26th Iyar - the Ramchal

The Ramchal - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato passed away on this day 240 years ago (and was born 300 years ago). Today his writings are amongst the most influential for mussar (Mesilat Yesharim), hashkafa (Derech Hashem and Da'at Tevunot) and kabbalah (Kelach Pitchei Chachma and Adir Bamarom). Though he died before the age of 40 he left behind a huge number of works, which also include poetry and drama. He was the Jewish equivalent of a Rennaisance man. Despite his brilliance (or because of it) he spent most of his life being attacked as a suspected Sabbatean. He also felt that the Mashiach was coming at any moment, and depending on which letter you read either thought he was the Mashiach, or one of his students was.
His clear thinking and analysis, his ability to present complex issues in a straight forward and simple manner, and his breadth of knoweldge, make the Ramchal one of the most important Jewish thinkers of the past few hundred years.
He is buried in Tiveria, next to Rabbi Akiva (giving rise to the idea that he was a reincarnation of Rabbi Akiva, sent to 'fix' the first 40 years of R' Akiva's life before he went to learn Torah).

This is from OU.org

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
(1707-1746)

Though Rabbi Moshe Chaim is best known for his masterly ethical work, Mesillat Yesharim, probably the most popular musar work in Jewish literature, his main focus in most of his numerous works was on the kabbalah.

Born in Padua, Italy, into a distinguished family, his genius was obvious from a very early age. Besides his complete mastery of the entire Biblical, Rabbinic, and Kabbalistic literature, he was thoroughly educated in the science and literature of the time. He was the author of three full-length plays, which have been published, in modern editions. Unfortunately, his preoccupation with kabbalah and the impact he made on the young, aroused opposition and false suspicion of Sabbatean influence. About 60 years ago, a huge cache of letters was found (published by Dr. Simon Ginzburg in 1937) which describes at length in his own words, the persecution that he endured.

Eventually, he left Italy and settled in Amsterdam. In 1740, at the age of 33, he published the Mesillat Yesharim, which contains nothing Kabbalistic. It is a moving, inspiring work describing how a thoughtful Jew may climb the ladder of purification until he attains the level of holiness. At least three English translations of this work have been made. In 1743, Reb Moshe Chaim left for Eretz Yisrael with his family, arriving in the same month that the sainted R. Chaim ben Atar died. Little is known of his life in the Holy Land and just a few years later, he and his family perished in a plague.

Though most of R. Moshe Chaim's opponents are long forgotten, his profound spirituality continues to touch and inspire Jews of all groups. Both the Gaon of Vilna and the Maggid of Mezeritch were great admirers. In recent years, largely through the efforts of the late Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, a new edition of his works have been published, including several heretofore unpublished manuscripts. And, in one of the standard texts of Modern Hebrew literature, R. Moshe Chaim is hailed as the father of Modern Hebrew literature.


I'm sure thousands of people will be at his kever today - my chevruta is going up north, so will let me know how packed it was. Here is a picture of his gravestone:



May his Soul be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal Life

25 Iyar - Rav Yaakov Loeberbaum of Lisa, (Nesivos)

Today (25 Iyar) is the Yarzheit of Reb Yaakov Loeberbaum of Lisa, known by the name of either of two of his seforim as the Chavas Daas or the Nesivos (Hamishpat) who dies in 1832

Wikipedia has a very good and thorough entry on him (though unless you have learnt a nesivos or a chavas daas it is hard to appreciate his genius).

Yaakov Lorberbaum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yaakov ben Yaakov Moshe Lorberbaum of Lissa (1760-1832) (known in English as Jacob ben Jacob Moses of Lissa or Jacob Lorberbaum or Jacob Lisser, Hebrew: יעקב בן יעקב משה מליסא) was a Rabbi and Posek. He is known as the "Ba'al HaNesivos" for his most well-known work, or as the "Lissa Rav" for the city in which he was Chief Rabbi.
Contents

* 1 Biography
* 2 Works
* 3 Jewish Encyclopedia Bibliography
* 4 References
* 5 External links

