The Maharil was born in Magentza (Mainz), Germany, to Rav Moshe, who bore the family name of Molen. Rav Moshe was Rav in the city, and his son’s first Rebbe. The Maharil also learned under his older brother, Rav Yechezkel. Eventually, wanting to leave home to learn Torah, the Maharil journeyed far and wide and became acquainted many Rabbonim and Geonim.
One of his Rebbe’im was Rav Sholom of Vienna (Austria), under whom many other luminaries of the time also studied. (The Jews of Austria were expelled in 5180-81/1420-21; many were killed or forcibly baptized. The Maharil would refer to Austria as “the land of blood”.)
He married the daughter of Rav Moshe Neimark of Wermana, and learned with his father-in-law as well.
After his father’s petira, the Maharil returned to Magentza, where he took his father’s position as Rav. There he taught many talmidim and served his community well.
The Maharil is known as the father of Ashkenazic minhogim and nusach hatefilla. His teachings serve as a primary source of minhogim cited by the Bais Yosef and the Rem”a, ultimately becoming the halacha followed by Ashkenazi kehillos.
The Maharil was very particular about not varying from the accepted minhogim. He writes in Hilchos Yom Kippur that adding pieces to tefillos, and making changes, can cause dire consequences l’ma’ala(in Heaven).
As Rav, the Maharil received a stipend from the city, which he chose to donate to his talmidim. He supported his family through engaging in shadchonus.
One summer day, about thirty years before his petira, the Maharil was found in his study totally paralyzed. The many doctors called to the scene could find no cure. The entire population was aghast; they could not accept their Rav’s immense suffering! So that their Rav would merit a refua sheleima, the kehilla accepted upon itself to fast every Monday and Thursday through the summer, until the Yomim Noro’im.
Their heartfelt tefillos and fasting were accepted sooner than expected, and, in Tammuz and Av, the Rav recovered and was back in the Bais Medrash. Overcome with gratitude to Hashem, the community completed their pledged fast. The Maharil was deeply grateful for their efforts.
The Maharil was extremely humble. When he walked into the Bais Medrash, he would carry a Chumash, so that when people stood up they would be honoring the Torah that he was holding rather than himself.
Like his Rebbe, Rav Shaul of Vienna before him, he was crowned with the title Moreinu. Blessed with a good voice, he served as a ba’al tefilla, and some of our traditional niggunim are attributed to him.
www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-21-elulseptember-16/
