Background
Rabbi Bruna was born in Brno (Bruna), Moravia.
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Israel Bruna
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He studied under the leading Ashkenazi rabbis of his time: Jacob Weil and Israel Isserlin, who ordained him and spoke very highly of him.
Career
He is also known as Mahari Bruna, the Hebrew acronym for "Our Teacher, the Rabbi, Israel Bruna". Rabbi Bruna is best known as one of the primary Ashkenazi authorities quoted by Moses Isserles in the Shulkhan Arukh. "He was a brilliant student, who devoted himself, body and soul, to the study of the Talmud." He was then elected rabbi of his native town.
After the expulsion of the Jews from that city (1454) he settled at Ratisbon, Bavaria, where he opened a yeshivah.
His later life has been described as "eventful and troublesome". His position in Ratisbon caused some controversy, dividing the community.
Rabbi Anschel Segal, who already was operating a yeshivah there, felt Rabbi Bruna should have opened his yeshivah elsewhere. Rabbi Bruna, however, bore the attacks and insults with humility, and on the death of Rabbi Segal, he was accepted by the whole community.
In 1474, following a dispute between Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Duke Ludwig of Landsberg over a tax placed on the Jewish community, Bruna was imprisoned by the Emperor to compel him to use his authority in the Emperor"s favor.
He was released after thirteen days in prison. The community appealed to Frederick III, as well as to King Ladislav of Bohemia, both of whom declared Rabbi Bruna innocent.
