Biography
In 1745, Aryeh Leib was born to his father Yosef in the Galician town of Kalush presently located in Ukraine.) Aryeh Leib was a fourth-generation descendant from Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller. He was the youngest of four brothers (Chaim, Mordechai, Daniel, and Yehuda the Kuntras Ha'Sfeikos) and one sister.
In his youth, after being recognized by his father as a prodigy, Aryeh Leib was sent to learn Torah from Rabbi Meshullam Igra of Tysmienica, Poland, an outstanding authority. From 1788 until 1812 Aryeh Leib was rabbi of Stry, a position later to be held by Aryeh Leib's opponent in many halachic debates, Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum.
Known as "the Ketzos" (based on his greatest work, Ketzot HaChoshen, קצות החושן), Rabbi Heller was a prominent critic of the Hasidic movement (i.e., a misnaged- " opposes.") The Hasidic movement taught that closeness to God could be accomplished equally through intensive study of the Torah or through fervent song and dance. This unsettled many Torah authorities who feared that this philosophy may lead to the ultimate ignorance of the Torah by the masses. Regardless, he was held in high esteem by the Hasidic leaders in deference to his extraordinary Talmudic acumen.
Rabbi Heller's works became widely disseminated throughout Europe at a time when, due to technical and financial reasons, this kind of recognition was rare.
Read more about this topic: Aryeh Leib Ha Cohen Heller
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