Editing Avraham Danzig

{{Short description|Rabbi and codifier of Jewish law}}{{More footnotes|date=June 2025}}

'''Avraham ben Yehiel Michael Danzig''' ({{Langx|he|אברהם דנציג}}; 1748–1820) was a [[rabbi]], ''[[posek]]'' (legal decisor) and [[Halakha#Codes of Jewish law|codifier]], best known as the author of the works of [[halakha|Jewish law]] called ''[[Chayei Adam]]'' and ''Chochmat Adam''. He is sometimes referred to as "the ''Chayei Adam''".

==Biography==
Danzig was born in [[Danzig]] (Gdańsk), [[Poland]] (hence his name), in 1747 or 1748 into a prominent rabbinic family. When he was fourteen, his father sent him to study at the [[Prague]] ''[[yeshivah]]'', after exacting a promise from him "that he would not mingle with the [[Haskalah|Moderns]]" who were then gradually coming into prominence through the influence of [[Moses Mendelssohn]].

He studied in Prague for four years under Rabbi [[Yechezkel Landau]] and Rabbi Joseph Liebermann. He was then offered a position as rabbi in [[Vilnius|Vilna]], but declined, earning his livelihood as a merchant (frequenting the [[Leipzig Trade Fair|fairs]] of [[Leipzig]] and [[Königsberg]] -  which are referred to in his writings). Only in his later years, and after having lost almost his entire fortune through the explosion of a [[Ammunition dump|powder-magazine]], could he be induced to accept the position of ''[[Dayan (rabbinic judge)|dayan]]'' in Vilna, where he served until 1812. He died there on September 12, 1820.

Danzig is one of three authorities on whom Rabbi [[Shlomo Ganzfried]] based his rulings in the ''Kitzur Shulchan Aruch''.

His descendants include Rabbi Neil Danzig and Rabbi Joseph Meyer Danzig, son of Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Danzig, who was born in Jerusalem and named after his prominent ancestor.

==Works==
Danzig wrote several important works, but he is especially known for ''[[Chaye adam|Chayei Adam]]'' and ''Chochmat Adam'', his works of ''[[halacha]]'' covering the laws of the ''[[Shulchan Aruch]]'' dealing with [[everyday life]].

'''''[[Chayei Adam]]''''' ({{langx|he|חיי אדם}}, "The Life of Man"<ref>Some{{Who|{{2012}}|date=December 2012}} say that the name ''Chayei Adam'' (life of man) was chosen so no one could write an "abridged life of man" (קיצור חיי אדם). However, this did not prevent a later publisher from printing a "[קיצור מספר חיי אדם]" (abridged [version] of the book ''The Life of Man'') which cirumvented this issue.</ref>) deals with the laws discussed in the ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' section of the ''Shulchan Aruch''. It is divided into 224 sections – 69 dealing with daily conduct and prayer, and 155 with ''[[Shabbat]]'', and [[Jewish holidays|holidays]]. In this work, Danzig collected and critically sifted the [[Acharonim|Acharonic]] material, in the field of ''halakha'' written in the more than two and a half centuries since the appearance of the ''Shulchan Aruch''. ''Chayei Adam'' was intended primarily "for the cultured layman", as opposed to rabbinic scholars, and the work is thus presented in a readily accessible form. The parallel work ''Nishmat Adam'', published together with ''Chayei Adam'', discusses the ''halachic'' issues in greater depth. The two are usually printed together. In many cities, societies were formed for the purpose of studying ''Chayei Adam''.

'''''Chochmat Adam''''' ({{langx|he|חכמת אדם}}, "The Wisdom of Man"), similarly, discusses the laws in the ''[[Yoreh De'ah]]'' section of the ''Shulchan Aruch'', as well as laws from the ''[[Even Ha'ezer]]'' and ''[[Choshen Mishpat]]'' sections pertinent to everyday life. ''Binat Adam'' on this work corresponds to the ''Nishmat Adam'' on ''Chayei Adam''. ''Chochmat Adam'' was written in consultation with two of the greatest Torah scholars of the time - [[Chaim Volozhin]] and [[Yaakov Lorberbaum|Yaakov of Lisa]].

