Ashkenazi, Moses David
ASHKENAZI, MOSES DAVID
ASHKENAZI, MOSES DAVID (c. 1780–1856), talmudist and author in Hungary and Ereẓ Israel. Ashkenazi was born in Galicia where his father Asher served as rabbi. From 1803 to 1843 he held the office of rabbi at Tolcsva, Hungary. Thereafter he settled in Ereẓ Israel where he became a rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Safed, a position he held until his death. The following works of his have been published: (1) Toledot Adam, novellae to several talmudic tractates (Jerusalem, 1845); (2) Be'er Sheva, a collection of homiletical discussions of the Pentateuch (1853); (3) his will was printed as an addendum to Shemen Rosh, a responsa collection of his grandson Asher Anschel (1903). A responsum of Ashkenazi appears in the responsa Heshiv Moshe of Moses *Teitelbaum (2 (1866), no. 67). He also corresponded with Moses *Sofer.
bibliography:
M. Sofer, Ḥatam Sofer (1858), Even ha-Ezer (1858), no. 29; Benjacob, Oẓar 65, no. 180; 618, no. 102; Z. Schwartz, Shem ha-Gedolim me-Ereẓ Hagar, 1, pt. 2 (1913), 12b, no. 190; 3 (1915), 8a, no. 9; 39a, no. 5.