Shlomo HaKohen (Vilna)
Encyclopedia
Shlomo HaKohen was the famed Av Beis Din (supreme justice of a rabbinical court) and Posek
(decider of Jewish Law) of Vilna.
In 1828, Shlomo was born to Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaCohen, a dayan in the rabbinic court in Vilna. As a young child, Shlomo was known for his diligence and devotion to Torah study. When Shlomo was thirteen years old, he became deathly sick and his doctors told him that he must stop studying Torah
because the intensity of his studies was adversely affecting his weak heart. Nonetheless, Shlomo refused to relent, and continued to study Torah, as he reasoned that Torah is his life. At the age of 18, Rabbi Shlomo began writing his legalistic decisions and published them under the title Reishit Bikkurim (ראשית ביכורים).
HaKohen's glosses on the Talmud
were published in the Vilna Edition Shas
under the name "Cheshek Shlomo" (חשק שלמה). Rabbi Shlomo's halachik reponsa
were published under the title "Binyan Shlomo" (שו"ת בנין שלמה).
HaKohen was a childhood friend of Rabbi Alexander Moshe Lapidus, also a native of Vilna. Rabbi Shlomo also corresponded with Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini
, who frequently praised and quoted from Rabbi Shlomo in his magnum opus, Sdei Chemed.
His responsa are considered quite eminent in terms of authority and they are frequently quoted(e.g. http://books.google.com/books?id=03u10D4r5ekC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=shlomo+hakohen+of+vilna&source=bl&ots=xAbWoU6cCg&sig=zxCN5c4g-OHLjfohHvTas5uBREU&hl=en&ei=VlS_S5LTLIb8ngf80OmuCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CB4Q6AEwBzgK#v=onepage&q=shlomo%20hakohen%20of%20vilna&f=falsehttp://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2005/11/internet-commerce-on-shabbos.htmlhttp://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/salt-shemot/16-9beshalach.htmhttp://www.haretzion.org/tabory.htmhttp://dafyomi.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/archives/matot.htm).
Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen was the editor of the Vilna Edition Shas, where he pored through various manuscripts to verify and establish an accurate version of the Talmud sans the mistakes so prevalent in previous editions of the Talmud. As a critical scholar, Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen researched the text of Ketuvim
based on various writings of the Vilna Gaon
.
Rabbi Shlomo HaCohen was allegedly an enthusiastic supporter of the Mizrachi
Religious Zionism
movement http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2005/05/religious-zionism-debate-v.htmlhttp://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/about/visitorcomments/comment_details.cfm?ItemNo=1247.
Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen was a great-grandfather of Rabbi Nochum Partzovitz
.
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
(decider of Jewish Law) of Vilna.
In 1828, Shlomo was born to Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaCohen, a dayan in the rabbinic court in Vilna. As a young child, Shlomo was known for his diligence and devotion to Torah study. When Shlomo was thirteen years old, he became deathly sick and his doctors told him that he must stop studying Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
because the intensity of his studies was adversely affecting his weak heart. Nonetheless, Shlomo refused to relent, and continued to study Torah, as he reasoned that Torah is his life. At the age of 18, Rabbi Shlomo began writing his legalistic decisions and published them under the title Reishit Bikkurim (ראשית ביכורים).
HaKohen's glosses on the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
were published in the Vilna Edition Shas
Vilna Edition Shas
The Vilna Edition of the Talmud, printed in Vilna , Lithuania, is by far the most common printed edition of the Talmud still in use today as the basic text for Torah study in yeshivas and by all scholars of Judaism....
under the name "Cheshek Shlomo" (חשק שלמה). Rabbi Shlomo's halachik reponsa
History of Responsa
History of responsa in Judaism spans a period of 1,700 years. Responsa constitute a special class of rabbinic literature, differing in form, but not necessarily in content, from Rabbinic commentaries devoted to the exegesis of the Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and halakha...
were published under the title "Binyan Shlomo" (שו"ת בנין שלמה).
HaKohen was a childhood friend of Rabbi Alexander Moshe Lapidus, also a native of Vilna. Rabbi Shlomo also corresponded with Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini
Chaim Hezekiah Medini
Chaim Hezekiah Medini, , also known by the title of his chief halakhic work, Sdei Chemed- was a rabbinical scholar during the nineteenth century. His name was originally Hezekiah, Chaim, "life", was added during a period of serious illness...
, who frequently praised and quoted from Rabbi Shlomo in his magnum opus, Sdei Chemed.
His responsa are considered quite eminent in terms of authority and they are frequently quoted(e.g. http://books.google.com/books?id=03u10D4r5ekC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=shlomo+hakohen+of+vilna&source=bl&ots=xAbWoU6cCg&sig=zxCN5c4g-OHLjfohHvTas5uBREU&hl=en&ei=VlS_S5LTLIb8ngf80OmuCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CB4Q6AEwBzgK#v=onepage&q=shlomo%20hakohen%20of%20vilna&f=falsehttp://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2005/11/internet-commerce-on-shabbos.htmlhttp://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/salt-shemot/16-9beshalach.htmhttp://www.haretzion.org/tabory.htmhttp://dafyomi.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/archives/matot.htm).
Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen was the editor of the Vilna Edition Shas, where he pored through various manuscripts to verify and establish an accurate version of the Talmud sans the mistakes so prevalent in previous editions of the Talmud. As a critical scholar, Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen researched the text of Ketuvim
Ketuvim
Ketuvim or Kəṯûḇîm in actual Biblical Hebrew is the third and final section of the Tanak , after Torah and Nevi'im . In English translations of the Hebrew Bible, this section is usually entitled "Writings" or "Hagiographa"...
based on various writings of the Vilna Gaon
Vilna Gaon
Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kramer, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew acronym Gra or Elijah Ben Solomon, , was a Talmudist, halachist, kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic Jewry of the past few centuries...
.
Rabbi Shlomo HaCohen was allegedly an enthusiastic supporter of the Mizrachi
Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
movement http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2005/05/religious-zionism-debate-v.htmlhttp://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/about/visitorcomments/comment_details.cfm?ItemNo=1247.
Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen was a great-grandfather of Rabbi Nochum Partzovitz
Nochum Partzovitz
Nochum Partzovitz was a rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir and is known worldwide for erudite explanations of Talmudic topics.Partzovitz was born in Trakai, Poland to its Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Aryeh Tzvi Partzovitz...
.
External links
- Responsa Binyan Shlomo (Volume 1, Volume 2)
- Responsa Atzei Broshim (on Yoreh Deah)