopy, his first wife, Glickl, died. Akiva Eiger mourned her deeply, as he describes in a letter from that time: He attributed the stomach ailment he suffered from at this time, which stayed with him for the rest of his life, to the grief he felt during this period. To his friends who sought to console him and quickly proposed a new match immediately after the mourning period ended, he responded with a bitter letter revealing the depth of their love: Akiva Eiger saw her not only as a wife and mother to his children but also as his partner in all matters of service to God and Yirat Shamayim (Fear of Heaven), with whom he often consulted: Shortly before his wife's death, Akiva Eiger received an offer to assume the rabbinic position in Leipnik after the previous rabbi, Benjamin Wolf Eiger, Akiva Eiger's uncle and mentor, died, leaving the position vacant. The offer remained open until after his second marriage, but ultimately, it did not materialize. Following his wife's death, Akiva Eiger contemplated resigning from his rabbinical post: This thought did not come to fruition. In 1805 (5565), Akiva Eiger's fourth son was born and named after his uncle and mentor, Benjamin Wolf, the rabbi of Leipnik. Benjamin Wolf Eiger (the second) was a learned Torah scholar and resided in Berlin. In 1806 (5566), his daughter Hadassah was born; she later married Meir Aryeh Leib HaKohen Rosens of
Brody, and after her death (before 1837), he married her younger sister, Beila. In 1807 (5567), his son Feibelman was born but died the following year. Another daughter born to him in Markisch-Friedland was Rodish, wife of Wolf Schiff of Wolnstein (d. 1849). In the summer of 1810 (5570), Akiva Eiger was offered to leave Markisch-Friedland for the rabbinic position of his hometown, Eisenstadt. A rabbinic contract was sent to him, where the community leaders, aware of the salary issues in the poor community Akiva Eiger was serving, offered generous terms, including appointing two individuals to oversee the rabbi's livelihood. Akiva Eiger had already given his consent in principle. However, his friends, the rabbis of the cities Lissa, Berlin, and Rawitsch, prevented him from taking the position, and the appointment did not materialize. In the summer of 1811 (5571), Akiva Eiger's mother died in Eisenstadt. Later that year, a daughter was born to him, named Gitel after his mother. She later married Shmuel Kornfeld. The wedding took place in early winter of 1813 in Eisenstadt. Akiva Eiger's friendship with Sofer began even before they became family through marriage, as they exchanged letters on halachic and communal matters. The age gap between them was less than a year: Akiva Eiger was born in October 1761, while Sofer was born in September 1762. A popular legend highlights the sensitivity of Akiva Eiger towards others’ feelings, portraying his character as compassionate. This story takes place during a meeting between Akiva Eiger and two other Torah giants of his generation: Sofer and
Yaakov Lorberbaum of Lissa, author of "Netivot HaMishpat." The legend, while elevating Akiva Eiger's status as a wonder worker, also shows the near-blind reverence people held for him: During this meeting, the two rabbis visited Akiva Eiger's home. Pleased with their visit, Akiva Eiger invited them to dine with him and assigned one of his yeshiva students to serve the meal. During the meal, the rabbi of Lissa shared a complex discussion involving several Talmudic topics. When he finished, Akiva Eiger asked his son-in-law for his opinion, and Sofer expressed, at length, his view that the rabbi of Lissa's argument was untenable. Sensing that the rabbi of Lissa was displeased with the turn of events, Akiva Eiger, in his sensitivity, asked the student serving as a waiter for his opinion on the dispute between the two rabbis. To everyone's surprise, the student declared that the rabbi of Lissa was correct, outlining the points of disagreement, refuting Sofer's position, and proving the truth of the Lissa rabbi's argument. According to the legend, the Chasam Sofer later remarked that the student's arguments were beyond his Torah knowledge and that it was unlikely he could have followed the discussion while serving the meal. However: Immediately after his wedding, the Chasam Sofer began searching for a rabbinic position for his father-in-law in a major city befitting his stature and standing in the Jewish community. One proposal was for the rabbinate of Trešt (Třešť),
Moravia. For an unknown reason, Akiva Eiger was not chosen for the position, and the community of Trešt decided to appoint Elazar Löw, author of "Shemen Rokeach."
Rabbinic position in Posen (now in Poland) In 1812, Jews of Prussia received formal
emancipation. The process of
secularization that followed the "
Age of Enlightenment" was felt more strongly in smaller towns, and the 51-year-old Akiva Eiger began to question his influence over the local Jewish community, particularly the youth. He started reconsidering the idea of stepping down from the rabbinate altogether and became more open to rabbinic offers from other communities where his Torah abilities could be more effectively used. In the following years, negotiations took place with several cities regarding his tenure.
