Elazar Fleckeles (August 26, 1754 in
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
– April 27, 1826) was a
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
n
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
and author.
Biography
Fleckeles was a pupil of and
Yechezkel Landau. At the age of twenty-four he became rabbi of
Kojetein, a small town in
Moravia
Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The medieval and early ...
. In 1780 he was appointed
dayan (rabbinic judge) in his native city
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
. Later he accepted the office of rabbi of the
beth midrash
A ''beth midrash'' (, "house of learning"; : ''batei midrash''), also ''beis medrash'' or ''beit midrash'', is a hall dedicated for Torah study, often translated as a "study hall". It is distinct from a synagogue (''beth knesseth''), althoug ...
founded by
Joachim Edler von Popper and Israel Fränkel. Fleckeles was renowned for his scholarship and oratorical gifts, and for his skill in worldly affairs. He twice had audience with Emperor Francis I, and enjoyed a good relationship with the royal censor, Carl Fisher, even printing a ''teshuva'' to Fisher in his responsa.
In a fashion similar to that of his mentor Landau, Fleckeles viewed the threat that
Sabbatianism posed to tradition, in particular to the centrality of Talmud and its study, as emanating from excesses of mysticism. Hence even legitimate
Kabbalah
Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...
and its derived practices, such as prefacing mystical intentional formulae to the recitation of blessings, should, he believed, play no public role. Rather, as in days of yore, such practices should become esoteric observances restricted to a learned elite.
Fleckeles states unequivocally that if one would claim to be the Messiah because of his broad knowledge of the Kabbalah, he would not be believed if his knowledge of the Talmud was deficient.
Fleckeles also denounced
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish religious movements, Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its Jewish ethics, ethical aspects to its ceremo ...
, joining with his Prague colleagues in condemning the
Hamburg Temple
The Hamburg Temple () is a former Reform Judaism, Reform Judaism, Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Hamburg, Germany. The congregation was the first permanent Reform Jewish community and the first to have a Reform prayer rite. It oper ...
reforms in particular.
Works
Fleckeles was a prolific author. Among his works are:
*Olas Chodesh, in four parts, containing sermons, including a criticism of
Moses Mendelssohn's translation of the Pentateuch
*Ahavas David, an address directed against the followers of
Shabsai Tzvi and
Jacob Frank
Jacob Joseph Frank (; Yiddish: יעקבֿ פֿראַנק; ; born Jakub Lejbowicz; 1726 – 10 December 1791) was a Polish-Jewish religious leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of the self-proclaimed messiah Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676) ...
(Prague, 1785-1800)
*Teshuva MeAhava, responsa, in three parts (the responsum concerning
Elazar Hakalir is often quoted by writers on Jewish hymnology) (Prague, 1800–21)
*A funeral sermon on the occasion of the death of
Joachim Edler von Popper, (1795)
*Melekhet ha-Ḳodesh, two funeral sermons and two essays on the holy names of God which occur in the Scriptures
*Nefesh David veNefesh Chayyah, on the death of his parents, ib. 1812;
*Ma'ase de-Rabbi Eliezer, a commentary on the
Haggadah of Passover, ib. (1812)
*Mevasser Tov, two sermons delivered on the occasion of the
victory of the Austrian army at Naples in 1821 (1821)
*Ḥazon la-Mo'ed, a part of his Sefer ha-Doresh (1824)
*Milli de-Avos, a commentary on
Pirkei Avos
*Mille de-Oraisa, sermons
References
External links
Works
''Teshuva MeAhava'' vol. one''Teshuva MeAhava'' vol. two''Teshuva MeAhava'' vol. three'' Maaseh Berabi Elazar''''Olas Chodesh'', vol. one''Olas Chodesh'', vol. two (incomplete)''Olas Chodesh'', vol. three''Ahavas David''''Nefesh Dovid VeNefesh Chaya''''Chazon Lamoed''''Melaches Hakodesh''''Limud HaTorah Beleil Nittel'' (pp. 165-167)
Biographical information
Jewish Encyclopedia: Fleckeles, Eleazar ben DavidYIVO Encyclopedia: Fleckeles, Elazar ben David*Eliezer Brodt
Some New Seforim, Books, R’ Eleazar Fleckeles, R’ Naftali Herz Weisel, Frankism And (Of Course) Censorship, PT. I
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleckeles, Elazar
19th-century Czech rabbis
Czech Orthodox rabbis
Rabbis of Prague
Exponents of Jewish law
1754 births
1826 deaths
Rabbinic judges
18th-century rabbis from Bohemia