Ẓebi Hirsch ben Naphtali Herz Bialeh (Hebrew: צבי הירש בן נפתלי הירץ ביאלה; c. 1670–September 25, 1748), also known as Hirsch Ḥarif (הירש חריף, "the sharp"), was a rabbi and Talmudist.

Ẓebi Hirsch Bialeh
Personal life
Bornc. 1670
Died(1748-09-25)September 25, 1748
Religious life
ReligionJudaism

Biography

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Ẓebi Hirsch Bialeh was born around 1670 in Lemberg, Galicia. He served as rabbi of Biała, and then ran a yeshiva in his hometown.[1] In 1718, he was appointed as chief rabbi of the affluent Jewish community in Halberstadt. Among his many pupils were Elhanan Ashkenazi [he; de], Isaiah Berlin, and Meir Barbi [he].

While Bialeh refused to publish his ḥiddushim,[1] he left behind several manuscripts, which remained in private collections in Halberstadt. His approbations also appear in works authored by his students and colleagues. In his writings and speeches, Bialeh was critical of the prevalent overuse of pilpul.

Bialeh's sons were Solomon Dob Berush, rabbi of Glogau; Naphtali Herz, rabbi of Dubno; Abraham, rabbi of Rawitsch; Samuel, assistant rabbi at Halberstadt; and Simḥah Dessau [he], rabbi at Dessau.

References

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  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainGinzberg, Louis; Berlin, Israel (1902). "Bialeh, Ẓebi Hirsch ben Naphtali Herz". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 138.

  1. ^ a b Horowitz, Yehoshua (2007). "Bialeh, Ẓevi Hirsch ben Naphtali Herz". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.