Ohr Hayashar on Bereishis by Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchok Hillman, London 1927 – Copy of Rev. Simcha Bunim Moher of Waterford, Ireland.

I’ve previously written about another copy of this book, written by Rabbi Hillman, who was born in Kovno, Lithuania, in 1868, and came to Great Britain in 1908, when he was appointed a Rabbi in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1914 he was appointed a Dayan of the London Beth Din, serving until 1934, when he settled in Jerusalem. He died in 1953.

However, this copy is interesting because it belonged to Rev. Simcha Bunim Moher, and is profusely stamped with his Hebrew bookstamp, which says that he was a shochet (ritual slaughterer of kosher meat) in Waterford, Ireland.

The small city of Waterford is in south-east Ireland.  Individual Jews are known to have settled in Waterford from as early as 1701/2, when one Jacob Nunes, was admitted to the freedom of the city. However it was not until towards the end of the nineteenth century that there were sufficient numbers to establish an organised community and synagogue. The community never numbered much in excess of 60, probably reaching its peak just prior to World War I, and went into gradual decline during the interwar years.

Reverend Simcha Bunim Moher was born in Ostrewice, Poland, in 1904, the son of Alter and Malka Maur. He is listed in annual Jewish Year books as Minister of the small Waterford Jewish community from about 1932 to 1938.  After this the family moved to Dublin, where his eldest son, Solomon was married in about 1952.  His son, Rabbi Maurice Moher received his semicha (rabbinical diploma) from Rabbi Rabinow, President of the Va’ad HaRabbonim of the Federation of Synagtogues, and studied at Gateshead Yeshiva.  Rabbi Moher was Head of Jewish Studies at Hasmonean Grammar School in London and then Principal of Prestwich Jewish School in Manchester.

There is a further Irish connection.  Dayan Hillman’s son-in-law was Rabbi Isaac Herzog, Chief Rabbi of Ireland and then Palestine under the British Mandate and the State of Israel, and his grandson was Chaim Herzog, President of Israel.  Perhaps Dayan Hillman gave R’ Simcha Bunim Moher of Waterford a copy of his book.

R’ Simcha Bunim Moher died in Jerusalem in 1990.