The offer of the Posen Rabbinate In the month of Adar 5574 (1814), Akiva Eiger was offered the rabbinic position of the large city of
Posen, then under
Prussian control (in German: Posen; in Polish: Poznań; now in Poland, capital of the
Greater Poland region, Wielkopolska). The last rabbi of Posen had died seven years earlier, in 1807, and the community had been without a spiritual leader. Disputes within the community leadership, mainly of a religious nature, had emerged, with liberal and
Haskalah members wanting to appoint a more progressive rabbi. However, they faced opposition from the religious officials and others who did not want to forgo appointing a rabbi of well-known Torah stature, believing such a choice would honor the community. In the winter of 1814, an opportunity arose for the appointment following a coalition of relatively conservative factions within the community. In a meeting held at the home of Yosef Landsberg, the head of the yeshiva in Posen, it was decided to appoint Akiva Eiger of Markisch-Friedland. One opinion suggests that the debate surrounding the appointment of Posen's rabbi was primarily fueled by the political-national tensions in the region. Posen, historically Polish, had been under Prussian control since 1795. Some believed this was temporary and preferred appointing a Polish-born rabbi who could interact effectively with the authorities, while others assumed Prussian rule would persist (as it did) and therefore preferred a German-born rabbi for the same reason. According to this view, Akiva Eiger's appointment was a compromise. Delegates from the community board came to Akiva Eiger's home, but he hesitated and refused to immediately take on a responsible position in a large city like Posen. In his letter to the community board, he requested time to decide and promised to respond either positively or negatively before
Passover. Meanwhile, news of the proposed appointment spread in Posen, causing unrest among some Jews in the city who argued that the appointment of an "old-fashioned" rabbi like Akiva Eiger was unsuitable for a progressive community like Posen's. Twenty-two community members lodged a complaint with the local governor, Zbroni di Sposeti, arguing that Posen needed only a preacher who would focus on ethics and moral rectification. The community board tried to defend itself by claiming that since the election process was legitimate, the rest was a private matter of the Jewish community. However, to no avail; the authorities enforced new elections.
Rabbinic offers from smaller towns due to the political struggle in Posen Even as it became public knowledge that the important and leading community of Posen, the most significant in Western Poland annexed to Prussia (since 1793), had chosen Akiva Eiger as its rabbi, the delay in the appointment led Akiva Eiger to receive offers from smaller communities, such as the community of Wilen. This caused discontent among the local community in Markisch-Friedland, which could have accepted the rabbi's move to a more prestigious position—a common career path for rabbis at that time—but not a move to an equivalent community. At the beginning of the month of
Shevat 5575 (1815), several Jews of Markisch-Friedland approached Akiva Eiger on the matter, and he replied: As the delays continued in Posen and the knowledge that Akiva Eiger had grown tired of his long tenure in Markisch-Friedland spread, the community of Kornik, a small community of about 1,000 Jews in a small town of approximately 3,000 residents, It is possible that the
Kornik community board assumed that Akiva Eiger had become tired of Markisch-Friedland's rabbinate but was not yet ready for a large rabbinate like Posen. The financial conditions offered in the Kornik contract were more generous than those in Posen.
Compromise agreement and acceptance of the Posen Rabbinate In the summer of 1815 (5575), as preparations for new elections for the rabbinate in Jewish Posen were underway, negotiations took place among the conflicting factions within the community. Ultimately, in a meeting attended by all parties and mediated by
Yaakov Lorberbaum of Lissa, who came as an agreed-upon arbitrator, even those who had initially opposed Akiva Eiger's appointment agreed to it. Thus, Akiva Eiger's appointment was delayed until the month of Elul 5575. In the rabbinic contract sent to Akiva Eiger in this month, it was written: In the year 5578 (1818), his son Shmuel was born; he later resided in
Minsk after his marriage. In 5581 (1820 or 1821), his son Simcha Bunim Eiger of Breslau (who died in 5628, 1868) was born. A scholar who spent his last twenty years in
Brezan,
Galicia, his father's book "K'tav Ve'Hotam" was printed from his manuscripts. In 5582 (1822), his daughter Beila was born. After the death of her older sister Hadassah, she married her brother-in-law Meir Aryeh Leib HaCohen Rosenz from Brody. Two years later, in 5584, his son David Eiger of Breslau was born. In 5587 (1827), his daughter Yitta was born (she died in 5641, 1881); she married Shimon Berliner. Other daughters born to him in Posen include: Freida (Freidke) (who died on the first day of Passover 5637), wife of Simcha Ephraim Fishel Gertshtein (Gradstein) of
Lublin, who was also the brother-in-law of Akiva Eiger's grandson Leibele Eiger. And Rivka Rachel (?–5649, 1889), wife of Chaim Shmuel Birnbaum of
Dubno, author of the books "Rachash Levav" and "Maaseh Chashav". Even in Posen, he simultaneously served as the head of the yeshiva while holding the rabbinate. His tenure in Posen lasted approximately 23 years until his death.
