Rabbi Meir Katzenellenbogen, Maharam of Padua

Meir ben Isaac Katzenellenbogen (1482 – January 12, 1565) (also, Meir of Padua, Maharam Padua, Hebrew: מאיר בן יצחק קצנלנבויגן) was an 'Italian rabbi born at Katzenellenbogen, Germany.

The name was first used after the family moved to Padua, Italy by Meir ben Isaac, who was generally called after his native town, was the founder of the Katzenellenbogen family. The Katzenellenbogen descended from 12 Jews who settled in Katzenellenbogen in Hesse-Nassau Germany in 1312.

After studying at Prague under the well-known casuist Jacob Pollak, he went to Padua and entered the yeshibah of Judah Minz, whose granddaughter he afterward married.

He succeeded his father-in-law, Abraham Minz, in the chief rabbinate of Padua, which office he held until his death on Jan. 12, 1565 (see his epitaph in Kokbe Yiẓḥaḳ, xv. 14).

Meïr was also nominal rabbi of Venice, where he went several times a year, but he had his fixed residence at Padua. Meïr was considered by his contemporaries a great authority on Talmudic and rabbinical matters, and many rabbis consulted him, among them being Moses Alashkar, Obadiah Sforno, and his relative Moses Isserles (who addressed him as "rabbi of Venice").

It may be seen from his responsa (ninety in number, published by himself, with those of Judah Minz, under the title of She'elot u-Teshubot, Venice, 1553), as well as from those of Isserles, that he was disposed to be liberal in his decisions. Another indication of his leaning toward liberalism was his use in his Responsa (Nos. 38, 49, 72) of the civil names of the months, a thing not done by other rabbis of his time.

Joseph ben Mordechai Gershon says (She'erit Yosef, No. 1) that Meïr, in one of his responsa, told him not to rely at that time on his opinion, because he could not verify his decision by the Talmud, all the copies of which had been burned. This burning is mentioned by David Gans (Ẓemaḥ Dawid, p. 56, Warsaw, 1890) and by Heilprin (Seder haDorot, i. 245, ed. Maskileison) as having occurred in 1553 or 1554 under Pope Julius III, at the instigation of certain baptized Jews.

Meïr states also (Responsa, No. 78) that in Candia the hafṭarah for Yom Kippur Minḥah was, with the exception of the first three verses, read in Greek (comp. Zunz, G. V. p. 413, note).

In Responsum No. 86 he speaks of the plague that raged at Venice, but without indicating the year.

Many of his responsa are to be found in the collection of Moses Isserles. Meïr added to the edition of his responsa his father-in-law's Seder Giṭṭin wa-Ḥaliẓah, and a detailed index.

He edited also Maimonides' Yad, with some commentaries, to which he added notes of his own (Venice, 1550; See Isserles).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meir_ben_Isaac_Katzenellenbogen

Rabbi Meir was born around 1480 (there are several possible dates: 1475, 1480, 1482).

In his youth, Meir and his parents moved to Prague, where they settled.

Here Meir studied under the well known Rabbi and Talmudist Jakob Pollak (1460-1530).

In his twenties he moved to Padua to further his studies, seemingly because R. Polak moved to Krakow in 1506. Padua (Venetian Republic) was the seat of a famous academy of Jewish learning and its Jews were of high social standing, renowned for their learning and wealth.

On his arrival R. Meir entered the Yeshiva of the most prominent Rabbi of his day, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi Minz. While studying under his learned master, he entered the Rabbinate and received his Rabbinical title.

He soon became known as Meir Padua and is acknowledged as the founder of the Katzenellenbogen Family. In the Rabbinical world he was known as MaHaRaM Padua. When his father-in-law died in 1530, R. Meir succeeded him as Chief Rabbi of Padua for over 40 years. He held this post until his death.

R. Meir was the author of 90 Responsa published under the title She'elot Utshuvot (Venice 1553).

[Dr. Neil Rosenstein, THE UNBROKEN CHAIN, 2nd edition]

http://barkai-family.com/Documents/Family%20Tree%201.jpg

- Succeeded his father-in-law as Chief Rabbi of Padua, at age 43.

- President of the First Synod held at Ferrara in 1554 to protect Hebrew books from the Inquisition.

- Also nominal Rabbi of Venice. Author of 90 Responsa published under the title She'eilot U'teshuvot (Venice 1553).

R' Meir Katzenellenbogen known as the MaHaRaM PADUA (B. 1482 Ellenbogen, Germany - D. 1565 Padua, Italy) -

Married Hanna bat R' Abraham ben R' Yehuda Mintz (b. approx. 1485 Padua - d. 1564). They were Married in 1540? (the date of their marriage is noted by several reliable sources, however a descendant has contacted me and questioned its validity.