The scholarship of these works is evidenced by the fact that Rabbi [[Chaim Volozhin]], known for his opposition to "digests of halacha", granted the work his approbation (on condition that each section be [[cross-reference]]d to the ''Shulchan Aruch'' to allow for further study). Reportedly, the ''[[Chatam Sofer]]'' instructed his son that when unable to refer to the ''Shulchan Aruch'', he could refer to the ''Chochmat Adam'' in [[posek|making a halachic decision]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071211095201/http://www.judaicapress.com/product_info.php?cPath=23_46&products_id=244] The ''[[Chafetz Chaim]]'' similarly  states in ''[[Yisrael Meir Kagan#Works|Ahavat Chesed]]'', that when one is unable to consult the ''Shulchan Aruch'' as regards the [[Loans and interest in Judaism|Laws of Interest]], one may alternatively rely on ''Chochmat Adam''. These works are one of the three sources for the [[Shlomo Ganzfried#Kitzur Shulchan Aruch|Kitzur Shulchan Aruch]]. The rulings of the ''Chayei Adam'' are often cited in later works, especially the ''[[Mishnah Berurah]]''.</ref>

Other works by Danzig include:
*''Zichru Torat Moshe'' - an introduction to the laws of ''[[Shabbos]]''.
*''Kitzur Sefer Charedim'' - an abridgement of the classic ''[[Sefer Charedim]]'' by Rabbi [[Elazar Ezkari]].
*''Toldot Adam'' - a commentary on the [[Passover]] ''[[Haggadah]]''.

Danzig also wrote '''Tefillah Zakah''', a penitential prayer recited by many on the eve of [[Yom Kippur]].

==Gunpowder Purim==
On November 18, 1804, a gunpowder magazine exploded accidentally in Vilna, killing 31 people and destroying a large amount of property. This explosion occurred at Vilna fort and spread to areas nearby.<ref name=GunpowderPurim.Geller>{{cite web
|url=https://www1.biu.ac.il/indexE.php?id=16530&pt=1&pid=14323&level=0&cPath=43,14206,14211,14323,16530|title=Purim Katan – Communal, Local, National and Familial Celebrations|author=Dr. Yaakov Geller}}</ref>
Among those who lost his home and his business was Rabbi Avraham Danzig. Yet Rabbi Danzig and his family were spared from death, and so grateful was he for this that he declared the date of the conflagration to be a “Pulverpurim” (Gunpowder Purim) for the Danzig family. According to this custom, the 15th of Kislev is a fast day, with the giving of extra charity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishtreats.org/2011/12/gunpowder-purim.html|quote=donate extra tzedakah (charity)|title=Gunpowder Purim|website=Jewish Treats|publisher=NJOP}}</ref> On the following night, which is the 16th of Kislev, a Meal of Thanksgiving (''Seudas Hodaah'') is eaten.<ref name=GunpowderPurim.Geller/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

*{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Jewish Encyclopedia|url=https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4896-danzig-abraham-ben-jehiel |title=Danzig, Abraham Ben Jehiel|author=Louis Ginzberg|date=1906}} (public domain).
*Eliezer C. Abrahamson, [http://members.aol.com/lazera/danzig.html Rabbi Avraham Danzig], ''Great Jewish Leaders''
*[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Danzig.html The Chayei Adam - Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748-1820)], ''Jewishv Virtual Library''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051001134711/http://www.bh.org.il/NAMES/POW/Danzig.asp Avraham ben Yehiel Mikhl Danzig (1748-1820)], bh.org.il
*{{daat enc|id1=60|he-title=דנציג רבי אברהם}}

==Resources==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100108023722/https://www.daat.ac.il/daat/vl/tohen.asp?id=388 ''Chayei Adam'' fulltext] ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]), daat.ac.il
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100106224743/https://www.daat.ac.il/daat/vl/tohen.asp?id=370 ''Chochmat Adam'' fulltext] ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]), daat.ac.il

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Danzig, Avraham}}
[[Category:1748 births]]
[[Category:1820 deaths]]
[[Category:Haredi rabbis in Europe]]
[[Category:Clergy from Gdańsk]]
[[Category:People from Royal Prussia]]
[[Category:Exponents of Jewish law]]
[[Category:Authors of books on Jewish law]]
[[Category:Haredi poskim]]