Ksav Sofer

By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein
From the Targumim Series – Subscribe to the Series

Children of superstars carry a great weight throughout their lives, as it’s challenging enough to live up to the expectations of people who constantly compare them to their eminent parents. It is even harder to exceed those expectations and achieve independent greatness. In this context, the life of R. Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, the Ksav Sofer and eldest son of the Chasam Sofer, serves as an inspiring example.

Born into a family destined for greatness (his mother was the daughter of R. Akiva Eiger), he was recognized as a prodigy from a young age. His father’s clear choice to succeed him, he took on the role at the age of 24. He served as the Rav of Pressburg for over three decades and the Rosh Yeshiva for 400-500 talmidim until his untimely death at age 56.

The times were tumultuous, with the Chasam Sofer maintaining a firm stance against Reform and the milder Neolog movement continually pushing for innovations. The Ksav Sofer had to confront both fronts: battling the Neolog while resisting the kano’im’s efforts to take drastic measures without halachic justification. Effectively, he became a force for both tradition and moderation.

The derashos that serve as the foundation for this series were originally delivered orally to talmidim, providing them with meaningful content to share with their Shabbos hosts. Later, the Ksav Sofer wrote them down, reflecting his father’s creative style. In doing so, he often addressed difficulties overlooked by others in pesukim and maamarei Chazal.