Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ( he, שלמה זלמן אויערבאך; July 20, 1910 – February 20, 1995) was a renowned

Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

posek In Jewish law, a ''Posek'' ( he, פוסק , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the position of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities a ...

, and

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...

of the

Kol Torah Kol Torah is a yeshiva in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem. History Yeshivas Kol Torah was founded in 1939 by Yechiel Michel Schlesinger (1898–1948), born in Hamburg, Germany and Boruch Kunstadt, a dayan from Fulda, Germany. It w ...

yeshiva in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. The Jerusalem neighborhood Ramat Shlomo is named after Rabbi Auerbach.

Biography

Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was the first child to be born in the

Sha'arei Hesed Sha'arei Hesed (also Sha'arei Chessed) ( he, שערי חסד, lit. ''Gates of Loving-kindness'') is a neighborhood in central Jerusalem, bordering Rehavia, Nahlaot and Kiryat Wolfson. History One of the founders of the neighborhood was Yoel Moshe ...

neighborhood of

founded by his maternal grandfather, Rabbi

Shlomo Zalman Porush Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Porush, ( he, שלמה זלמן פרוש), was born in Babruysk, Russian Empire (now Belarus) in 1850 to his father Rabbi Naftali Zvi Porush (d. 1866) and mother Leah (d. 1900). He died in Jerusalem in 1898 and is buried on ...

, after whom he was named. His father, Rabbi

Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach (1883 – 26 September 1954) was a Haredi rabbi and roshei yeshiva of Shaar Hashamayim Yeshiva, a landmark Jerusalem institution specializing in Talmudic and kabbalah studies for Ashkenazi scholars that he helped found in ...

, was

Shaar Hashamayim Yeshiva Shaar Hashamayim Yeshiva ( he, ישיבת שער השמים, lit., "Gate of Heaven") is an Ashkenazi yeshiva in Jerusalem dedicated to the study of the kabbalistic teachings of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria). It is famous for its student body of ...

, and his mother was Rebbetzin Tzivia. By the age of eleven he was proficient in the entire

talmudic The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

tractate A tractate is a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject; the word derives from the Latin ''tractatus'', meaning treatise. One example of its use is in citing a section of the Talmud, when the term ''masekhet'' () is used i ...

of Kiddushin. As a teenager he attended the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He was known for his diligence which is illustrated by an event which occurred while he was in yeshiva. On the day the first

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...

rolled into Jerusalem along the

Jaffa Road Jaffa Road ( he, רחוב יפו, Rehov Yaffo; ar, شارع يافا) is one of the longest and oldest major streets in Jerusalem. It crosses the city from east to west, from the Old City walls to downtown Jerusalem, the western portal of Jer ...

, all the students left their studies to marvel at the horse-less wagon. Only young Shlomo Zalman remained in his chair immersed in his studies. Following his marriage, he studied under Rabbi

Zvi Pesach Frank Tzvi Pesach Frank (20 January 1873 – 10 December 1960) (Hebrew: הרב צבי פסח פרנק) was a renowned halachic scholar and served as Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for several decades (1936-1960). Biography Frank was born in Kovno, Viln ...

Kollel A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...

Kerem Tzion which focused on the

laws Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. ...

of the

Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...

. He was known as one of the

Charedi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

supporters for

Heter Mechira The sabbath year (shmita; he, שמיטה, literally "release"), also called the sabbatical year or ''shǝvi'it'' (, literally "seventh"), or "Sabbath of The Land", is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah ...

during the

Shmita The sabbath year (shmita; he, שמיטה, literally "release"), also called the sabbatical year or ''shǝvi'it'' (, literally "seventh"), or "Sabbath of The Land", is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah ...

year. His first major published work, ''Meorei Esh'', was the first ever written on the subject of using electricity on

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...

