We do not know exactly when Rabbi Moshe Hirsch has arrived to Siedlce. We know he served as the city’s Rabbi before rabbi Rabbi Eliezer Shalom Fiitrikobr, and that prior to coming to Siedlce he served as the rabbi of Sokolov. In Siedlce Rabbi Moshe Hirsch also served as Maggid. Every Sabbath he gave a sermon before the public and on the days of the week he gave a lesson to young men. He was a great scholar, author of many books: writings about the Torah in general, annotations of Shas and the four parts of “Shulchan Aruch”. These were left in handwriting, but caught fire in one of the fires that struck the city. Only “Maram Zvi” survived, which was published with the assistance of his son, Rabbi Barouch from Radzin, who also wrote the introduction. But only a few copies of this book can be found nowadays.
It is told that on the first Passover after the arrival of Rabbi Moshe Hirsch to Siedlce he ordered to cook Coftaot- Kneidel in his kitchen, and place them on the window sill, so everyone will see. By this he wanted to prove that the traditional law of “Matzah Shrouya”, which the Hasidim at the same time banned, was not “given to Moses at Sinai”, and for the pleasure of the holiday it is allowed to cook Kneidel.
Rabbi Moshe Hirsch was the father of four sons and two daughters. Although he was an opponent, he was a great Kabbalist and very knowledgeable in Kabbalah books. Sometimes he fasted from Shabbat to Shabbat, woke up every night at midnight, bathed in the mikveh and had Tikkun Chatzot. In his old age, when he felt his body weakened and eyesight going, Rabbi Moshe Hirsch resigned from the rabbinate. He was replaced by Rabbi Eliezer Shalom.
Rabbi Moshe Hirsch died in 1858. His grave stood neglected for a long time, without a real tombstone.
Years later, when Rabbi Israel Sinai Ziidntzooiig, who was a relative of Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, has died, he was buried near the grave of Rabbi Hirsch. Rabbi Israel Sinai’s sons placed a double gravestone on the two graves.