Shmuel Eidels (Maharsha)

Rabbi Shmuel Eidels, known by the acronym Maharsha, was a Polish rabbi and talmudist whose chiddushim (talmudic novellae) on both halakhic and aggadic passages are found in almost every edition of the Talmud. He was a child prodigy and initially rejected many marriage offers to devote himself entirely to Torah study. After eventually marrying, he moved to Posen and established a yeshiva there, which was supported for 20 years by his mother-in-law Eidel. He adopted her name as his surname in gratitude for her unwavering support. He was an active participant in the Council of Four Lands.