Riga
Born in 5629 (1869) in the town of Ponedel, district of Kovna.
He served as rabbi, dayan, and head of the ritual slaughterers in Riga. He was known in Riga by the name “Mote Ponidiler.”
Torah lessons and Hasidic gatherings were held in his home, and he would repeat Hasidic discourses at the minyan in Bazar Berg.
He perished in the Holocaust.
Torah novellae from him were printed in the collection HaTamim.
In the Reshimot of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, may his merit protect us, booklet 148, he wrote notes for the pamphlet “to R.M. Fandeler,” and it was proven that the reference is to him.1)
In Igrot Kodesh of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Mohariatz),2) writing shortly after his arrival in the United States from Riga, he writes to his brother R. Chaim Yosef about him:
I saw your brother, my friend, the renowned and celebrated Gaon, in Riga, and thank God he is well, except that he is weak in his health, but thank God he studies much and produces novellae in Torah and prints compositions; may God strengthen his health and may he succeed in his study, and he asked me to convey his regards to his honor.
Author of the responsa Ateret Mordechai (Riga, no date, approximately 5698), with the approbation of R. Menachem Mendel Zak, chief rabbi of Riga.
Yahadut Latviya, p. 386. Latvia: Batei Knesset VeRabbanim, p. 263.
Latvia and Rabbis