Talk:Moses Sofer/Archive 1

Archive 1

Initial Comments

RK, this is truly impressive. I never got around to writing up this article. I've made some additions. Do you know his father's name (his mother's is mentioned). Also: is there any evidence that Sofer opposed Hirsch? JFW | T@lk 17:06, 16 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Sadly, although I just spent three hours at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library (in New York City) today, I didn't quite get to this topic! I actually read a little about him, but didn't have enough time and money to finish photocopying all my research. (I am not a JTS student, so I can't take books out. I can only read them their, take notes, or photocopy.) But I do have some references on him that I want to check out next week. I did manage to learn a lot about the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, and their relationship with the (now-defunct) Synagogue Council of America, and the two different ill-fated attempts to form a joint national Beit Din (One attempt was with the Rabbinical Alliance of America, a small Orthodox group; the other was with the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly.) I photocopied some 60 pages of The Emergence of the English Speaking Orthodox Rabbinate by Rabbi Louis Bernstein, which originally was his Ph.D. thesis (and later published as a book, now sadly out-of-print.) Bernstein single-handedly tracked down hundreds of rare primary sources, including personal letters and archived official documents, and interviewed all the key players in the history of the RCA, as well as some of their Conservative and Orthodox counterparts in other organizations. RK

I managed to trace Sofer's dad's name. I get the impression Sofer's reaction to Hirsch' Horeb is not recorded (it was published 2 years before his death). At any rate, Hirsch only formulated his Torah im Derech Eretz in Emden anyway. JFW | T@lk 01:17, 17 Aug 2004 (UTC)

He's also popularly known as Chasam Sofer. Perhaps a redirect there too? I don't know how to do that. --Yodamace1 21:14, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Done. JFW | T@lk 23:56, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Date of Birth

I changed the year of birth for the Chasam Sofer from 1763 to 1762, because 7 days in Tishrei 5523 is somewhere around September 1762. But due to this change, the Common date of 14 September is probably incorrect too. I found the date 24 September in the Kalischer family tree; maybe that is correct. Either way whoever re-extrapolates the proper date; please take note that in 1762 in Frankfurt, they might have used the Julian Calendar as opposed to the Gregorian Calendar. If anyone knows, please speak up. Itzse 20:30, 26 January 2006 (UTC)