Solomon Eliezer Alfandari
Encyclopedia
Solomon Eliezer Alfandari (1820–1930), also known as the Saba Kadisha ("Holy Grandfather"), was a distinguished rabbi
, kabbalist
and rosh yeshiva
in his native home of Constantinople
, and later served as Chief Rabbi
of Damascus
, Syria, and Safed
, Israel. He was known for his stringent interpretation of halakha
and his uncompromising dedication to Torah
values.
-controlled Constantinople in 1820 (others date his birth around 1826) to a distinguished family of Torah scholars
. His father, Yaakov, was a Talmud
ic scholar; his grandfather, Rabbi Ḥayyim ben Yaakov Alfandari, authored Maggid MiReishit, and his great-grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov ben Ḥayyim Alfandari
, authored Mutzal MiEish. His mother, Chana, also came from an illustrious family.
As a youth, Solomon Eliezer was noted for his sharp understanding of Torah subjects. Yet he refused to accept a rabbinical position or to wear the customary dress of the city's sages. He did agree to join the Vaad Haruchani (Spiritual Council) of Constantinople, and accepted the position of rosh yeshiva in a yeshiva which the city's Jews founded for him. In the latter post, he taught many outstanding scholars, including Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini
, later known as the Sdei Chemed.
The issue at hand was the drafting of Jewish soldiers into the sultan
's army, a decree fraught with spiritual peril. Originally, the Jews who had fled the Spanish Inquisition
to the Ottoman Empire
were exempted from the army by the sultan. In Rabbi Solomon Eliezer's day, however, a new sultan, Abdul Hamid II
, decreed that all non-Muslim
s must enlist.
The city's rabbis tried to reverse the edict, without success. Eventually they decided to accept the decree rather than provoke the authorities. The Vaad Haruchani issued a directive urging the region's Jews to go ahead and enlist.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was the only one who protested this course of action. At the Vaad meeting, he declared, "Since serving in the Turkish army involves Shabbat
desecration and the defiling of oneself with nonkosher
food, enlisting in the army is considered a Chillul Hashem
. We must not yield to Sultan Abdul Hamid. If we are firm, Hashem
will help us." After this declaration, he burst into tears.
One of the community's wealthy members had some influence in the sultan's court. Yet this Jew, too, backed the draft decree. One day, as this man visited the palace to oversee certain aspects of the decree, he fell unconscious and died.
The next day, a huge gathering assembled at the wealthy man's funeral. At that time, it was customary for Rabbi Solomon Eliezer to deliver the first eulogy at every funeral, and no one dared precede him. But today, Rabbi Solomon Eliezer stayed home. Community representatives came to plead with him to speak, or at least to let others speak without him, but he refused. The sons of the wealthy man came to offer him a large sum of money which he could use for tzedaka, but still he refused. "Yesterday I visited your father and asked him not to collaborate with the sultan," the rabbi explained. "But he defied me. Therefore, I cannot honor him."
In the end, none of the city's rabbis eulogized the man.
Sultan Abdul Hamid was furious when he heard about Rabbi Solomon Eliezer's efforts to cancel the draft decree. He summoned the rabbi to the palace, intending to punish him for inciting the Jews against him. But when the sultan met the rabbi and heard his position, he was very impressed with him. He even granted him the title of Hakham Bashi
, with the power to issue edicts in the Jewish community.
In the end, the draft was not enforced due to internal conflicts in the royal court.
in Sephardic communities in the region.
, but then accepted the invitation of the Torah leaders of Safed
to serve as their Chief Rabbi, a position he held until 1918.
The story is told that when Rabbi Solomon Eliezer went outside to bless the new moon
with his congregants at the beginning of the month of Nisan
5674 (April 1914), he looked up after completing the blessings, clapped his hands and cried loudly. He explained, "I see that a large-scale war will soon break out." Four months later, World War I began.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was able to relieve the water and food shortages faced by the Jews of Safed during World War I as a result of another encounter with a Turkish official. This time, a Turkish pasha
came to the city riding a white horse and dressed in a flashy uniform, with a retinue of Turkish soldiers. When the Saba Kadisha came out to greet him, the pasha was impressed by the rabbi's distinguished appearance, and asked him for a blessing.
"Only the humble can receive blessings," the rabbi replied. "I will bless you after you come down from your horse."
The pasha complied, and the rabbi blessed him: "May God help you in your efforts to see to the needs of the oppressed Jewish nation." As a result of that encounter, the pasha did arrange for food and water to be supplied to Safed's Jewish residents."
In 1918, rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
, a Breslover
Hasid
, became a personal attendant to rabbi Solomon Eliezer, who was living in Tiberias at the time. After seeing Odesser recite Tikkun Chatzot
one night, however, the Saba Kadisha refused to let him attend him anymore, and instead treated him as a young colleague.