. The work was endorsed by Rabbi

Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Chaim Ozer Grodzinski ( he, חיים עוזר גראדזענסקי; August 24, 1863 – August 9, 1940) was a ''Av beis din'' (rabbinical chief justice), '' posek'' (halakhic authority), and Talmudic scholar in Vilnius, Lithuania in the late 19 ...

who read it and declared: ''"Or chadash al Tziyon ta'ir"'' — "A new light will shine upon Zion" — a quote from the daily morning prayers. He had a close association with Rabbi

, as well as the

Chazon Ish Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (7 November 1878 – 24 October 1953), also known as the Chazon Ish () after his magnum opus, was a Belarusian-born Orthodox rabbi who later became one of the leaders of Haredi Judaism in Israel, where he spent his ...

and Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, the two iconic and preeminent leaders of Lithuanian

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

Judaism of the first and middle segments of the 20th century. He became the pre-eminent halachic decisor of his time in Israel, respected by all streams of Orthodox Judaism. He was unique in his approach to halacha through

thought experiment A thought experiment is a hypothetical situation in which a hypothesis, theory, or principle is laid out for the purpose of thinking through its consequences. History The ancient Greek ''deiknymi'' (), or thought experiment, "was the most anci ...

s. He was the brother-in-law of Rabbi

Sholom Schwadron Sholom Mordechai Hakohen Schwadron ( he, הרב שלום מרדכי הכהן שבדרון) (1912–21 December 1997) was a Haredi Judaism, Haredi rabbi and orator. He was known as the "Maggid of Jerusalem" for his fiery, inspirational musar m ...

, who married his sister Leah. The two shared a long and close relationship as learning partners and personal friends. Renowned for his lucid classes as Rosh Yeshiva, his thousands of students continue to influence the Torah world today. Auerbach died on February 20, 1995. An estimated 300,000 - 500,000 people attended his funeral in 1995. He was interred on

Har HaMenuchot Har HaMenuchot ( he, הר המנוחות, Ashkenazi pronunciation, Har HaMenuchos, lit. "Mount of Those who are Resting", also known as Givat Shaul Cemetery) is the largest cemetery in Jerusalem. The hilltop burial ground lies at the western ed ...

Children

Rabbi Auerbach had seven sons and three daughters. His sons are: * Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach (d. 2018), leader of the ''Bnei Torah'' political party * Rabbi

Ezriel Auerbach Ezriel Auerbach (born 1937), also known as Azriel Auerbach, is a prominent Haredi rabbi and posek. He is the son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, and son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, two renowned poskim. He was considered Rabbi Elyashiv' ...

, a son-in-law of Rabbi

Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ( he, יוסף שלום אלישיב; 10 April 1910 – 18 July 2012) was a Haredi Rabbi and ''posek'' (arbiter of Jewish law) who lived in Jerusalem. Until his death at the age of 102, Rav Elyashiv was the paramount lead ...

, and the rabbi of Chanichei Hayeshivot in

Bayit Vegan Bayit VeGan ( he, בית וגן, lit. ''House and Garden'') is a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem. Bayit VeGan is located to the east of Mount Herzl and borders the neighborhoods of Kiryat HaYovel and Givat Mordechai. History Bronze Age A 4,0 ...

* Rabbi Avraham Dov Auerbach (d. 2021), a rabbi in

Tiberias Tiberias ( ; he, טְבֶרְיָה, ; ar, طبريا, Ṭabariyyā) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's Fo ...

* Rabbi Mordechai Auerbach, the pulpit rabbi of Avir Ya'akov in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

* Rabbi Ya'akov Auerbach, a rabbi in

Beit Shemesh Beit Shemesh ( he, בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ ) is a city located approximately west of Jerusalem in Israel's Jerusalem District, with a population of in . History Tel Beit Shemesh The small archaeological tell northeast of the modern city wa ...

* Rabbi Meir Simcha Auerbach, a

and

Rosh Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...

Betar Illit Beitar Illit ( he, בֵּיתָר עִלִּית; officially Betar Illit; "Illit" is pronounced "ee-leet"; ar, بيتار عيليت) is an Haredi Jewish-Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, sout ...

* Rabbi Baruch Auerbach, publisher of the complete works of Rabbi Yom Tov Algazi, was killed in an automobile accident in 1999. Rabbi Auerbach's daughters: *Rachel, married to Rabbi

Zalman Nechemia Goldberg Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ( he, זלמן נחמיה גולדברג; January 28, 1931 – August 20, 2020) was a rabbi, posek, and rosh yeshiva in Israel. The scion of a Lithuanian Jewish family, Goldberg was also a son-in-law of Shlomo Zalman Aue ...

