Abraham Abele Ben Abraham Solomon

Known as Abele Posveller (from Poswol in the government of Kovno); acting rabbi of Wilna; died July 29, 1836. He was considered one of the leading Talmudists of his age. Although he has left no independent literary work, he contributed to the rabbinical compositions of many of his contemporaries. Among these were the novellæ of Ẓebi Hirsch Katzenellenbogen, "Netibot 'Olam" (Wilna, 1822); the responsa of Simon of Slonim, "Minḥah Belulah" (Wilna, 1832); the novellæ of Dob Baer Ḳadisch, "Yehegeh Ḥokmah" (Wilna, 1836); and the responsa of Samuel of Byelostok, "Bigde Yesha'" (Wilna, 1844). Solomon ben Judah Loeb of Wilna pronounced a eulogy on him, which was published under the title "'Emeḳ ha-Bakah" (Vale of Tears), Wilna, 1836. With Akiba Eger and Moses Sofer he exercised a powerful influence on the religious practises of the Russian Jews. He was distinguished as the only conservative rabbi of his time who gave his approbation to a work by I. B. Levinsohn, "Te'udah be-Yisrael," which initiated the Haskalah movement in Russia. His charity and kindness became proverbial at Wilna.

Bibliography:

  * Fuenn, Keneset Yisrael, p. 9, Warsaw, 1886;
  * idem, Ḳiryah Neemanah, pp. 244-246.



L. G.D.