Menahem Mendel ben Meshullam Auerbach

Menahem Mendel ben Meshullam Auerbach was an Austrian rabbi, banker, and commentator born in Vienna at the beginning of the 17th century. He received a Talmudic education and had pursued both business and rabbinic career.

Auerbach married the daughter of Judah Loeb Cohn of Kraków (died 1645), and then settled in Kraków, being at the same time engaged in the banking business with his brother. Later, they returned to Vienna. His broher died in 1666, and Auerbach left Vienna in 1670 after the expulsion of the Jews from Vienna by the emperor Leopold I. Auerbach became rabbi at Rausnitz, Moravia, and in 1673 of Krotoszyn, where he had occupied the double position of rabbi and parnass of the district of Posen. In Krotoszyn he established a yeshibah, which soon became known throughout Poland. Menahem Mendel died at Krotoszyn, Posen, July 8, 1689.