Israel Isserlin

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Rabbi Israel ben Petahiah Isserlin (1390-1460) was a Talmudist, and Halakhist, best known for his Terumat HaDeshen, which served as one source for HaMapah, the component of the Shulkhan Arukh by Moses Isserles.

[edit] Biography

Rabbi Isserlin was born in Regensburg, Germany in 1390. He was forced to flee first to Italy and ultimately to Austria, where he settled in Wiener Neustadt. Among his teachers was Yaakov Moelin (the Maharil). He was Rosh yeshiva there, and his fame attracted many students. His learning emphasised the study of the Rishonim. He is frequently cited by his student, the Mahari Bruna as well as by Moses Isserles. He died in 1460.

[edit] Works

Terumat HaDeshen is written as 354 responsa. Note that Rabbi Isserlin himself actually wrote both the questions and the answers (responsa generally being filled with questions asked by others). The work is named for the practice in the Temple in Jerusalem of removing a part of the previous day's ashes from the furnace - 354 is the numerical value of Deshen. Terumat HaDeshen serves as an important source of the practices of the Ashkenazi Jews. The work was therefore used by Moses Isserles as one basis for HaMapah - the component of the Shulkhan Arukh which specifies divergences between Sephardi and Ashkenazi practice.