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Meir Simcha was born in Butrimonys ( Yiddish: Baltrimantz), Lithuania, to Samson Kalonymus, a local wealthy merchant. His later success in Torah study is attributed to two blessings his parents had received from local rabbis before his birth.
He received his education locally, and managed to hide from the regular roundups of Jewish boys that were being held as a result of the Cantonist decree s that had been in effect since 1827.
After marrying in 1860, at age 17, he settled in Bialystok, Poland, where he was supported by his father-in-law while continuing his religious studies. After 23 years there he finally, after turning down many offers, accepted the rabbinate of the mitnagedim (non- HasidimHasidic Judaism ( Hebrew: Chasidut ) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. It is also known as Hasidism and the adjective Chasidic ''Hasidic (or in Yiddish Chasidish meaning "righteous" from the Hebrew root word chesed meaning "loving kindness") is appli) in the LatviaThe Republic of Latvia ( Latvian: Latvijas Republika , or Latvia ( Latvian: Latvija , is a republic in Northeastern Europe. Bordering the Baltic Sea, Latvia is known as one of the Baltic States, together with Estonia and Lithuania, which border the nationn town of Dvinsk, now known as DaugavpilsDaugavpils ( Russian: Dvinsk Lithuanian: Daugpilis German: Dunaburg Polish: Dyneburg population 115,265 in 2000 census) is the second largest city in Latvia. The first historical reference goes back to 1275. Thus, the year 2000 was celebrated as the 725th. He would remain in the position until his death.
In Dvinsk, his counterpart was the Hasidic Rabbi Yosef Rosen, known as the Rogatchover Gaon or by his work Tzofnath Paneach. The two had a great respect for each other, despite Rosen's legendary fiery temper, and on occasions referred questions in Jewish lawHalakha in Hebrew or Halakhah Halacha Halachah is the collective corpus of Jewish law, custom and tradition regulating all aspects of behavior. The name Halakha derives from the Hebrew halach meaning "going" or the "[correct] way"; thus a literal translat to each other. They also shared a love for the works of MaimonidesRabbi Moshe ben Maimon ( 1135 1204), , known commonly by his Greek name Maimonides was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher. Many Jewish works refer to him by the acronym of his title and name, RaMBaM (" in Hebrew). As such, he is occasionally refer.
In 1906Events January 8 Landslide in Haverstraw, New York kills 20 January 31 Earthquake in Ecuador (8. 6 in Richter scale) February 11 Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos''. February 15 Representatives of the Labour Representation Committee in t, a certain Shlomo Friedlander published two tractates of the Jerusalem TalmudThe Jerusalem Talmud (In Hebrew Talmud Yerushalmi in short known as the Yerushalmi , also known as the Palestinian Talmud (not related to current "Palestinian" issues at all!), was composed in the Land of Israel some two centuries before the Babylonian Ta that had been considered lost for hundreds of years. Reb Meir Simcha was one of the few who discovered that the work was a very clever forgery.
In Dvinsk, he received visitors from the whole region, and he was frequently consulted on issues affecting the community at large, including Poland and Lithuania. He reputedly turned down offers for the rabbinate in various large cities, including Jerusalem, New York and Kovno.
He died in a hotel in Riga while seeking medical treatment. He had one daughter, who predeceased him before her marriage.