Moses Fischer (c. 1756c. 1833) was an Austrian rabbi. He was active in the Haskalah movement in Prague.

Moses Fischer
Personal
Bornc. 1756
Diedc. 1833
ReligionJudaism
ChildrenMarcus Fischer [he]
Parent
OccupationRabbi

Biography

edit

Moses Fischer was born in Prague to Meir Fischels [he], a wealthy Talmudic scholar and a descendent of Judah Loew ben Bezalel.[1]

Fischer was active in the Haskalah movement in Prague, and was a member of the Gesellschaft der jungen Hebräer.[2] In addition to Talmud, Fischer studied philosophy and mathematics, and was praised for his proficiency in logic and Hebrew grammar by Moses Mendelssohn, with whom he corresponded. Together with Raphael Joel [Wikidata], Fischer in 1790 signed a petition to allow Jews to serve in the military, prioritizing it over meticulous religious observance.[2]

Fischer later transitioned to Orthodoxy, and served as an unofficial rabbi and mashgiach in Vienna from 1816. In 1827 or 1829,[2] he relocated to Eisenstadt, a nearby town, where he died around 1833.

His son was the historian Marcus Fischer [he].

References

edit

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSinger, Isidore; Kayserling, Meyer (1903). "Fischer, Moses". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 401.

  1. ^ Horowitz, Yehoshua (2007). "Fischels, Meir ben Ephraim". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.
  2. ^ a b c Lamed, Meir (2007). "Fischer". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.