Biography

Rabbi Lorberbaum was the great-grandson of the Chacham Tzvi, Rabbi Zvi Ashkenazi; he was therefore related to Rav Jacob Emden. His father, Rav Yaakov Moshe died before he was born, and his relative, Rav Yosef Teomim, brought him up. He studied under Rabbi Meshullam Eger. In 1809, he agreed to become the Rav in Lissa, where he enlarged his Yeshiva's enrollment. Hundreds of scholars came to study there in the years of his leadership. Among his students were Elijah Gutmacher, Zvi Hirsch Kalischer, Shraga Feivel Danziger, and others who became scholars and pioneers of the Hibbat Zion movement. Along with Rabbi Akiva Eiger and his son-in-law, the Chasam Sofer, Rabbi Loberbaum vehemently fought against the maskilim, the reformers of the Jewish Enlightenment. In 1822, he left Lissa and moved to Kalish (Kalisz), where he wrote many of his works. He was head of the Beth din in Kalish and afterward in Lissa (today known as Leszno, Poland).

He was widely respected as a posek, and is one of three authorities on whom Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried based his rulings in the Kitzur Shulkhan Arukh, the well known precis of Jewish law. Similarly, the Chochmat Adam, by rabbi Avraham Danzig, was written in consultation with Rabbi Lorberbaum - as well as Rabbi Chaim Volozhin.

His status was such that it is reported that Rabbi Akiva Eiger once fainted when he was honored with an Aliyah in the lieu of Rav Yaakov. (see Shimusha Shel Torah, written by Rabbi Meir Tzvi Bergman, a grandson of Rabbi Elazar Shach.)

Rabbi Lorberbaum died in Stryj (then in Galicia) on May 25, 1832.

Works

Reb Yaakov wrote many works of Torah on Talmud and on Halakha (Jewish law).

* Works on Talmud include:
o Torat Giṭṭin, commentary on Shulḥan 'Aruk, Even Ha'ezer, 119-155, and ḥiddushim on the Talmudic treatise Giṭṭin (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1813; Warsaw, 1815)
o Bet Ya'aḳob, commentary on Shulḥan 'Aruk, Eben ha-'Ezer, 66-118, and on the Talmudic tractate Ketubot (Grubeschow, 1823)
o Emes L’Yaakov (on Talmudic lore)
o He also published his late father's works on the Talmud, including his famous novellae to Tractate Keritot

* Works of Halakha include:
o Ḥawwot Da'at, commentary on Shulḥan 'Aruk, Yoreh De'ah, 69-201; the earlier sections of Yoreh De'ah (1-68) are very briefly dealt with in the form of an introduction to the work (Lemberg, 1799; Dyhernfurth, 1810, and often since in editions of the Yoreh De'ah, as the Wilna 1894 ed.). In it the works of earlier commentators are discussed and somewhat pilpulistically developed.
o Meḳor Ḥayyim, commentary on Shulḥan 'Aruk, Orach Chayim, 429 and following, with notes on the commentaries Ture Zahab and Magen Abraham; the second part contains ḥiddushim on Keritot (Zolkiev, 1807; Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1813; Warsaw, 1825; Dyhernfurth, 1827)
o Nesivos HaMishpat on Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat, in two parts (Dyhernfurth, Lemberg; Zolkiev, 1809, 1816; Sudilkov, 1830; and often since in Lemberg editions of Shulḥan 'Aruk, Ḥoshen Mishpaṭ). It is said that Nesivos HaMishpat was made famous by the strong attacks against it in the Ketzos HaChoshen of Rabbi Aryeh Leib Heller.
o Ḳehillat Ya'aḳob, a collection of discussions and notes on several legal points in the Eben ha-'Ezer and Oraḥ Ḥayyim
o Derech Chaim on Orach Chayim (Zolkiev, 1828; Altona, 1831). This compendium is very popular and was frequently reprinted in the larger Hebrew prayer-books. These dinim are taken either from later exponents of the Law as contained in the works Ṭure Zahab, Magen Abraham, Peri Megadim, etc., or from his own decisions. The sources from which he borrowed are usually indicated.