Since their son Samuel Judah was born prior to that date it does deserve some clarification. Assuming the date is correct, the only answer I can offer at this time is that during those years Jewish people did not necessarily register their marriages with the church or government - the reasons should be quite obvious as they feared any associations and contacts with the church or government due to past experiences of persecution. Rather, the marriages were performed in accordance with Halachic ruling, in the presence of a Rabbi, and under a canopy.

It is certainly understood that all religious Jews and most assuredly rabbinical families lived very observant lives in the tradition of the Torah and Halacha).

They were the parents of R' Samuel Judah Katzenellenbogen.

Source: http://www.maxpages.com/nodabyehuda/maternal%20roots%20of%20Rabbi%2...

Gaon Rabbi - Principal of the Padava Yeshiva - known as His Excellency, The Most Eminent of Padavah, whose fame is recorded in the sepher (book) Kora Hadoroth

Italian rabbi; born at Katzenellenbogen, Germany, about 1482; died at Padua Jan. 12, 1565 (see his epitaph in "Kokbe Yiẓḥaḳ," xv. 14). Meïr ben Isaac, who was generally called after his native town, was the founder of the Katzenellenbogen family. After studying at Prague under the wellknown casuist Jacob Polak, he went to Padua and entered the yeshibah of Judah Minz, whose granddaughter he afterward married. He succeeded his father-in-law, Abraham Minz, in the chief rabbinate of Padua, which office he held until his death. Meïr was also nominal rabbi of Venice, whither, as appears from his Responsa (Nos. 43, 48, etc.), he went several times a year; but he had his fixed residence at Padua. Meïr was considered by his contemporaries a great authority on Talmudic and rabbinical matters, and many rabbis consulted him, among them being Moses Alashkar, Obadiah Sforno, and his relative Moses Isserles (who addressed him as "rabbi of Venice"). It may be seen from his responsa (ninety in number, published by himself, with those of Judah Minz, under the title of "She'elot u-Teshubot," Venice, 1553), as well as from those of Isserles, that he was disposed to be liberal in his decisions. Another indication of his leaning toward liberalism was his use in his Responsa (Nos. 38, 49, 72) of the civil names of the months, a thing not done by other rabbis of his time.

Joseph b. Mordecai Gershon says:

("She'erit Yosef," No. 1) that Meïr, in one of his responsa, told him not to rely at that time on his opinion, because he could not verify his decision by the Talmud, all the copies of which had been burned. This burning is mentioned by David Gans ("Ẓemaḥ Dawid," p. 56, Warsaw, 1890) and by Heilprin ("Seder haDorot," i. 245, ed. Maskileison) as having occurred in 1553 or 1554 under Pope Julius III., at the instigation of certain baptized Jews.

Meïr states also (Responsa, No. 78) that in Candia the hafṭarah for Yom Kippur Minḥah was, with the exception of the first three verses, read in Greek (comp. Zunz, "G. V." p. 413, note).

In Responsum No. 86 he speaks of the plague that raged at Venice, but without indicating the year.

Many of his responsa are to be found in the collection of Moses Isserles. Meïr added to the edition of his responsa his father-in-law's "Seder Giṭṭin wa-Ḥaliẓah," and a detailed index.

He edited also Maimonides' "Yad," with some commentaries, to which he added notes of his own (Venice, 1550; See Isserles

http://chfreedman.blogspot.com.au/2008/07/death-in-venice-seeking.html

https://www.myheritage.com/research?action=query&exactSearch=0&form...

Subject: סדר הדורות אבותיו של מהר"ם מפדואה עד רש"י:

יצחק קנצנלנבוגן* יחיאל לוריא השני עבר מאלזס לבריסק* אהרן לוריא אב"ד היילברון* נתנאל לוריא* יחיאל לוריא אב"ד ערפורט* שמשון לוריא מערפורט נשא את מרים בת שלמה שפירא!!!!!* שלמה שפירא מהיילברון* שמואל שפירא נשא את מרים בת יוחנן טרויש* יוחנן טרויש* מתתיהו טרויש* יוסף טרויש הגדול* יוחנן טרויש גורש מצרפת ה' ס"ו לגרמניה* אברהם (יש המדלגים עליו)* מתיתיהו מחכמי צרפת בן דורו של יחיאל מפריז* יוסף* משה* יחיאל* מתיתיהו* משה מבעלי התוס' ראש משפחת טרויש* יהודה מפריז* יו"ט* ריב"ן נשא את מרים בת רש"י* רש"י*

זה מחקר שנעשה לפני שנים ע"י דודה של אבי שהיתה מומחית גדולה בתחום הגב' ליסי מאיר ע"ה