Rabbi Meir Brandsdorfer (1934–2009), known revered by his halachic masterpiece as the Kneh Bosem, was one of the most prominent Dayanim (rabbinical judges) and legal authorities (poskim) to serve on the Badatz (supreme rabbinical court) of the Eidah HaChareidis in Jerusalem.

Unlike many senior leaders of the Eidah who immigrated from Western Europe as established scholars, Rabbi Brandsdorfer was a product of Jerusalem’s Old Yishuv community. He was a devout Toldos Avraham Yitzchok Hasid who was widely sought out globally for his expertise in highly intricate fields of Jewish law, particularly medical ethics, family purity, and ritual slaughter.

Early Life and Roots in Jerusalem

Born in Antwerp, Belgium, to a family of Austrian-Jewish origin, young Meir was brought to Mandatory Palestine by his parents in 1939, narrowly escaping the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

The family settled in Jerusalem, where Meir grew up in severe poverty but excelled academically within the elite schools of the Old Yishuv. As a young man, he aligned himself with the intense, ascetic spiritual path of the Shomer EmunimHasidic group, which later evolved into the Toldos Aharon and Toldos Avraham Yitzchok dynasties. He became a close, prized student of the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Kahn.

A Master of Practical Halacha

Rabbi Brandsdorfer’s rise to prominence within the Eidah HaChareidis came down to his exceptional genius in Halacha L'ma'aseh—the execution of practical, real-world Jewish law. He did not just sit in the study hall; he mastered the operational details behind the laws:

• The Mohel of Jerusalem: He was considered one of the foremost mohalim (circumcision experts) in Israel, performing thousands of circumcisions and training an entire generation of practitioners in both the medical safety and religious stringencies of the rite.

• Kashrut and Shechita: As a senior member of the Eidah's Vaad HaKashrut (kosher certification board), he personally oversaw slaughterhouses (shechita). His technical understanding of animal anatomy made him the absolute final arbiter on complex questions of whether meat was kosher or treif (unfit).

• Medical Ethics and Technology: He worked extensively with medical professionals to address modern technological advancements—such as reproductive endocrinology and fertility treatments—ensuring complex medical procedures aligned strictly with traditional Jewish law.

In recognition of his immense breadth of knowledge, he was appointed as a primary Dayan to the high rabbinical court of the Badatz, serving as a right-hand legal weight to consecutive Chief Rabbis, including Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Dushinsky and Rabbi Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss.

Written Legacy: The Kneh Bosem

His legal responsa (formal written answers to difficult questions of Jewish law submitted from around the world) were compiled into a multi-volume masterwork titled Responsa Kneh Bosem (Kaneh Bosem translates to "sweet calamus," a biblical spice, which subtly plays on his surname Brandsdorfer, meaning "burnt village" or "spicy/burning" in Yiddish idioms).

The work is viewed as an essential reference text in modern Orthodox rabbinical courts, appreciated for its transparent, methodical layout and practical conclusions.

Sudden Passing and Impact

On May 14, 2009 (the 20th of Iyar, 5769), Rabbi Brandsdorfer passed away suddenly at his home in the Battei Ungarin neighborhood of Jerusalem at the age of 74. He had been actively answering halachic queries up until his final hours.

His funeral procession brought the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Jerusalem to a standstill as tens of thousands of residents, led by the top echelons of the Eidah HaChareidis and Hasidic Rebbes, accompanied him to his final resting place on the Mount of Olives (Har HaZeitim).

Today, his sons continue his legacy as prominent rabbinic anchors in Israel and abroad, operating courts and publishing works under the foundational banner of the Kneh Bosem institutions.