* Other works by Rabbi Lorberbaum include:
o Imrei Yosher (on the five scrolls)[citation needed]
o Ẓeror ha-Mor and Palge Mayim, commentaries on Canticles and Lamentations, under the general title Imre Yosher (ib. 1815 and 1819)
o Ma'aseh Nissim, a commentary on the Pesach Haggadah, with the text and a short compendium of the Passover ritual (Kiẓẓur Dinim; Zolkiev, 1807, 1835; Minsk, 1816; Dyhernfurth, 1817, and later)
o Nakhalat Yaakov (Breslau, 1849), published by his grandson Naphtali Z. N. Chachamowicz after his death, comprising sermons on the Torah Portion, halakhic decisions, responsa, and his last will. In this famous ethical will he asked that his sons devote time every day to learn at least on page of Gemara.
o Ta'alumot Ḥokmah, commentary on Ecclesiastes (Lemberg, 1804; Dyhernfurth, 1819)

23rd Iyar - destruction of Worms

Today is the anniversary of the massacre of the Jewish community of Worms. This was one of the oldest and most famous European Jewish community. It was all but destroyed in 1096 by the crusaders. This event is commemorated on Tisha B'Av in the Kinah "Mi Yitein Roshi Mayim". (This is the time of the famous story of Rashi and Godfrey of Bouillon. Although Rashi lived some of his life in Worms he was not directly affected by this massacre to the best of my knowledge). So much for the 'Robin Hood' stories they tell about Richard the Lionheart (who was also involved in this crusade, which is why his brother, sheriff John was running the show and being mean to Robin and his merry men).

This is what Wikipedia says about Judaism in Worms over the centuries:

The city is known as a former center for Judaism. The cemetery (illustration, right) dating from the 11th century is believed to be the oldest in Europe; an ancient synagogue was built around 1034. Prominent rabbis of Worms include Elazar Rokeach and Yair Bacharach. At the Rabbinical Synod held at Worms in the eleventh century, rabbis for the first time explicitly prohibited polygamy. Much of the Jewish Quarter was destroyed in the events known as Kristallnacht in 1938, and a recognizable Jewish community in Worms no longer exists. However, after renovations in the 1970s and 1980s, many of the buildings of the Quarter can be seen in a close to original state, preserved as an outdoor museum.

And this is their entry about the massacre of the three communities known by the acronym 'Shum' - for Speyer, Worm and Mainz:

The largest of these crusades, and the most involved in attacking Jews, was that led by Count Emicho. Setting off in the early summer of 1096, an army of around 10,000 men, women, and children proceeded through the Rhine valley, towards the Main River and then to the Danube. Emicho was joined by William the Carpenter and Drogo of Nesle, among others from the Rhineland, eastern France, Lorraine, Flanders, and even England.

Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV, absent in southern Italy, ordered the Jews to be protected when he learned of Emicho's intent. After some Jews were killed at Metz in May, Bishop John of Speyer, gave shelter to the Jewish inhabitants. Still at least 12 Jews of Speyer were slain by crusaders on May 3.[2] The Bishop of Worms also attempted to shelter Jews, but the crusaders broke in to his episcopal palace and killed the Jews inside on May 18. At least 800 Jews were massacred in Worms when they refused Christian baptism.[7][2]

News of Emicho's crusade spread quickly, and he was prevented from entering Mainz on May 25 by Bishop Ruthard. Emicho also took an offering of gold raised by the Jews of Mainz in hoped to gain his favor and their safety.[2] Bishop Ruthard tried to protect the Jews by hiding them in his lightly fortified palace. Nevertheless Emicho did not prevent his followers from entering the city[2] on May 27 and a massacre followed. Many among the Christian business class (the burghers) in Mainz, had working ties with Jews and gave them shelter from the mobs (as the burghers in Prague had done).[1] The Mainz burghers joined with the militia of the bishop and the burgrave (the town's military governor) in fighting off the first waves of crusaders. This stand had to be abandoned when crusaders continued to arrive in ever greater numbers.[1] Despite the example of the burghers, many ordinary citizens in Mainz and other the towns were caught up in the frenzy and joined in the persecution and pillaging.[1] Mainz was the site of the greatest violence, with at least 1,100 Jews and (possibly more) being killed by troops under Clarambaud and Thomas.[2] One man, named Isaac, was forcefully converted, but later, wracked with guilt, killed his family and burned himself alive in his house. Another woman, Rachel, killed her four children with her own hands so that they would not be killed by the crusaders.

