Meir Arik
Rabbi Meir Arik (1855–1926) is a famous Galician Torah scholar.
Arik was so highly respected by the leading Rabbis of his generation, that following the death of Rabbi Schwadron, the Belzer Rav directed all halachik questions to Rabbi Arik in his place. He was the posek of the Galician town Buchach (in present-day Ukraine. However, during World War I, Arik fled to the Austrian city of Vienna. Upon his return to Galicia after the war, Arik assumed the post of Chief Rabbi of Tarnów. In addition to his insights on various tractates of both the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud and his halachic responsa, he also arranged and published a volume with the title of 'Chidushei HaraMaL' (Kolomye 1890).
Legacy
Arik's students include Rabbi Reuvein Margolies and Rabbi Meir Shapiro who were acknowledged leaders of their generation, as well as his nephews, the late Klausenberger Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Wilner and Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Arik.
Arik's opinions are cited extensively by his contemporaries, as well as later halachic authorities including the Chelkas Yaakov,[1] Kinyan Torah beHalacha,[2] and Mar'eh Yechezkel.[3] Some consider the reluctance of other great halachic decisors to rule against his opinions a sign of unique reverence.
Written works
Arik wrote the following works:
- Tal Torah (טל תורה) on the Babylonian Talmud and Jerusalem Talmud
- Minchas Kena'ois (מנחת קנאות) on Tractate Sotah
- Minchas Pittim (מנחת פיתים) on Shulchan Aruch
- Imrei Yosher (Munkacs 5673) - brilliant legal response covering a wide range of contemporary issues
References
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