Weekly Chasidic Story #953 (s5776-25 / 20 Adar A 5776)

The Unknown Rabbinical Authority

When the wife of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach passed away after 54 years of marriage, he was heard to utter the most remarkable words at her funeral.

Connection: Seasonal-21st yahrzeit of R. Shlomo-Zalman

 

The Unknown Rabbinical Authority

Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman Auerbach was born and spent his entire life in the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood of Central Jerusalem. His father, Rabbi Chaim Yehudah Leib Auerbach was a leading Kabbbalist of his generation and the founder and first head of the Kabbalah Yeshiva, Sha'ar HaShamayim.
R. Shlomo-Zalman became one of the most knowledgeable and important decisors of Jewish law in Israel in the latter half of the 20th century. Jews from across the spectrum of observance and, famously, from the secular academic, medical and scientific communities as well, flocked to his home for "daat Torah" - authoritative Torah perspective on all aspects of life.

He was beloved by all who knew and knew of him. Local police estimated that at least 300,000 people attended his funeral. As he was relatively unknown to the general Israeli public, the secular public was astounded by the turnout. Media reporters searched through their encyclopedias and computerized newspaper archives for information about him and why he merited such respect. However, the encyclopedias did not mention him at all, and his name appeared in the archives a few times, incidentally.

This oversight stunned the journalists, many of whom admitted being ashamed of their ignorance.

Rabbi Meir Lau, then the chief rabbi of Israel, received a phone call from a reporter in a helicopter asking who was this person that 300,000 people came out for. Rabbi Lau answered that part of his greatness was precisely that so many people did not know anything about him. He refused to go to any event with a political overtone and was accepted by all the religious communities.


* * *

After 54 years of marriage, his wife, Chaya-Rivkah, passed away in 1994. At her funeral R. Shlomo-Zalman was heard to utter the following remarkable words: "It is customary to request forgiveness from the deceased. However, I have nothing to ask you forgiveness for. During the course of our marriage never did anything occur that would require either of us to ask the other's forgiveness…"

When Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman passed away one year later, a beggar in his neighbor-hood sobbed in anguish: "Now who will say 'good morning' to me every day?"

During the mourning period, the Auerbach family recounted a story that occurred one night at a very late hour. A knock was heard on the door of their home in Shaarei Chesed. A chassan and kallah (bride and groom) entered, neither of whom were from religious homes, with a difficult question. Their wedding was a week away, and it had suddenly been revealed that the kallah was disqualified for marriage according to Jewish law [through no fault of her own - a problem of lineage -ed.], and it was forbidden for them to marry.

They imploringly questioned Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman, "What should we do?" The leading authority in Jewish Law gestured with his hands in despair that there was nothing he could do.

Then he turned to the forlorn couple and said, "You're asking me what to do, and I know that there's nothing to be done; how can I provide permission for someone forbidden to marry? There is only one thing in my power to do for you: I can cry."

The acclaimed Torah scholar took all of his Torah which he learned his entire lifetime, all the holiness of his heart and all the purity of his soul, and burst out in heart-rending weeping.

Less than twenty-four hours later, the chassan and kallah appeared again at the Auerbach home. They told the rabbi that a man had suddenly arrived from Argentina who knew the kallah's family well. He testified that the information they had received previously was false and that the kallah was not forbidden to marry!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shortly before Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman passed away he advised a young family member, "Learn well. Eat well. Sleep well. And always smile."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Sources: Compiled and adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from //shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon (Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen)
//ou.org/jewish_action/02/2014/gentle-giant-rabbi-shlomo-zalman-auerbach-ztl/
//revach.net/stories/story-corner/Rav-Shlomo-Zalman-Auerbach-All-I-Can-Do-For-You-Is-Cry/1264 (as translated from Aleinu Leshabeach)

Biographical note:
Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman Auerbach [23 Tamuz 5670 - 20 Adar, 5755 (July 1910 - March 1995 C.E.)] was born and spent his entire life in the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood of Central Jerusalem. He was one of the most knowledgeable and important decisors of Jewish law in Israel in his generation. Religious Jews from across the spectrum of observance and, famously, from the secular academic, medical and scientific communities as well, flocked to his home for Torah perspective on all aspects of life. Local police estimated that at least 300,000 people attended his funeral.

Editor's note: A well-written biography in English of Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman Auerbach is "And From Jerusalem His Word" by Hanoch Teller (Feldheim).

Connection: Seasonal-Monday, 20 Adar (2016: Feb. 29) is the 5th yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo-Zalman Auerbach.



Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

To receive the Story by e-mail every Wednesday--sign up here!

A 48 page soft-covered booklet containing eleven of his most popular stories may be ordered on our store site.

 

FLASH! "Saturday Night, Full Moon" by the first of 3 books by Yerachmiel Tilles, the Ascent storyteller, featuring 33 of his best stories, is

now available for purchase--through ASCENT-in-Safed or the publishers
Want to see our preview, which now includes feedback, approbations and the spectacular cover?


back to Top   back to this year's Story Index   Stories home page   Stories Archives
Redesign and implementation - By WEB-ACTION