Eliezer b. Nathan, a Jewish chronicler at the times paraphrased Habakkuk 1:6 and wrote of “cruel foreigners, fierce and swift, Frenchmen and Germans…[who] put crosses on their clothing and were more plentiful than locusts on the face of the earth.”[2]

On May 29 Emicho arrived at Cologne, where most Jews had already left or were hiding in Christian houses. In Cologne, other smaller bands of crusaders met Emicho, and they left with quite a lot of money taken from the Jews there. Emicho continued towards Hungary, soon joined by some Swabians. Coloman of Hungary refused to allow them through Hungary. Count Emicho and his warriors besieged Meseberg, on the Leitha. This led Caloman to prepare to flee into Russia, but the morale of the crusader mob began to fail which inspired the Hungarians and most of the mob was slaughtered or drown in the river. Count Emicho and a few of the leaders escaped into Italy or back to their own homes.[5] William the Carpenter and other survivors eventually joined Hugh of Vermandois and the main body of crusader knights.


May their Souls be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal Life

22nd Iyar - Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandri

Today is the yarzheit of the saba kadisha. I admit that i had never heard of him before today, when i started researching his yarzheit. What an amazing person. I have just copied an article that originally appeared in Yated (and I'm hoping that since they have banned the internet they won't notice the plagiarism).


RAV SHLOMO ELIEZER ALFANDRI

By D. Sofer

Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandri, otherwise known as the Saba Kadisha, was once
seated at a seudas mitzva of one of the most prominent members of Istanbul's
Jewish community, when he eard two maskilim discussing the "natural" causes
of earthquakes. His face ablaze, Rav Shlomo Eliezer rose from his seat and
vehemently countered their arguments.

"According to your scientific theories," he cried, "an earthquake can't
occur here at this moment. But if Hakadosh Baruch Hu wills it, an earthquake
will occur here this moment, in defiance of the laws of nature."

At that very moment, an earthquake shook the entire city. And Istanbul's
Jews came to regard Rav Shlomo Eliezer as a miracle worker.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer was a rare blend of gentleness and firmness. He was kind
and humble in his interpersonal relationships, yet resolute and undaunted
when it came to defending Torah values and Torah-true outlooks.

When the Torah's honor was at stake, he defied court ministers and even
kings. He feared no one but Hashem; yet all feared him because of his great
kedusha.

JUST A 'SIMPLE' LAYMAN

Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandri was born in 5580, and he stemmed from a
distinguished family of sages. His great-grandfather, Rav Yaakov Shlomo
Eliezer, was the author of Mutzal Mi'Eish. His grandfather, Rav Chaim Shlomo
Eliezer, wrote Maggid Mi'Reishis, and his father, Rav Yaakov, was an
outstanding talmid chacham who passed away at an early age. His mother,
Chana, also came from a prominent family.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer's greatness was evident even as a youth. While still a
young man, he was appointed to the Vaad Haruchani of Istanbul. Many of
Istanbul's Jews pleaded with him to accept the position of Chacham Bashi, or
rav of the city, and to join its beis din. Rav Shlomo Eliezer, however,
refused to accept any rabbinical positions, preferring to devote himself to
Torah study. He also refused to wear the customary dress of Istanbul's
chachamim, which consisted of a turban and a silk robe. When people referred
to him as the city's rav, he would reply, "I am not a rav - just a simple
layman."

Appreciating his greatness, Istanbul's Jews founded a yeshiva for him, and
many outstanding scholars studied there. One of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's most
distinguished students was Rav Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini, the Sdeh Chemed.

HIS HUMILITY

Rav Shlomo Eliezer was so humble that he not only refused to accept a
rabbinical post, but also recommended his student, Rav Yitzchak Akarish, for
the position of Istanbul's chief rabbi.

Rav Yitzchak, author of Kiryat Arba, was one of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's most
outstanding students, and he devoted himself solely to Torah study. When his
family's financial situation became desperate, however, he sought Rav Shlomo
Eliezer's advice.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer promised to find Rav Yitzchak a rabbinical post - on one
condition: he had to accept any position offered to him.

Rav Yitzchak agreed to Rav Shlomo Eliezer's terms, but was startled when Rav
Shlomo Eliezer secured him a position as Rav of Istanbul. How could he serve
as a rav in the very same city in which his illustrious mentor lived? But he
had already accepted Rav Shlomo Eliezer's condition, and couldn't renege on
his word.