, a leading

in Israel *Miriam, married to Rav Treger, living in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

*Malka, married to Rav Bordiansky

Prominent students

*Rabbi

, his son-in-law. *Rabbi

Meir Kessler Meir Kessler (born February 17, 1961) is the Chief Rabbi and head of Rabbinical Court of Modi'in Illit. He was born at Bnei Brak and studied at the Ponevezh yeshiva and afterward at Kol Torah under Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. After his marriag ...

*Rabbi

Avigdor Nebenzahl Avigdor Nebenzahl (born 1935) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and Posek. He is the senior rosh yeshiva at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, a faculty member at Yeshivat HaKotel, and rabbi of the Ramban Synagogue. Nebenzahl previously served as rabbi of the Old ...

*Rabbi

Yehoshua Neuwirth Yehoshua Yeshaya Neuwirth ( he, יהושע ישעיה נויברט) (15 February 1927 – 11 June 2013) was an eminent Orthodox Jewish rabbi and ''posek'' (halakhic authority) in Jerusalem. He was one of the primary students of Rabbi Shlomo Zalma ...

*Rabbi Shaye Portnoy, Rosh Yeshiva - Beis Medrash LeTorah (Jerusalem) *Rabbi

Michael Yammer Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

, Rosh Yeshiva - Sha'alvim

Works

Sefarim ''Sifrei Kodesh'' ( he, ספרי קודש, , Holy books), commonly referred to as ''sefarim'' ( he, ספרים, , books), or in its singular form, ''sefer'', are books of Jewish religious literature and are viewed by religious Jews as sacred. T ...

authored by Rabbi Auerbach include: *''Meorei Eish'', a pioneering work concerning

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...

in halacha, (1935) *''Ma'adanei Eretz'', a two-volume book regarding agricultural halacha, (1946) *''Minchas Shlomo'' (

responsa ''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars i ...

), first volume (1986), second volume (2003) *''Minchas Shlomo'', a commentary on the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

He also authored a commentary on ''

Shev Shema'tata Shev Shema'tata ( he, שב שמעתתא), most commonly pronounced Shev Shmaytsa or ''Shev Shmaisa'', is a work on Talmudic logic and methodology by R. Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller. The name of the book is Aramaic, and means "seven passages". It c ...

'', which itself is a work of novellae on the Talmud by Rabbi

Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller ( 1745 – 1812) ( he, אריה לייב בן יוסף הכהן הלר) was a Rabbi, Talmudist, and Halachist in Galicia. He was known as "the ''Ketzos''" based on his magnum opus, '' Ketzot Hachoshen'', . Biography Bo ...

. Most of Rabbi Auerbach's halachic rulings were delivered orally and not published formally. However, his rulings on medical halacha were summarized and publicized by Rabbi

in his book ''

Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah ''Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah'', also pronounced ''Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchosoh'' ( he, שמירת שבת כהלכתה, , keeping Shabbat according to its law; published in English as ''Shemirath Shabbath''), is a book of halachah authored by Ra ...

'', Rabbi Dr. Abraham S. Abraham in his ''Nishmat Avraham'', and Rabbi Dr. Avraham Steinberg in his ''Encyclopedia Hilchatit Refuit''. Rabbi Neuwirth also made many of Rabbi Auerbach's rulings on Hilkhot Shabbat (Shabbat laws) widely known in his bestselling book, which was first published in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

in 1965 and subsequently rendered into

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

References

External links

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"lVideo of Rabbi Auerbach zt"lVolume 1 of shu"t Minchat ShlomoVolume 2 of shu"t Minchat ShlomoVolume 3 of shu"t Minchat Shlomo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auerbach, Shlomo Zalman Haredi rabbis in Israel Israeli Rosh yeshivas 20th-century rabbis in Jerusalem Jewish medical ethics 1910 births 1995 deaths Burials at Har HaMenuchot Authors of books on Jewish law Hebrew-language writers

Biography

Children

Prominent students

Works

See also

References

External links