His daily schedule During his twenty-three years in Posen, he maintained a strict and fixed daily schedule: he woke up at 4:00 AM, studied
Mishnah until 6:00 am, and then delivered a one-hour lesson to a group of laymen at the synagogue before
the morning prayer, which he allotted an hour for. Between 8:00 and 9:00 am, he ate breakfast at home with his family; his meal always consisted of one cup of coffee without sugar. After breakfast, he studied
Tanakh until 10:00 am, and from 10:00 to 11:00 am, he delivered his daily lesson on Talmudic topics, dedicating the following hour to reviewing what was learned. No time was allocated for lunch, and a bowl of
soup was served to him while he delved into the
Gemara open before him. Between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm, he rested on his bed, armed with a
pencil, while reviewing new books brought to him and annotating the margins. From 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, he sat as a judge in the community's court, and the community board meetings were scheduled during these hours to allow his participation, taking place in the courtroom. After the court proceedings, which usually ended before 4:00 pm, he drank a glass of wine, adhering to the halachic ruling that a judge should not issue rulings after drinking wine. He then visited community members, comforting the sick and consoling mourners, a task that often took a long time due to his commitment to visiting individuals from all societal layers. This practice ceased over the years as his communal duties increased. He found a halachic solution to the obligation of visiting the sick by hiring a special messenger who visited the sick on his behalf and provided detailed reports on their medical conditions. At 4:00 PM, he prayed
Mincha (afternoon prayer), which he set at this relatively early time to maintain a consistent schedule even during the winter, when sunset occurs earlier. He used to pray the afternoon prayer wearing
tefillin. After Mincha, he delivered a halachic lesson from the book "Magen Avraham," until the
Maariv (evening prayer). The hours from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm were dedicated to reading letters sent to him from across the Jewish diaspora in Europe and beyond and responding to them. Afterward, he studied until midnight, then he would go to sleep.
Public activities in Posen and Its vicinity As the rabbi of Posen, Akiva Eiger exercised his rabbinic authority even in non-halachic matters when it was necessary for the public's welfare. In 1831 (5591 and the beginning of 5592), during the outbreak of the
cholera epidemic, Akiva Eiger instituted several regulations that significantly helped prevent the spread of the epidemic and isolated the affected areas: he appointed a committee responsible for overseeing hygiene in public spaces and raising awareness among the residents. He ensured that the committee funded cleaning services for the homes of the poor and distributed proclamations in the name of religion about the obligation to safeguard health by boiling drinking water and maintaining personal cleanliness. To reduce mass gatherings, a significant vector for disease transmission, the rabbi decreed that it was permissible to forgo prayers in a
quorum. As the
High Holy Days approached that year, he decreed that a
lottery be held to determine which community members would pray in the synagogue during the
Rosh Hashanah prayers and which during
Yom Kippur, thus reducing the number of attendees to one-third. He significantly shortened the prayers themselves and scheduled a long break between each prayer. In cooperation with the local police, officers were stationed in the synagogues to monitor order and prevent crowding during entry and exit times. He required all congregants to drink a hot beverage before
morning prayers, despite the custom not to eat or drink before prayer, and canceled the traditional gathering for charity collection on the eve of Yom Kippur. His efforts significantly reduced the number of casualties in Posen during this cholera outbreak, earning him a letter of gratitude from
Frederick William III of Prussia. Akiva Eiger was very active in the Jewish public sphere both in Posen and beyond, involved in numerous cases affecting the lives of Jews in Prussia and Poland. Below are some of the major cases he managed:
The residency permit issue for the rabbi of Lissa In Adar Sheini 5581,
Yaakov Lorberbaum, the rabbi of Lissa and author of "Netivot HaMishpat" and "Chavat Da’at," was forced to leave his city due to his divorce case, which could only be resolved in Galicia. He planned to stay in Galicia for a year and return to his city, but fearing that those within the community who opposed him might take advantage of the situation to replace him, a contract was signed between him and the Jewish community leaders to ensure his return to the rabbinate when the time came. This contract was signed under the intervention of Akiva Eiger, who, despite the severe cold at the time, traveled to Lissa to facilitate it, and it was entrusted to him. For technical reasons, Lorberbaum did not arrange for an official exit permit. Later, a problem arose when his opponents within the community proposed a resolution to reduce his authority and salary, and under these conditions, he decided he was released from his obligation to return to the Lissa rabbinate. Akiva Eiger engaged in extensive correspondence with both parties to try and reach a compromise. The negotiations ceased when, in March 1823, the district head, possibly following a
denunciation, issued an order banning Lorberbaum's return to the city on the grounds that he was a foreign citizen. The fact that he sold his possessions before traveling to Galicia was used against him as evidence that he left the city with no intention of returning. The opposition in the Lissa community to his return, and the appeals under Akiva Eiger's close guidance to the regulator regarding the revocation of citizenship, continued. In June 1825, the representative of the Prussian government in Posen issued a final ruling that Lorberbaum could not be allowed back as he was a foreign citizen. Later appeals on this matter were dismissed outright. Akiva Eiger eventually gave up, and the rabbi of Lissa did not return to his position.