. The Saba Kadisha held Rabbi Attiya in high esteem, and would always stand up for him when he visited.
In 1925, rabbi Solomon Eliezer developed a serious illness while in Tiberias. He refused to be treated in the local hospital, where the rules of tzniut
(modesty) were not meticulously observed, and was taken to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem instead. After he recovered, Jerusalem's sages begged him to stay in their city. He rented an apartment in the Ruchama neighborhood (today Mekor Baruch
).
Here he hosted meetings with many prominent Torah scholars who came to consult with him and speak with him in learning. These included: Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank
, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem; Rabbi Velvel Mintzberg, leader of the Ashkenazi
community in the Old Yishuv; Rabbi Avraham Weinberg of Slonim
, author of Birkas Avraham; and Rabbi Yitzchak Abuchatzeira, brother of the Baba Sali
and a Torah sage in his own right. Shortly before the Saba Kadisha's death, the Munkatcher Rebbe
, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira
, of Hungary
made a special trip to meet him. Theirs was considered an historic meeting between two worlds, the Sephardi genius of the Middle East and the Hasidic tradition of Eastern Europe.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer contracted pneumonia
in May 1930 and was treated by Dr. Moshe Wallach of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. His disease worsened, however, and he died on 20 May 1930 (22 Iyar
5690). His funeral was attended by thousands, as his students carried his casket on foot from his home all the way to Har HaZeitim. He was nearly 110 years old.
The street on which rabbi Solomon Eliezer lived in Jerusalem was named in his memory.
For example, he, like other Torah leaders, forbade the shaving of beards, even using scissors or depilatory cream
. He even refused to speak with a talmid chacham
who did not have a beard, even if the discussion concerned the Talmud
.
During his move from Syria to Palestine, the Saba Kadisha stopped off in Beirut
, where many questions were addressed to him regarding shmita (the laws of the Sabbatical year). His responses indicate that he strongly opposed the heter mechira which Israel's Chief Rabbinate had adopted to spare its farmers from loss.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was a strong opponent of the Zionist Nationalist Council (Vaad Haleumi), which, in British Mandate Palestine, automatically enlisted all Jews, unless they opted out. Rav Alfandari signed legal rulings obligating every Jew to opt out.
and halakhic rulings were published posthumously. These include:
His letters were collected in Masos Yerushalayim, Kumi Roni and Amudei Arazim.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, kabbalist
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
and rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
in his native home of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and later served as Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria, and Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, Israel. He was known for his stringent interpretation of halakha
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
and his uncompromising dedication to 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...
values.
Early life
The Saba Kadisha was born in OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
-controlled Constantinople in 1820 (others date his birth around 1826) to a distinguished family of Torah scholars
Talmid Chacham
Talmid Chacham is an honorific title given to one well versed in Jewish law, in effect, a Torah scholar....
. His father, Yaakov, was a 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....
ic scholar; his grandfather, Rabbi Ḥayyim ben Yaakov Alfandari, authored Maggid MiReishit, and his great-grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov ben Ḥayyim Alfandari
Jacob ben Hayyim Alfandari
Jacob ben Ḥayyim Alfandari was a talmudic writer and rabbi in Istanbul in the 17th century. In 1686, he refers to himself as an old man...
, authored Mutzal MiEish. His mother, Chana, also came from an illustrious family.
As a youth, Solomon Eliezer was noted for his sharp understanding of Torah subjects. Yet he refused to accept a rabbinical position or to wear the customary dress of the city's sages. He did agree to join the Vaad Haruchani (Spiritual Council) of Constantinople, and accepted the position of rosh yeshiva in a yeshiva which the city's Jews founded for him. In the latter post, he taught many outstanding scholars, including 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...
, later known as the Sdei Chemed.
Fighting the draft
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer displayed his willingness to take a firm stand in a highly-charged political situation which found him challenging the views of his entire community.The issue at hand was the drafting of Jewish soldiers into the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's army, a decree fraught with spiritual peril. Originally, the Jews who had fled the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
were exempted from the army by the sultan. In Rabbi Solomon Eliezer's day, however, a new sultan, Abdul Hamid II
Abdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
, decreed that all non-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s must enlist.
The city's rabbis tried to reverse the edict, without success. Eventually they decided to accept the decree rather than provoke the authorities. The Vaad Haruchani issued a directive urging the region's Jews to go ahead and enlist.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was the only one who protested this course of action. At the Vaad meeting, he declared, "Since serving in the Turkish army involves Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
desecration and the defiling of oneself with nonkosher
Kashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
food, enlisting in the army is considered a Chillul Hashem
Chillul Hashem
Desecration of the Name meaning desecration of the names of God in Judaism, is a term used in Judaism particularly for any act or behavior that casts shame or brings disrepute to belief in God, any aspect of the Torah's teachings, Jewish law, or the Jewish community.-Hebrew Bible:The source for...