Istanbul's Jewish leaders were likewise reluctant to appoint Rav Yaakov -
for the very same reasons. However, they couldn't disregard Rav Shlomo
Eliezer's directive or his demand that Rav Yaakov receive a respectable
salary.

From then on, whenever questions were addressed to Rav Shlomo Eliezer, he
would refer them to Rav Yitzchak, stressing that he was the city's rav.

THE DRAFT DECREE

When the Jewish fugitives of the Spanish Inquisition originally settled in
Turkey, the Sultan made a pact with them that they would never be drafted
into his army. But when Abed El Chamid became Sultan, he issued a decree
obligating all non-Moslems to enlist in the Turkish army.

Serving in the army, however, involved desecrating the Shabbos and eating
nonkosher food. Istanbul's rabbanim tried to have the decree rescinded, but
they were unsuccessful. Despite its severity, they finally decided to accept
the decree, not wanting to provoke the Turkish authorities. The city's Vaad
Haruchani even issued a proclamation urging the region's Jews to fulfill
their obligations to the Turkish government, and to enlist.

Only one man protested this course of action: Rav Shlomo Eliezer.

At the Vaad meeting, he declared: "Since serving in the Turkish army
involves Shabbos desecration and the defiling of oneself with nonkosher
food, enlisting in the army is considered a chillul Hashem. We mustn't yield
to Sultan Abed El Chamid. If we are firm, Hashem will help us."

After completing his fiery speech, he burst into uncontrollable sobs. The
other members of the Vaad knew that Rav Shlomo Eliezer's words were
justified. Nonetheless, they feared expressing their opinion in public.

The Jewish community did have one hope, however. One of its wealthy members
was particularly influential in the Sultan's court.

But instead of trying to cancel the decree, the Jew collaborated with the
Sultan and helped promote it. But when he visited the palace to supervise
various aspects of the decree, he suddenly lost consciousness and died.

The following day, a large throng assembled at the wealthy man's funeral. In
Istanbul at that time, Rav Shlomo Eliezer was always the first to deliver a
hesped at a funeral, and no one dared to precede him. But instead of
attending the funeral, Rav Shlomo Eliezer remained at home.

The community leaders pleaded with Rav Shlomo Eliezer to attend the funeral,
or at least to grant others permission to eulogize the deceased. But Rav
Shlomo Eliezer flatly refused, saying that the man wasn't worthy of honor.

The niftar's sons offered Rav Shlomo Eliezer a large sum of money, which
they said could be used for tzedaka, if only he would relent.

With tear-filled eyes, Rav Shlomo Eliezer replied, "Yesterday I visited your
father and asked him not to collaborate with the Sultan. But he defied me.
Therefore, I cannot honor him."

In the end, none of the city's rabbanim eulogized the deceased. Everyone
knew that Rav Shlomo Eliezer was right and respected his actions.

IN THE SULTAN'S PALACE

When the Sultan learned of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's efforts to cancel his
decree, he was furious and decided to punish him for inciting the Jews
against him. He immediately summoned Rav Shlomo Eliezer to his palace.

Once in the palace, Rav Shlomo Eliezer quietly explained his position to the
Sultan. The Sultan was very impressed by Rav Shlomo Eliezer; in fact, he was
so impressed that he accorded him the title of Chacham Bashi, granting him
the authority to issue amendments and edicts in the Jewish community.

In the end, the draft decree wasn't implemented due to internal conflicts in
the royal court.

After being appointed Chacham Bashi, Rav Shlomo Eliezer decided to leave
Istanbul. In 5657, he was offered a position as the Rav of Damascus, which
he accepted.

IN DAMASCUS

During this time, the brilliant Rav Yitzchak Abulafia, author of Pnei
Yitzchak, lived in Damascus. He had a very sharp mind, and if he felt that a
halachic ruling by one of his contemporaries was incorrect, he did not
hesitate to challenge it.

A number of people advised Rav Shlomo Eliezer not to accept the position of
Rav of Damascus, lest his rulings come under Rav Yitzchak's scrutiny.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer was not deterred. "I look forward to learning from him,"
he explained.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer was warmly welcomed by Damascus' Jews, and he and Rav
Yitzchak soon developed a close relationship. The two studied together for
many hours a day, and Rav Yitzchak never saw a need to challenge Rav Shlomo
Eliezer's rulings.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer founded a yeshiva in Damascus, which produced dozens of
students who served as rabbanim and dayanim in Sephardic communities
throughout the region.

