Jelgava / Mitau / Mitava / Litave
Born in Pilten in 5560 (1800).
A student of the Gaon R. Chaim of Volozhin.
He served for a short time as rabbi of Shavlan, and afterward served as rabbi in the cities of Goldingen, Libau, and Pilten, his home city.
In 5619 (1859) he was accepted here as rabbi. He also served as official censor on behalf of the government.
He passed away here shortly after his appointment, on 17 Menachem Av 5620 (5 August 1860), and his resting place is here.
He is mentioned in the Siddur Tefillat Yisrael with the commentary Iyun Tefillah (Warsaw 5655, p. 504): “A letter came to me from the great rabbi etc., our master R. Menachem Mendel, son of our master R.Y.I., the Av Beit Din of the holy congregation of Pilten in Courland” (and there, that he studied at the yeshiva under the Gaon of Volozhin, as above).
Death registration book. Di Geshikhte, p. 139 (where it states he passed away on 19 Menachem Av). Shem HaGedolim HaShlishi (manuscript).
Latvia and Rabbis