Background
In 1387, he succeeded his father as Rabbi of Mainz.
In 1387, he succeeded his father as Rabbi of Mainz.
He is also known as Maharil - the Hebrew acronym for "Our Teacher, the Rabbi, Yaakov Levi" - as well as Mahari Segal or Mahari Moelin. Maharil"s Minhagim was a source of law for Moses Isserles’ component of the Shulkhan Arukh. Maharil was the son and pupil of Moshe Levi Moelin, Rabbi of Mainz, and a pupil of R. Shalom b.
Isaac of Wiener Neustadt.
At a young age, Moelin was recognized as a budding scholar. He established a yeshiva in Mainz which attracted many students.
One of his most noteworthy students was Jacob Weil. Maharil played an important role in rebuilding these communities.
He died and was buried in Worms.
Moelin composed piyyutim for the synagogue. He was also a notable Hazzan who famously ruled that traditional melodies should not be changed. Some traditional melodies attributed to him were still in use in pre-World World War II Mainz.
He appears also to have been familiar with the study of astronomy.