TO TZEFAS

In 5664, when Rav Shlomo Eliezer was nearly 90, he moved to Eretz Yisroel.
He settled in Chaifa, where he studied undisturbed for the next several
years. When Tzefas' sages learned that Rav Shlomo Eliezer was in Eretz
Yisroel, however, they invited him to serve as their city's av beis din.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer accepted the position, and many people sought his counsel
and blessings.

In Nissan of 5674, Rav Shlomo Eliezer, accompanied by many of Tzefas'
residents, went out to bless the new moon. After completing the blessings,
he looked upward, clapped his hands and let out a piercing cry. Then he
said: "I see that a large-scale war will soon break out."

Four months later, World War I began.

During the war, Tzefas' residents suffered from a lack of food and water.
One time, the Turkish pasha visited the city. He was perched on a white
steed, and was accompanied by an entourage of soldiers. He wore a flashy
uniform, and a glossy medallion, which indicated his high rank, hung from
his neck.

When Rav Shlomo Eliezer heard of his arrival, he went out to greet him. The
pasha, who was awed by Rav Shlomo Eliezer's majestic appearance, asked him
for a blessing.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer replied, "Only the humble can receive blessings. I will
bless you after you come down from your horse."

The pasha got off his horse and lowered his head to receive the Rav Shlomo
Eliezer's blessing. "May Hashem help you in your efforts to see to the needs
of the oppressed Jewish Nation," Rav Shlomo Eliezer said.

The pasha was very impressed by Rav Shlomo Eliezer and, as a result of that
encounter, he made sure that Tzefas' residents had sufficient food and
water.

WITH YERUSHALAYIM'S saGES

In his later years, Rav Shlomo Eliezer suffered from many ailments. Having
no other recourse, he sought medical treatment in Yerushalayim. During his
trips there, he tried to remain incognito.

However, news of the hidden tzaddik's arrival spread quickly throughout the
city, and the gedolei haTorah of that time longed to meet him.

One of the many gedolim who visited Rav Shlomo Eliezer in his lodgings was
Rav Ezra Attia, who later became the rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef. Rav Shlomo
Eliezer held Rav Attia in high esteem, and whenever Rav Attia called on him,
Rav Shlomo Eliezer would stand up for him.

In 5685, Rav Shlomo Eliezer contracted a serious illness. He was in Teveria
at the time, and he refused to undergo treatment in a hospital where tznius
wasn't meticulously observed. Instead, he was brought to Shaarei Tzedek
Hospital in Yerushalayim. When he recovered, Yerushalayim's sages pleaded
with him to settle in the city.

Rav Shlomo Eliezer acceded to the sages' request, and rented an apartment in
the Ruchama neighborhood, near Geula and Mekor Baruch. Today, the street on
which he lived is named in his memory.

HIS HOME IN YERUSHALAYIM

Once Rav Shlomo Eliezer had settled in Yerushalayim, many gedolei Yisroel
from all sects frequented his home. Among those who consulted and conversed
with him in Torah were Rav Velvel Mintzberg, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Rav
Avraham Weinberg of Slonim and Rav Yitzchak Abuchatzeira.

The Minchas Elazor the Munkatcher Rebbe also made a special trip from
Hungary especially to see Rav Shlomo Eliezer, and a special bond of
friendship developed between them.

HIS WRITINGS

Many of Rav Shlomo Eliezer's halachic responses are included in his sefer
Saba Kadisha. Among them are replies the he wrote to Rav Yaakov Shaul
Elyashar, the Chacham Bashi of Yerushalayim; Rav Moshe Kliers, the av beis
din of Teveria; and Rav Pinchas Epstein, the av beis din of Yerushalayim's
Eida Hachareidis.

Various other letters, in which he discussed many public issues, were
collected in Masos Yerushalayim, Kumi Roni and Amudei Arazim.

On his way to Eretz Yisroel, Rav Shlomo Eliezer stopped off in Beirut, where
many questions were addressed to him regarding shmitta. His responses, which
indicate that he strongly opposed the heter mechira, appear in Afakata d'
Malka, written by Rav Shlomo Eliezer Margalios.