. We must not yield to Sultan Abdul Hamid. If we are firm, Hashem
Names of God in Judaism
In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...
will help us." After this declaration, he burst into tears.
One of the community's wealthy members had some influence in the sultan's court. Yet this Jew, too, backed the draft decree. One day, as this man visited the palace to oversee certain aspects of the decree, he fell unconscious and died.
The next day, a huge gathering assembled at the wealthy man's funeral. At that time, it was customary for Rabbi Solomon Eliezer to deliver the first eulogy at every funeral, and no one dared precede him. But today, Rabbi Solomon Eliezer stayed home. Community representatives came to plead with him to speak, or at least to let others speak without him, but he refused. The sons of the wealthy man came to offer him a large sum of money which he could use for tzedaka, but still he refused. "Yesterday I visited your father and asked him not to collaborate with the sultan," the rabbi explained. "But he defied me. Therefore, I cannot honor him."
In the end, none of the city's rabbis eulogized the man.
Sultan Abdul Hamid was furious when he heard about Rabbi Solomon Eliezer's efforts to cancel the draft decree. He summoned the rabbi to the palace, intending to punish him for inciting the Jews against him. But when the sultan met the rabbi and heard his position, he was very impressed with him. He even granted him the title of Hakham Bashi
Hakham Bashi
Hakham Bashi is the Turkish name for the Chief Rabbi of the nation's Jewish community.-History:The institution of the Hakham Bashi was established by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, as part of the millet system for governing exceedingly diverse subjects according to their own laws and authorities...
, with the power to issue edicts in the Jewish community.
In the end, the draft was not enforced due to internal conflicts in the royal court.
Damascus
In 1897, the Saba Kadisha decided to leave Constantinople to accept the position of Chief Rabbi of Damascus. Here he founded a yeshiva which produced dozens of students who served as rabbis and dayanimBeth din
A beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
in Sephardic communities in the region.
Safed
In 1904, at almost 90 years of age, he immigrated to Israel. At first he lived for several years in the city of HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, but then accepted the invitation of the Torah leaders of Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
to serve as their Chief Rabbi, a position he held until 1918.
The story is told that when Rabbi Solomon Eliezer went outside to bless the new moon
Kiddush Levana
Kiddush levana is a Jewish ritual in which observant Jews recite a series of prayers shortly after Rosh Chodesh, though it may be done until the moon is full. The ritual is done at night when the moon is shining. The ritual may be performed from three days after the molad; others wait a full seven...
with his congregants at the beginning of the month of Nisan
Nisan
Nisan is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian; in the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe. It is a spring month of 30 days...
5674 (April 1914), he looked up after completing the blessings, clapped his hands and cried loudly. He explained, "I see that a large-scale war will soon break out." Four months later, World War I began.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was able to relieve the water and food shortages faced by the Jews of Safed during World War I as a result of another encounter with a Turkish official. This time, a Turkish pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
came to the city riding a white horse and dressed in a flashy uniform, with a retinue of Turkish soldiers. When the Saba Kadisha came out to greet him, the pasha was impressed by the rabbi's distinguished appearance, and asked him for a blessing.
"Only the humble can receive blessings," the rabbi replied. "I will bless you after you come down from your horse."
The pasha complied, and the rabbi blessed him: "May God help you in your efforts to see to the needs of the oppressed Jewish nation." As a result of that encounter, the pasha did arrange for food and water to be supplied to Safed's Jewish residents."
In 1918, rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser
Yisroel Ber Odesser
Rabbi Yisroel Dov Ber Odesser , also known as Reb Odesser or Sabba , was a Breslover Hasid and rabbi who claimed to have received a "Letter From Heaven" sent directly to him by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who had died 112 years earlier, revealing to him a new remedy for relieving the world's...
, a Breslover
Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)
Breslov is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism...
Hasid
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
, became a personal attendant to rabbi Solomon Eliezer, who was living in Tiberias at the time. After seeing Odesser recite Tikkun Chatzot
Tikkun Chatzot
Tikkun Chatzot is a Jewish ritual of lamentation that is recited after midnight in memory of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a highly praiseworthy observance which is not universally observed. Over the past few years, there have been attempts to revive the custom of Tikkun...
one night, however, the Saba Kadisha refused to let him attend him anymore, and instead treated him as a young colleague.