The Jewish hospital named after Latz In 5591 (1831), Akiva Eiger was appointed as the executor of the estate of the Jewish philanthropist Solomon Benjamin Latz, who had died. At the request of Akiva Eiger, the deceased dedicated a large sum of his fortune for the establishment of a study hall and a hospital for the Jewish community in Posen. In the official appointment document, it was stated that two-thirds of the funds would be used for building the hospital and its initial operation, while one-third would be allocated for the construction of the study hall. The philanthropist, fearing corruption, ensured that the community leaders would have no right to intervene in the affairs of the institutions and would not receive any benefit from them. He appointed Akiva Eiger as the sole
trustee of the institutions, stating: Using the estate funds, Akiva Eiger purchased a large
residence, and with an additional
donation from the donor's son-in-law and other funds that he borrowed himself, he inaugurated the hospital under the name "Beit Shlomo" after the benefactor. The hospital wing contained 13 patient rooms, and one hall was dedicated as a study hall for Torah learning and prayer. Additionally, a pleasant garden was maintained in front of the building. Akiva Eiger personally supervised the hospital's management and wrote its operating regulations. The hospital provided medical care to hundreds of patients annually at a reduced cost, and those with limited means received free treatment and hospitalization. Wanting to distance the Jewish community leadership, which he suspected of being influenced by the
Haskalah, Akiva Eiger ensured the institution's funding came from philanthropists rather than the local community funds. This move provoked the community leaders, who appealed to the authorities to enforce a clause in the law stating that all Jewish institutions in the city should be under the governance of the community leadership. The rabbi defended himself by stating that according to Latz's will, the institution, built with his funds, could not be placed under the community leaders’ control, and he invited the authorities to send an inspector to the institution. The inspector's examination revealed that the institution was managed according to regulations and that there was no suspicion of
embezzlement of public funds. The inspector concluded with a recommendation that the authorities reprimand the community leaders for their petty complaint. Later attempts at mediation proposed by the community leaders, which involved signing an agreement to change the institution's regulations after the rabbi's death, were rejected. In practice, the regulations were preserved even after the rabbi's death, and even after "Beit Latz" was repurposed as a
retirement home for the community
The appointment controversy of Baruch Lifshitz to the Rabbinate of Wornik In the summer of 5593 (1833), Akiva Eiger led a principled struggle that had nationwide implications for Poland, Germany, and the
Jewish diaspora in general. The background of the controversy was his long-standing friendship with one of the central figures in the affair, a friendship that continued even after the controversy, despite the harsh exchanges that accompanied it. In the month of
Sivan that year, Yisrael Lifshitz, one of Germany's leading rabbis and author of the popular yet deep commentary on the Mishnah, "Tiferet Yisrael," attempted to appoint his son, Baruch Yitzchak Lifshitz, as rabbi of the town of Wornik (Wronki), despite his being unmarried and young. Akiva Eiger opposed the appointment of unmarried men to rabbinic positions, which involved daily interaction with all segments of the Jewish population, regardless of gender. This case was particularly problematic since the young Rabbi Lifshitz was a native of Wornik and well-known there. Despite his long and positive relationship with the Lifshitz family, Akiva Eiger opposed the idea, fearing it would set a precedent, especially considering the general religious situation in Europe at the time, that could serve reform advocates seeking to appoint talented young individuals who were not yet experts in or experienced with halachic rulings. Akiva Eiger threw his full public weight into the matter. In his letter dated the 3rd of Tammuz (June 20), he addressed Lifshitz senior, who was then the rabbi of Khadzyets, demanding that he cease his
lobbying efforts and withdraw his son's candidacy. In the absence of voluntary compliance by the Lifshitz rabbis, he wrote: Lifshitz's response is lost, but from Akiva Eiger's reply dated the 14th of Tammuz (July 1), it is clear that he reiterated his stance, emphasizing that he would not allow the young Lifshitz to issue halachic rulings in Wornik at all, not even temporarily or on simple matters. Two days earlier, he sent a personal letter to the young Lifshitz, opening it without the rabbinic title "To Mr. the bachelor Baruch, son of the rabbi of Khadzyets", instructing him not to issue rulings in Wornik even on minor issues, emphasizing that conducting wedding ceremonies was also considered issuing a halachic ruling in this context, and was thus forbidden to him. In parallel, he wrote to the town's
