Humble and Diligent: 10 Points About the "Pri Megadim"

1. Rabbi Yosef Teomim was among the great commentators of the "Shulchan Aruch". He is mainly known for his work "Pri Megadim", known as: P"M"G. His date of passing: 10th of Iyar.

2. Rabbi Yosef Teomim was born in Poland. After his marriage, he moved to live in Komarno. There, he served as a 'teacher' for the children of the local residents, and in all his free time, he dedicated himself to studying and writing his books.

3. His father served as a rabbi in Lviv. After his father's passing, the leaders of Lviv approached Rabbi Yosef to come and fill his father's place. He refused on the grounds that he was busy completing his books and printing them. At the end of 1774, he accepted their request and was appointed dayyan, preacher, and correct teacher in Lviv.

4. In 1781, he was appointed as a rabbi and head of the court in Frankfurt an der Oder, where he served for eleven years. He passed away and was buried in Frankfurt on the 10th of Iyar, 1792.

5. In his childhood, Rabbi Yosef was not among those endowed with extraordinary talents, and even in his greatness, when he was already known as one of the greats of the generation, he used to request not to be interrupted with questions and difficulties during his sermon, so as not to get confused. The main point that helped him grow in Torah was his diligence and persistence, and his mouth almost never ceased from study.

6. He was known for his great humility, to the extent that even when he was a head of a yeshiva and a city rabbi, he used to sign his letters simply as "Yosef the Teacher" (referring to his role as a teacher of children).

7. Rabbi Yosef Teomim is mainly known for his work "Pri Megadim" on the Shulchan Aruch. The work became one of the important commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch, and many books and abridgments were made based on it. Many of the later authorities, like "Mishnah Berurah", rely greatly on him.

8. The "Pri Megadim", and his other books, are mainly known for penetrating deeply into the issues, without going into deep pilpulim.

9. Tradition says that before writing his insights, he used to study the subject twenty times. It is also told about him that he studied the tractate Chullin continuously for twenty years before starting to write his insights on it, and only after he reviewed it 101 times and it was fluent with its commentaries did he write his commentary 'Pri Megadim' for the "Yoreh De'ah" section of the Shulchan Aruch.

10. In addition to his famous book "Pri Megadim", known as "P"M"G", he also wrote the following books: "Rosh Yosef", "Porat Yosef", "Ginat Veradim", "Teivat Gama", "Shoshanat HaAmakim", "Sefer Netrekon", "Noam Megadim", "Sefer HaMaggid", "Eim LaBinah", "Mattan Secharan shel Mitzvot". Besides the books that were published, Rabbi Teomim left many writings that did not make it to print.

May his memory be blessed and his merit protect us.