the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Bible Encyclopedias
Me�r ben Baruch ha-Levi
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or Rabbi at Vienna from 1360 to 1390; a native of Fulda (Isserlein, "Terumat ha-Deshen," No. 81). His authority was acknowledged not only throughout Germany, but even by the Spanish rabbis (Isaac b. Sheshet, Responsa, No. 278). He acquired great celebrity through his introduction into Germany of the rabbinical system of ordination. Owing to persecutions, the number of competent rabbis had decreased, and persons unqualified were inducted into rabbinates. To prevent this Me�r issued an order to the effect that no Talmudical student should officiate as rabbi unless he had been ordained and had acquired the title of "morenu" (Isaac b. Sheshet, c. Nos. 268-272). At first the order provoked the opposition of many rabbis, who accused Me�r of a desire to rule; but they afterward accepted it. Later Me�r assumed authority over the French rabbis, and sent to France Isaiah b. Abba Mari with authority to appoint rabbis there.
Although Me�r left no work, it appears from Jacob M�lln, who frequently mentions him in his "Minhagim," that he collaborated with his contemporaries Abraham Klausner and Shalom of Neustadt in the compilation of a work on ritual customs. Two "te?innot" for the 10th of Adar and the 23d of Iyyar respectively are ascribed to Me�r.
- Auerbach, Berit Abraham, Preface, p. 6, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1860;
- Gr�tz, Gesch. 3d ed., 8:10 et seq., 36;
- Weiss, Dor, 5:169 et seq.;
- Wolf, Gesch. der Juden in Wien, p. 14, Vienna, 1876.
These files are public domain.
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Me�r ben Baruch ha-Levi'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/m/mea-r-ben-baruch-ha-levi.html. 1901.
