Editing Malbim (section)

==Biography==
[[File:Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia e10 569-0.jpg|thumb]]
Malbim was born in [[Volochysk]], [[Volhynia]], to Yehiel Michel Wisser. His father educated him in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and the [[Talmud]]. After being orphaned as a child, Meïr was cared for and educated by his stepfather, Rabbi Leib of Volochysk.

At the age of 13, he went to study in [[Warsaw]] where he became known as "the [[Illui]] from Volhynia." At age fourteen, he married but shortly thereafter divorced.<ref name=EtzLec>{{citation |url=https://torah.etzion.org.il/en/lecture-27-malbim
|title=Lecture#27: Malbim |author=Dr, Avigail Rock |access-date=August 7, 2022}}</ref> The Malbim showed talent from his early childhood, and his works indicate that he had considerable knowledge of secular sciences and history. From 1838 to 1845, he served as rabbi of [[Września|Wreschen]]. In the latter year, he was called to the rabbinate of [[Kępno|Kempen]], where he remained until 1859. He was thereafter also known as ''der Kempener Magid''.

His first major work, published at age 25, was ''Artzas HaChaim—''a commentary on ''[[Orach Chayim|Orach Chaim]]''.<ref name=IyovBook/>

In 1859, Malbim became [[chief rabbi]] of [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]]. He had disagreements with the upper class and educated Jews there; some of them Austrian citizens (called in Romanian ''sudiţi'') led by the noted Dr. [[Iuliu Barasch]]. They wanted to introduce changes in the spirit of modern European life into the life of the local Jewry as was done in some [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] congregations. Malbim defended the traditional style of [[Orthodox Judaism]], which demanded strict adherence to [[Halakha|Jewish law and tradition]]. He rejected almost all suggestions to edit the [[Siddur]], give up beards or other distinctions of exterior appearance, or make other changes in observance.

Malbim opposed the construction of the [[Templul Coral|Choral Temple]] which would be equipped with a choir and organ similar to the [[Leopoldstädter Tempel|Great Synagogue of Leopoldstadt]] in [[Vienna]]. He thought this was too [[Christianity|Christian]] in style. In 1864, the Choral Temple became the main neo-orthodox synagogue in Romania. He also condemned the founding (before he arrived) of the first two elementary schools in Bucharest for Jewish children to offer a general knowledge curriculum. In this period, Romanian officials encouraged such efforts to [[Jewish assimilation|integrate]] the Jews into mainstream Romanian life.

Malbim's insistence on adhering to the [[halakha]], such as daily inspection of butcher's knives,<ref name=EtzLec/> resulted in portions of the religious personnel (e.g., [[Shochet|shochtim]] and [[Dayan (rabbinic judge)|dayan]]im) becoming hostile toward him. Through their frequent complaints, his opponents almost succeeded in having him sent to prison.<ref>{{citation
  |website=OU.org [[Orthodox Union]]
  |url=https://archive.today/20130113055329/http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/leibush.htm
  |title=Great Leaders of our People: Rabbi Meir Leibush, Malbim (1809-1879)
  |quote=leading even to a brief imprisonment on a false accusation.
  |access-date=August 7, 2022}}</ref> Malbim was freed through the intervention of Sir [[Moses Montefiore]] upon the condition that he leave Romania.
[[File:Malbim.jpg|thumb|The Malbim]]

Malbim went to [[Constantinople]] and complained to the [[Turkey|Turkish government]] but obtained no satisfaction. After staying six months in Paris, he went to [[Łęczyca|Lunshitz]], in [[Congress Poland|Russian Poland]], as successor to his deceased father-in-law, Hayyim Auerbach (1866). Shortly afterward, he became rabbi at [[Kherson]] and thence was called to the rabbinate of [[Mogilev]] on the [[Dnieper River|Dnieper]] (1870). There, too, he was a staunch supporter of Judaism and was resented by the richer Jews; they denounced him as a political criminal, and the governor of Moghilev forced him to leave the town.

Malbim went to [[Königsberg]] as chief rabbi of the Polish community, but his conflicts with [[Reform Jews]] continued. Malbim visited [[Vilna]] in 1879, where the community would have appointed him as rabbi, but the governor of [[Vilna]] opposed the election. He did not want to sanction the appointment of a rabbi who had been expelled from Moghilev as a political criminal. Malbim also declined an offer to be chief rabbi of the Orthodox in New York City.<ref>[http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/vayikra/geller.html The Malbim: Leadership and Challenge as Reflected in his Introduction to Vayikra and His Torah Commentary "Hatorah Vehamitzvah"], Study Sheet on the Weekly Torah Portion (No. 124. Parashat Vayikra 5756, 1996), from the Office of the Campus Rabbi of [[Bar-Ilan University]]</ref> In September 1879, Malbim was traveling to [[Kremenchuk]], where he had been called as rabbi, when he fell sick. He died on [[Rosh Hashanah|Rosh HaShanah]] 5640 in [[Kyiv]].