Daniel Hayyim Cleif

Daniel Hayyim Cleif was a Dutch-born Curonian rabbi.

Biography

Cleif was born in Amsterdam in 1729. He settled in Hasenpoth, Courland, originally as a jeweler; later he officiated there as rabbi for many years. At this time he wrote Arugah ketannah, a booklet in which the 248 positive commandments are formulated in rime. He also left in manuscript a commentary on the Torah.
One of Cleif's sons was a physician in the service of the Russian government, with the title of councilor of state, who died in the Orel Governorate in 1846.