Editing Moses Isserles (section)

==Biography==
Isserles was born in [[Kraków]], [[Poland]]. His father, [[Israel ben Josef]] (known as Isserl), was a prominent [[talmud]]ist and independently wealthy,<ref>Mishor 2010, Foreword, p. 15</ref> who had probably headed the community; his grandfather, Jehiel Luria, was the first rabbi of [[Brest, Belarus|Brisk]]. (In an era which preceded the common use of [[surname]]s, Moses became known by his [[patronymic]], Isserles.)

At first he studied at home, and then in [[Lublin]] under Rabbi [[Shalom Shachna]],<ref name="Levin-2008">{{Cite book |last=Levin |first=Leonard |url=https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004164840.i-452 |title=Seeing with Both Eyes: Ephraim Luntshitz and the Polish-Jewish Renaissance |date=2008-06-25 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-16484-0 |pages=21|doi=10.1163/ej.9789004164840.i-452 }}</ref> who would later become his father-in-law. Among his fellow pupils were his relative [[Solomon Luria]] (Maharshal)—later a major disputant of many of Isserles' [[halachic]] rulings,<ref name="mishor15">Mishor 2010, p. 15</ref> and Chayyim b. Bezalel, an older brother of the [[Maharal]]. His first wife died young, at the age of 20 and he later established the "[[Rema Synagogue]]" in Kraków in her memory (originally his house, built by his father in his honor—which he gave to the community). He later married the sister of [[Joseph ben Mordechai Gershon]] Ha-Kohen.

He returned to Kraków in 1549,<ref name="Levin-2008" /> establishing a large ''[[yeshiva]]'' where as a wealthy man, he supported his pupils. In his teaching, he was opposed to [[pilpul]] and emphasized simple interpretation of the [[Talmud]]. In 1553 he was appointed as [[Dayan (rabbinic judge)|dayan]]; he also served on the [[Council of the Four Lands]]. He was approached by many other well-known rabbis, including [[Yosef Karo]], for Halachic decisions. He was one of the greatest Jewish scholars of [[Poland]], and was the primary [[posek|halakhic authority]] for [[Ashkenazi|European Jewry]] of his day. He died in Kraków and was buried next to his synagogue. On his tombstone is inscribed: "From Moses ([[Maimonides]]) to Moses (Isserles) there was none like [[Moses]]". Until the [[Second World War]], thousands of pilgrims visited his grave annually on [[Lag Ba'omer]], his ''[[Yahrzeit]]'' (date of death).
{{Eras of the Halakha}}
Not only was Isserles a renowned Talmudic and [[halakha|legal scholar]], but he was also learned in [[Kabbalah]] and studied [[history]], [[astronomy]], and [[philosophy]]. Many had criticized [[Maimonides|Maimonides']] heavy use of philosophy, and these criticisms continued into Isserles' day. He, on the other hand, took a moderate approach despite being concerned with philosophy entering into education. He stated that philosophy should be learned only "sporadically", and that religious scripture should always be held in a higher esteem.<ref>STERN, E. (2024). PHILOSOPHY AND DISSIMULATION IN ELIJAH OF VILNA’S WRITINGS AND LEGACY. In G. Dynner, S. Heschel, & S. Magid (Eds.), ''New Paths in Jewish and Religious Studies: Essays in Honor of Professor Elliot R. Wolfson'' (pp. 377–400). Purdue University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.15684220.27</ref> Around 1550, he had several correspondences with Rabbi [[Solomon Luria]]. Isserles represented the pro-philosophy aspect of study, while Luria was more critical.<ref>"Seeing with Both Eyes: Ephraim Luntshitz and the Polish-Jewish Renaissance"; Leonard Levin; pg. 24</ref>

Isserles taught that "the aim of man is to search for the cause and the meaning of things."<ref>''Torath ha-Olah'' 3:7</ref> He also held that "it is permissible to now and then study secular wisdom, provided that this excludes works of heresy... and that one [first] knows what is permissible and forbidden, and the [[Halakha|rules]] and the [[Mitzva|mitzvot]]".<ref>Shulkhan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah, 246:4</ref> [[Maharshal]] reproached him for having based some of his decisions on [[Aristotle]]. His reply was that he studied [[Greek philosophy]] only from Maimonides' ''[[Guide for the Perplexed]]'', and then only on [[Shabbat]] and [[Jewish holidays|Yom Tov]] - and furthermore, it is better to occupy oneself with philosophy than to err through [[Kabbalah]].<ref>[[Responsa]] No. 7</ref>

Despite his suggestions about learning philosophy sparingly, Isserles and his students are considered the "first wave" of philosophical learning within Polish Jewry and is deemed the "Isserles School" by Leonard S. Levin.<ref>"Seeing with Both Eyes: Ephraim Luntshitz and the Polish-Jewish Renaissance"; Leonard Levin; pgs. 2, 20-21</ref>

Isserles had several children: "Drezil (named after his maternal grandmother), wife of R. Bunem Meisels. A daughter whose name is unknown to us.... A son, R. Yehuda.... A third daughter... who is totally unknown to us."<ref>Siev 1943, pp. 16–17.</ref> He is buried in the eponymous [[Remuh Cemetery]] in Kraków.