shochet instructing him not to bring any
kashrut questions regarding animals or poultry before "the bachelor Baruch Yitzchak" and not to allow him to check the slaughtering knife or examine it under his supervision. In additional letters to the Wornik community board and the rabbis of neighbouring towns, he emphasized that he had no personal interest in the matter, that his sole intention was for the sake of Heaven, and he requested that the regional rabbis join him in a ruling that unless the new rabbi passed an examination before the regional rabbis, himself included, he was not permitted to issue halachic rulings and meat from his community should not be consumed. In later years, Baruch Yitzchak Lifshitz became a preacher in
Hamburg and authored several books. His prominent work is his notes on his father's Mishnah commentary "Tiferet Yisrael," which he signed:
Avi—an acronym for "Amar Baruch Yitzchak" (said Baruch Yitzchak).
His death In 5592 (1832), his daughter, Sarah, wife of the
Chatam Sofer, died at the age of 44. Due to his advanced age and concerns for his health, his son-in-law ensured that Akiva Eiger was not informed of the tragic news. According to
Nathan Michael Gelber, Akiva Eiger was chosen for the
Rabbinate of Vilna in his final year but did not accept the invitation. In
Elul 5597 (1837), Akiva Eiger fell seriously ill. A slight improvement occurred during the
Ten Days of Repentance of 5598, and he appeared for public
Yom Kippur prayers. However, the day after Yom Kippur, he developed a severe
pneumonia, and three days later, on the 13th of
Tishrei 5598, he died in Posen at the age of 76. He left behind fifteen children, several of whom from his second marriage were still unmarried at his death. His last wife had died a year before him, leaving their children orphaned. In his will, he allocated a certain sum for their wedding expenses. Upon the news of his death, the local Jewish leadership declared a "work cessation," a general order to close shops and businesses to pay last respects to such an important figure. The entire Jewish community of Posen attended his funeral, along with members of the city's upper non-Jewish classes, government officials, and the bishop of Posen. According to his
will, Akiva Eiger was eulogized only at the gravesite, rather than at the start of the funeral procession as was customary. The will was publicly released a few days after his death, wherein Akiva Eiger forbade his students from eulogizing him and asked that they study in his merit during the year of mourning and on the anniversary in the following years. The text of the will was published in German in the Jewish press: Akiva Eiger also specified the exact wording he wished to be inscribed on his
gravestone to prevent any honorific titles that did not align with his modesty during his life. The gravestone inscription according to his will: The community members, wanting to honor their rabbi who, in their view, had humbly downplayed his own status, took the liberty of expanding
R' to
Rabbenu (instead of
Reb). The original gravestone of Akiva Eiger in the Jewish cemetery of Posen was destroyed during
World War II, and afterward, a new
marble gravestone was placed at the assumed location of his grave, now situated within a residential street, with the inscription quoting the old gravestone. Despite Akiva Eiger's directive against being eulogized after his death, fearing that future generations might interpret it as neglect or disregard, one of his students published a mournful poem titled "Unique Mourning", explaining that by doing so, his rabbi's words were being observed in letter, if not in spirit. A rhymed passage from the poem's introduction justifies the act of eulogy, reflecting the shock and silence that struck the Jewish world upon Akiva Eiger's death: Additional mourning pamphlets were printed and circulated after his death, including: •
Zechor Tzaddik (Breslau 5598), in
Hebrew and German, by R' Mordechai Levenstam. •
Kol Bochim (Krotchin? 5598), by his student Yisrael Goldschmidt, rabbi of Krotchin. •
Ayen HaMayim (Breslau 5599), the book's title page states: The book contains the sermon of Avraham Dov Pelham from Meziherich. • ''G'zei Yesishim'' (Vilna 5605) by R' Chaim Krinsky. •
Rashfei Keshet (Koenigsberg 5612) by Avraham of Stavisk. On behalf of the community, it was announced at the sealing of the grave that his son, Shlomo Eiger, who until then served as the rabbi of Kalisz, would be his successor as the rabbi of Posen == His views ==