By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

Next week, the 25^th of Shvat, is the Yahrtzeit of one of the Gedolei HaDor of his generation, who, unfortunately, has been almost forgotten.

Rav Meir (Liv) Posner zt”l [1725 – to 25 Beshevat (February 3) 1807], was the author of the very authoritative Sefer Beit Meir and the Rav of the Shotland Kehillah in the city of Danzig, in the Polish area of the Pale of Settlement.

Throughout the Mishna Brurah, the Chofetz Chaim rules like the Beis Meir authoritatively.  He does so in regard to a Pirtzah in a wall in regard to the laws of Eiruvin.  He rules like the Beis Meir against the TaZ and Pri Magadim in the laws of tying knots on Shabbos (BH 317:1), that if it the general custom to tie this particular knot for a long duration – then it does not matter whether or not his intention was only for a short time period.

The great Rav Akiva Eiger zt”l used to write to him asking questions, and he himself gave a Haskama to Rav Yoseph Teumim zt”l, the author of the Pri MaGadim on his Ginas Veredim.

The Beis Meir’s opinion in regard to the definition of “an open doorway” regarding Yichud is that an unlocked door is still Yichud.  It is interesting to note that Rav Pam zt”l once ruled that in regard to Deoraisah Yichud we rule strictly like the Bais Meir, but not regarding Rabbinically forbidden Yichud.

There was a remarkable incident with the Beis Meir that is cited in his grandson’s sefer, “Geza HaYichus.”  Rav Meir Posner wished to marry off an orphaned girl and approached a certain wealthy individual (a gvir) for assistance in this important Mitzvah.  The Gvir responded that he will pay every single expense entirely (dowry, clothing, household items etc.) on condition that the Beis Meir will learn Mishnayos in his merit after his demise.  The Beis Meir agreed.

A few days later, Rav Meir was studying the sugyah of “Shema yamus chaishinan (see Gittin 28b) – perhaps he died – we are not concerned for, perhaps he may die – we are concerned for.”  Quickly, he did not even delay a minue and took out a mishnayos and studied a Perek of Mishnayos as a merit for  the Gvir.  He then did so on the second day and on the third as well.  All this, he did out of a concern that perhaps the Gvir may have died afterward, and the obligations of his promise fell upon him.

And, wonder of wonders, on that third day, a letter arrived from the relatives of the Gvir which informed him that the wealthy individual had passed away and they had found in his papers, the letter from the Beis Meir, where he had obligated himself on behalf of the gvir to study Mishnayos on his behalf.

When the Beis Meir saw that the very day that the Gvir had passed on was when he began learning Mishnayos in his merit he remarked, “I thank Hashem that He did not allow me to violate my promise even for one day on account of any error.”

HELP A YESOMAH GET MARRIED!  RABBI HOFFMAN KNOWS THIS SITUATION AND IT IS A VERY CHASHUVAH TZEDAKAH

https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/yesomah-getting-married

Rav Meir Liv was born in the year 1725 (approximately), to his father, Rav Yehuda Liv zt”l. At the age of thirteen he married his first wife from the Pozen community and was close to his father-in-law’s brother-in-law in Pozen for about seven years, until the passing of his first wife. The nickname “Pozner” was added to his name as was the custom then.

Two years later, Rav Meir married his second wife from the city of Lissa.  He moved there and remained there for the next fourteen years. At age thirty-six, he was appointed the Rav  in Mezrich, where his grandfather, Rav Zvi Hirsch, had also served once as the Rav. He served as the Rav in Mezrich for four years, and then served as the Rav in Königsberg for seventeen years.  In 1782, he was accepted as the Rav in the Shotland community in Gdansk or Danzig.  Rav Meir zt”l lived there for twenty-five years until his passing away in 1807.

Rav Meir had two sons. His eldest son, Yehuda Leib, was born in the year 1755 , and died in his youth, being a day shy of fifteen r”l.

After the death of his eldest son, Rav Meir took his second son, Chaim, out of Yeshiva and taught him Torah himself until he was brought to the level of a “Talmid Chaver” who could discuss with him the depth of Halacha. This is all found in the introduction to the Beis Meir. This son, filled his place after him in the Rabbinate of Danzig, but did not have descendants.

Rav Meir’s daughter, Friedel, married Rav Yehuda Leib Nomberg zt”l, the Rav of Ravitch .

The Beis Meir was printed for the first time in Frankfurt D’Oder in 1787.

The author can be reached at [email protected]