הרב יעקב לורברבוים

Rav Yaakov Lorberbaum of Lissa (c. 5530/1770–25 Iyar 5592/1832), known to all learners as the Netivot after his Netivot HaMishpat and as the author of the Chavat Daat, and in English sources as Jacob Lorberbaum of Lissa, was among the greatest poskim of his generation. A great-grandson of the Chacham Tzvi, he was orphaned of his father, Rav Yaakov Moshe, around the time of his birth — hence father and son carry one name — and grew up in the home of his relative Rav Yosef Teomim, av beit din of Burshtyn, learning afterward under Rav Meshulam Igra. He served first as rav in Monastyrysk and from 5551/1791 in Kalush in eastern Galicia, where many of his sefarim were written. In 5569/1809 he was called to the rabbanut of Lissa, and in his years there the yeshiva of the city grew by hundreds of talmidim, among them Rav Eliyahu Gutmacher and Rav Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer. Together with Rav Akiva Eiger and the Chatam Sofer, to whom he was bound in warm friendship, he stood without compromise against the Reform. He left Lissa in 5581/1821, returned to Kalush and later Lvov, and from 5588/1828 served as rav of Stryi, where he was niftar on 25 Iyar 5592/1832.

The Chavat Daat on Yoreh De’ah (5559/1799) and the Netivot HaMishpat on Choshen Mishpat (5569/1809) became yesod-sefarim of halachah. In the Netivot he differs many times with the Ketzot HaChoshen; Rav Aryeh Leib Heller answered him in his kuntres Meshovev Netivot, and Rav Yaakov replied in turn in a new edition, called after his petirah Yair Nativ — and the give-and-take of the two giants became part of how Choshen Mishpat is learned to this day.

His seforim include Mekor Chaim on hilchot Pesach, notes on the Turei Zahav (Taz) and the Magen Avraham; Torat Gittin; Beit Yaakov on masechet Ketubot and Even HaEzer; Kehillat Yaakov; Derech HaChaim, a compendium of daily halachah printed in many siddurim; Maaseh Nissim on the Haggadah; commentaries on the five megillot; and Nachalat Yaakov, printed after his petirah with his tzavaah, in which he asked his sons to learn at least a daf of gemara every day.

His standing among the poskim was such that the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch rests its psakim on him as one of its three pillars, and the Chochmat Adam was written in consultation with him and with Rav Chaim of Volozhin; it is told that Rav Akiva Eiger once fainted from distress at being called to the Torah in place of the Rav of Lissa. A street in Modiin Illit carries the name of the Netivot HaMishpat.