Grave

Shalom Shachna of Lublin

Rabbi Shalom ben Yoski Shachna – the teacher of the Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) – was born in 1495 in Lublin, into the wealthy family of Yoski Shachna, who was the personal banker of the Polish King Sigismund Yahrzeit - 1 Kislev Resting place - Lublin, Poland He received his education in Prague, after which he returned to Lublin, where he served as rabbi until his death. Rabbi Shalom Shachna was a student of Jacob Pollak, the founder of the method of Talmud study known as Pilpul. In 1515, Shachna founded a yeshiva in Lublin, which at that time was the third-largest Jewish community in Poland. Shachna became renowned as a teacher, and students from all over Europe came to Lublin to study. The yeshiva became a center for the study of Talmud and Kabbalah. In 1567, the yeshiva received the title of rector and equal rights with Polish universities by permission of the King – this led some to call Lublin the "Jewish Oxford." Shachna was succeeded as head of the Lublin Yeshiva by Solomon Luria (the Maharshal). His most famous student was Rabbi Moshe Isserles – the Rema, who would become a rabbi and Talmudist in Kazimierz, Krakow. The Lublin Beit Din, headed by Shalom Shachna, also held significant authority - under his leadership, sessions of the Council of Four Lands were held in the city on several occasions. In 1541, King Sigismund I appointed Shalom Shachna and M. Fishel as "general seniors" of the Jews of Lesser Poland, effectively making them heads of Jewish autonomy; they were exempted from taxes and received almost unlimited administrative and judicial power, including the right to pronounce death sentences. This caused widespread discontent among the Jewish community and led to conflict between Shalom Shachna and a number of communities: in particular, local Jews prevented his attempt to settle in Kazimierz. Rabbi Shalom Shachna forbade the publication of his works, explaining that a halachic authority must take into account the particularities and needs of his time, and therefore no ruling can be considered final. The nature of Shalom Shachna's halachic work can only be judged from the recollections of his son Israel and his most famous students — Moshe ben Israel Isserles, Chaim ben Betzalel, and Binyamin Aharon Solnik. Some of Shalom Shachna's responsa have survived. Shalom Shachna died in 1558 and was buried in the old cemetery in Lublin. The tombstone at Shalom Shachna's grave has survived to this day. After Shalom Shachna's death, Solomon Luria became the head of the Lublin Yeshiva. May the merit of the tzadik protect our people!