HIS PETIRA

In Iyar, 5690, Rav Shlomo Eliezer contracted a serious case of pneumonia.
His dedicated physician, Dr. Wallach, spared no efforts to ease his
suffering, but to no avail.

On the 22nd of Iyar, Rav Shlomo Eliezer asked his students to wrap him in a
tallis and to place two pairs of tefillin on his arm and head. Then he began
to recite the Shema. When he reached the word "emes," he hinted to his
students to remove his tefillin. Then, with much effort, he said: "Enough.
The ikar is emes. I can't continue any longer."

Shortly afterward, at his suggestion, he was served a glass of warm milk.
After he had recited a shehakol blessing and had sipped some milk, his pure
soul departed to the World of Truth.

Thousands participated in his levaya. His students carried his bier from his
home in the Ruchama neighborhood all the way to Har Hazeisim, where he was
buried close to sunset.

He was 110 years old at the time of his petira, and he left behind
generations of students in several countries who carried on his life's work
of upholding Torah and all it stands for.



Re-Printed with(out) permission from Yated Ne'eman. All rights reserved.


May his Soul be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal Life

20th Iyar - Doros HaRishonim

Today is the yarzheit of Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik Rabinowitz, most famous as the author of Doros Harishonim. He was also the founder of Agudas Yisroel.
Doros Harishonim is a history of the Jewish people which was written as a response to the historians (e.g. Graetz) who claimed that the Torah was not from Sinai, the Mishna was not from Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi, the Talmud was much later etc. The Doros Harishonim countered by making all the dates much earlier. He claimed that the basis of the Mishna is from the time of Hilllel and Shammai, and that the proto-Talmud was written by Rava and Abaye etc.He also claims that not only rules alone were given at Sinai but every possible range of opinion and every Halachic possibility were disclosed to Moses.
He had a tremendous wealth of knowledge, and brings a huge list of sources for everything. His history is basically the basis of modern 'frum' history (e.g. Artscroll). However, his sefer (actually it is 8 volumes in some editions) is out of print and almost completely unreadable. He writes with a clear agenda, and does not usually bring any outside historical sources to back up what he says. His ideas are controversial, and not really taken all that seriously by secular historians.
But it is a brilliant work of scholarship and worth having a look at if you can get your hands on it. There are some amazing ideas in the sefer that haven't been popularised.

Here is what wikipedia says about him:

Yitzhak Isaac Halevy (Rabinowitz) (September 21, 1847–May 15, 1914) (Hebrew: יצחק אייזק הלוי) was a rabbi, Jewish historian, and founder of the Agudath Israel organization.

Isaac Halevy was born in Ivenec, Provice of Minsk, near Vilna into a rabbinical family, the grandson of Moredecai Eliezer Kovner. After his father was killed by soldiers, he was raised by his paternal grandfather. At 13, he entered the Volozhin yeshiva, where he was recognized as a talmudic prodigy. He held a number of communal positions in his early adulthood, including gabbai of the aforementioned Volzhin Yeshiva.

Halevy was influential in having R. Haim Soloveichik appointed to head the yeshiva, and he hosted the latter in his own house for months at a time.

May his Soul be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal Life

19th Iyar - Maharam m'Rotenburg

Today is the Yarzheit of one of the most influential Ashkenazi poskim. R' Meir m'Rotenburg (c. 1215-2 May 1293), the Maharam, was the teacher of both the Rosh and the Mordechai, who themselves are pretty much the basis of Ashkenazi Halacha. He is also famous for spending the last years of his life being held ransom and eventually dying in captivity. Even though money was raised to ransom him he refused to allow the people to give the money, because he was afraid that kidnapping Jews would become a regular occurrence if the authorities realised that it was lucrative. (Is there a message for today's leaders in that then?).

Here is the wikipedia entry on the Maharam

Maharam of Rothenburg was born in Worms, and studied in Germany at Wurtzburg and at Mainz in the Yeshivoth of the leading Talmudists of those days. He later moved to France, studying under the great Rabbi Yechiel ben Joseph of Paris, who had defended the Talmud in the reign of Louis IX. Rabbi Meir was an eyewitness to the subsequent public burning of twenty-four carloads of Talmudic manuscripts (Friday, June 17, 1244), and he bewailed this tragedy in his celebrated "Kina" Shaali serufah (שאלי שרופה) which is still recited on Tisha B'Av.