Jerusalem
In his final years, rabbi Solomon Eliezer suffered many ailments, for which he sought medical treatment in Jerusalem. Although he tried to travel incognito, many Torah leaders desired to meet him when they found out he was in their city. One of these gedolim was Rabbi Ezra Attiya, who later became rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef YeshivaPorat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva is a leading Sephardic yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, with locations in both the Old City and the Geula neighborhood.-History:...
. The Saba Kadisha held Rabbi Attiya in high esteem, and would always stand up for him when he visited.
In 1925, rabbi Solomon Eliezer developed a serious illness while in Tiberias. He refused to be treated in the local hospital, where the rules of tzniut
Tzniut
Tzniut is a term used within Judaism and has its greatest influence as a concept within Orthodox Judaism...
(modesty) were not meticulously observed, and was taken to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem instead. After he recovered, Jerusalem's sages begged him to stay in their city. He rented an apartment in the Ruchama neighborhood (today Mekor Baruch
Mekor Baruch
Mekor Baruch is a neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel.The neighborhood is bordered by Sarei Israel Street to the north, the Jerusalem Central Bus Station to the west, Jaffa Street to the south and the Zikhron Moshe neighborhood to the east....
).
Here he hosted meetings with many prominent Torah scholars who came to consult with him and speak with him in learning. These included: Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank
Tzvi Pesach Frank
Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank was a renowned halachic scholar and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for several decades.-Biography:...
, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem; Rabbi Velvel Mintzberg, leader of the Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
community in the Old Yishuv; Rabbi Avraham Weinberg of Slonim
Slonim (Hasidic dynasty)
Slonim is a Hasidic dynasty originating in the town of Slonim, which is now in Belarus.Today, there are two Slonimer Rebbes, both in Israel: one resides in Jerusalem and the other in Bnei Brak...
, author of Birkas Avraham; and Rabbi Yitzchak Abuchatzeira, brother of the Baba Sali
Baba Sali
After this incident, the Jewish population of Tafilalt fled to the nearby city of Arfoud, and then to the city of Boudnib. In Bodniv, Rabbi Yisrael was asked to succeed his brother as rav, but he refused. He wanted to travel to Palestine to print his brother's sefarim...
and a Torah sage in his own right. Shortly before the Saba Kadisha's death, the Munkatcher Rebbe
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira
Chaim Elazar Spira
Rabbi Chaim Elazar Spira was one of the rebbes of the Hasidic movement Munkacz .-Family background:...
, of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
made a special trip to meet him. Theirs was considered an historic meeting between two worlds, the Sephardi genius of the Middle East and the Hasidic tradition of Eastern Europe.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer contracted pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in May 1930 and was treated by Dr. Moshe Wallach of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. His disease worsened, however, and he died on 20 May 1930 (22 Iyar
Iyar
Iyar is the eighth month of the civil year and the second month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. The name is Babylonian in origin. It is a spring month of 29 days. Iyar usually falls in April–June on the Gregorian calendar.In the Hebrew Bible, before the Babylonian Exile, the...
5690). His funeral was attended by thousands, as his students carried his casket on foot from his home all the way to Har HaZeitim. He was nearly 110 years old.
The street on which rabbi Solomon Eliezer lived in Jerusalem was named in his memory.
Views
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was a firm defender of Torah values against all inroads.For example, he, like other Torah leaders, forbade the shaving of beards, even using scissors or depilatory cream
Chemical depilatory
A chemical depilatory is a cosmetic preparation used to remove the hair from the skin on the human body. Currently, a common active ingredient is calcium thioglycolate, which breaks down the disulphide bonds in keratin and weakens the hair so that it is easily scraped off where it emerges from the...
. He even refused to speak with a talmid chacham
Talmid Chacham
Talmid Chacham is an honorific title given to one well versed in Jewish law, in effect, a Torah scholar....
who did not have a beard, even if the discussion concerned 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....
.
During his move from Syria to Palestine, the Saba Kadisha stopped off in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, where many questions were addressed to him regarding shmita (the laws of the Sabbatical year). His responses indicate that he strongly opposed the heter mechira which Israel's Chief Rabbinate had adopted to spare its farmers from loss.
Rabbi Solomon Eliezer was a strong opponent of the Zionist Nationalist Council (Vaad Haleumi), which, in British Mandate Palestine, automatically enlisted all Jews, unless they opted out. Rav Alfandari signed legal rulings obligating every Jew to opt out.
Works
All of rabbi Solomon Eliezer's responsaResponsa
Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
and halakhic rulings were published posthumously. These include:
- She'eilot U'teshuvot MaHaRSHa, Yitzchak Nissim, ed., Jerusalem, 1932
- She'eilot U'teshuvot Saba Kadisha, D. Y. Weiss, ed., Jerusalem, 1973-4.
His letters were collected in Masos Yerushalayim, Kumi Roni and Amudei Arazim.