Sholom Mordechai Schwadron

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Rabbi Schwadron
Rabbi Schwadron

Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Schwadron (1835-1911) (Hebrew: שלום בן משה הכהן שוודרן), also known as Shalom Mordechai Hacohen Schwadron, the gaon (sage) of Berezhany, was known as the Maharsham (after the initials of his title and name). He was the foremost halachic authority of his day, and his main work Darkei Teshuva (date?) is a widely studied source of practical Jewish law.

He was born in 1835 in Zolochiv to Rabbi Moshe, a torah scholar, and studied under Rabbi Yoel Ashkenazy. After his marriage he was bequested a wood business and was hesitant to become a Rabbi. However, he did so at the age of 31.

It is known that after each din Torah (case in a rabbinical court), he would explain to the loser the reason he lost until he understood clearly. If the person was unable to understand, he would tell him "You must have a good friend or family member that is a Torah scholar. Send him to me and I will explain it to him so you will feel that you were done justice."[citation needed]

He died in Berezhany in 1911. His grandson, rabbi Sholom Schwadron, was the maggid of Jerusalem, Israel.