The following year Rabbi Meir returned to Germany, where he became the rabbi of several large communities successively. He taught in several German communities, but is primarily associated with Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where he opened his own school, maintained at his own cost. Among his disciples were many scholars who later became leading Talmudists and poskim, notably Asher ben Jehiel ("ROSH") and Rabbi Mordecai ben Hillel Ashkenazi ("The Mordechai"). Rabbi Meir, became universally acknowldged as the leading Ashkenazi authority on Talmud and Jewish law, and many communities in France, Italy and Germany frequently turned to him for instruction and guidance in all religious matters and on various points of law.

In 1286, King Rudolf I instituted a new persecution of the Jews, declaring them servi camerae ("serfs of the treasury"), which had the effect to negating their political freedoms. Along with many others, Meir left Germany with family and followers, but was captured in Lombardy and imprisoned in a fortress in Alsace. Tradition has it that a large ransom of 23,000 marks (approximately 15,144,900 U.S dollars today) was raised for him (by the ROSH), but Rabbi Meir refused it, for fear of encouraging the imprisonment of other rabbis. He died in prison after seven years. 14 years after his death a ransom was paid for his body by Alexander ben Shlomo (Susskind) Wimpen, who was subsequently laid to rest beside the Maharam.

May

18th Iyar - Yarzheit of the Rama

While everyone else is out burning down the town with their bonfires to celebrate the yarzheit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (who probably didn't die on Lag B'Omer anyway), I wanted to take the opportunity to remember someone who actually did die on this day, and was almost as influential (certainly for Ashkenazi Jews) as the RaSHBI.
Lag B'Omer is the day that the Rema passed away, in Cracow in 1572. He was 52 years old. Rema (or Rama) is an acronym for his real name 'Rabbi Moshe Isserles'.
He is most famous for his commentary on the Shulchan Aruch (known as the Mapa - the tablecloth) which not only included Ashkenazi customs within R' Yosef Caro's code of law, but more importantly ensured that there would be only one standard text of Halacha for all of Jewry, rather than separate books for Ashkenazim and Sefardim. According to tradition he had written a work similar to the Shulchan Aruch, but destroyed it upon finding out that R' Caro had already written his book.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about him:

Rabbi Isserles was born in Cracow. His father, Israel Isserles, was a prominent Talmudist, said to have been independently wealthy, and probably headed the community; his grandfather, Jehiel Luria, was the first Rabbi of Brisk. Isserles studied in Lublin under Rabbi Shalom Shachna, who became his father-in-law. Among his fellow pupils were his relative Solomon Luria (Maharshal), and Chayyim b. Bezalel, an older brother of the Maharal. Rema’s wife died young, at the age of 20 and he later established the "Rema Synagogue" in Cracow in her memory (originally his house, built by his father in his honor—which he gave to the community). He later married the sister of Joseph ben Mordechai Gershon Ha-Kohen.
He returned to Cracow about 1550, when he established a large yeshiva and, being a wealthy man, supported his pupils at his own cost. In his teaching, he was opposed to pilpul and he emphasized simple interpretation of the Talmud. In 1553 he was appointed as dayan; he also served on the Council of the Four Lands. He became a world-renowned scholar and was approached by many other well-known rabbis, including Yosef Karo, for Halachic decisions. He was one of the greatest Jewish scholars of Poland, and was the primary halakhic authority for European Jewry of his day. He died in Cracow and was buried next to his synagogue. On his tombstone is inscribed: "From Moses (Maimonides) to Moses (Isserles) there was none like Moses". Until the Second World War, thousands of pilgrims visited his grave annually on Lag Ba'omer, his Yahrzeit (date of death).

In addition to the mappa (and the destroyed Shulchan Aruch) he wrote the Darchei Moshe, which is a commentary on the Tur, as well as Torat HaChatat (a Halachic sefer mainly on kashrut), Torat HaOlah (philosophy and hashkafa) and a collection of responsa.



This is the archway above the Shul built by the Rema.

So, once you have recovered from your bonfires and study of the Zohar, perhaps you could open up the Shulchan Aruch, learn some Halacha and bring merit to the soul of the Rema.

May his Soul Be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal Life