He was born in Danzig (now Gdansk, in Poland) and went at age 16 to study in the
Prague yeshiva. He left when he was 18 with a certificate attesting to his great
skill in Talmud. Danzig then settled in Vilna, Lithuania, where he was offered
the situation of salaried rabbi. However, he declined, considering it improper
to receive a salary in such a position and he earned his living as a merchant.
Only in his later years, after he lost almost his entire fortune in the
explosion of a powder magazine did he accept the post of
dayan, remaining
in Vilna until his death, despite his intention of emigrating to the Land of
Israel. He wrote many works but is especially known as the author of Hayyei
Adam, covering all the laws of the Shulhan Arukh dealing with
everyday life. It was meant for the cultured layman rather than the scholar. The
book met with wide success, already in the author's lifetime and in many cities,
societies were formed to study this work. It has appeared in more than a hundred
editions.
Bibliography
DANZIG,
Abraham ben Jehiel Michal. Sefer Haye adam : bo nikbetsu u-va'u be-derekh
ketsarah ... halikhot `olam ...Vekha-`et yo. l. la-rishonah `im Piske Mishnah
berurah : hosafot u-mahalokot she-yesh be-divre ha-Mishnah berurah `al ha-H.a.
be-lashon berurah ve-tsahah le-hakel `al ha-lomdim . 2 v. (84, 981).
Yerushalayim: Mishpahat Katsenelenbogen, 5763 [2003]
DANZIG, Abraham ben Jehiel Michal. Sefer
Sha`are tsedek : Hokhmat adam `im Binat adam : Hilkhot halah u-shevi`it / hibro
Avraham Dantsig. Ve-nilveh elav Sefer Darkhe hokhmah : be'urim, he'arot
ve-he`arot le-Hokhmat adam : uve-sofo hosafot u-milu'im ; Sefer `Ikre ha-dinim :
`al pi ha-Hokhmat adam u-she'ar poskim : `im mekorot ve-he`arot. Pp. 203.
Moshav Tifrah: Betsal'el Shelomoh ha-Levi Gantserski, 761 [2000]
DANZIG, Abraham ben Jehiel Michal. Sefer Bet Avraham.
Pp. 63. [1963 or 4]
Links
Rabbi
Avraham Danzig
The Chayei Adam - Rabbi Avraham Danzig
