Responsa of the Hatam Sofer — Guardian of Tradition
שו"ת חתם סופר
Author: Rabbi Moïse Sofer, le Hatam Sofer (1762–1839)
Date: 1830–1841
Preservation: Bibliothèque nationale de Hongrie, collections rabbiniques de Bratislava
deposited on April 16, 2026 · Intersection register · custodian, not owner
❧ Description
The Responsa of the Hatam Sofer constitute the most important legal monument of 19th-century Orthodox Judaism. His famous axiom — "innovation is forbidden by the Torah" — summarizes his position of absolute resistance to emerging liberal Judaism reforms. His Pressburg yeshiva became the model of Orthodox education in Central Europe.
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English
The Responsa of the Hatam Sofer constitute the most important legal monument of 19th-century Orthodox Judaism. His famous axiom — "innovation is forbidden by the Torah" — summarizes his position of absolute resistance to emerging liberal Judaism reforms. His Pressburg yeshiva became the model of Orthodox education in Central Europe.