Ozrot HaSofer is a series of yearbooks devoted to the life and writings of Rabbi Moshe Sofer, the Hatam Sofer, published by the London Institute of Otzrot HaSofer, which is associated with the local Torah Etz Chaim Congregations. Each of the many volumes that have appeared thus far features stories, customs and sayings of the Hatam Sofer in a special section.
Some time ago, the Institute put out a special volume, Orhot HaSofer, subtitled UVdot Vehanhagot Maran HeHatam Sofer, in which the material of all the special sections of the yearbooks had been collected. The publication of the volume was sponsored by Avraham Reichmann of Toronto, whose wife Bella nee Schiffer, is a descendant of the Hatam Sofer, on the occasion of the wedding of their son Akiva.
The stories, customs and sayings of the Hatam Sofer have been divided into fourteen chapters accompanied by notes in which the sources are indicated. Following are samples of this most interesting material.
Rabbi Moshe Sofer as well as Rabbi Akiva Eiger, used to study with their students a Daf of the Talmud every day. On Shabbat Rabbi Moshe Sofer would review whatever he had studied during the week and during the month of Elul he reviewed four times, whatever he had studied during the year.
When his son, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, was a candidate for the position of Rabbi of Cracow, his father appeared to him in a dream, urging him to study the laws pertaining to a Sefer Torah. Soon after he was elected, a question relating to a Sefer Torah was submitted to him and he was able to decide it with competence.
Rabbi Shmuel Wosner of Bnei Brak records that Rabbi Moshe Sofer often refers in his own responsa to “Shei’lat Yavetz,” the responsa of Rabbi Yaakov Emden. However, he always refers to it as “Shilat Yavetz” without an Aleph. Rabbi Wosner notes that “Shila” is an acrostic of Shiviti Hashem Lenegdi Tamid” (I have set Hashem before me always”) which is the feeling one is inspired with when reading Rabbi Emden’s sacred writings.
Rabbi Moshe’s daughter, Mrs. Simcha Lehmann, was once askd why her father had given her a name that is generally reserved for males. She answered that she had put the question to her father who did not give her a direct answer, saying only: “I wanted people to be happy with you.” Mrs. Lehmann added that, indeed, anyone she met always acted in a vey friendly way toward her.
A grandson of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk related that the responsa of the Hatam Sofer were always on his grandfather’s desk.
Someone once told Rabbi Yitzhak Ze’ev Soloveitchik, the rabbi of Brisk, that his father, had made a statement in his Hiddushei Rabbenu Hayyim HaLevi that contradicts a view of the Hatam Sofer. Rabbi Yitzchak Zeev replied that if this was true, then the view of the Hatam Sofer that the man was referring to must have been printed after Rabbi Chaim’s death, for his father had always been careful not to state anything that might contradict what the Hatam Sofer had written. Later it was established that the Hiddushim of the Hatam Sofer the man referred to were, indeed published after Rabbi Chaim’s demise.
Rabi Aaron Kotler used to say, “A Jews has to have two teachers, one in this world and one in the world to come. My teacher in the next world will be the Hatam Sofer.”
Rabbi Kotler is also reported to have said that the Jews who were attached to the Hatam Sofer were those who “rebuilt Torah” after the destruction of European Jewry during World War II.
Rabbi Moshe Sefer told his students, “I will forgive you if you say Divrei Torah of mine in your name, but I will not forgive you if you say Divrei Torah of yours in my name.”
According to a family tradition, Rabbi Moshe Sofer told his sons to pray from the Siddur of Rabbi Wolf Heidenheim.
When Rabbi Meir Arik came from Galicia to Vienna during World War I, he was amazed at the great esteem in which Talmidei Hakhamim were held by the Jews of Vienna, especially by members of the Schiff Schul. He said that this was without a doubt a result of the great influence of Rabbi Moshe Sofer.
The Jewish Press, Friday, Nov. 23, 2007 p. 71