Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari zt"l
הרב שלמה אליעזר בן יעקב אלפנדרי זצ"ל
Iyar 22 , 5690
Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari zt"l
Background: The Saba Kadisha ("Holy Grandfather"), was a distinguished rav, kabbalist and rosh yeshiva in his native home of Constantinople, (now Turkey) and later served as Chief Rabbi of Damascus, Syria, and Beirut, Lebanon. He moved to Tzefas, Teveria and then Yerushalayim. He was known for his stringent interpretation of halacha and his uncompromising dedication to Orthodox Judaism.
The Saba Kadisha was born in Ottoman-controlled Constantinople about 1826 to a distinguished family of Talmidei Chachamim. His father, Yaakov, was a Talmud Chochem; his grandfather, Rav Ḥayyim ben Yaakov Alfandari, authored Maggid MiReishit, and his great-grandfather, Rav Yaakov ben Ḥayyim Alfandari, authored Mutzal MiEish. His mother, Chana, also came from an illustrious family.
As a youth, Shlomo 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 talmidei chachamim, including Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini, later known as the Sdei Chemed.
Damascus: In 1897, the Saba Kadisha decided to leave Constantinople to accept the position of Chief Rabbi of Damascus. There he founded a yeshiva which produced dozens of students who served as rabbis and dayanim in Sephardic communities in the region.
Tzefas: In 1904, he immigrated to Palestine. At first he lived for several years in the city of Haifa, but then accepted the invitation of the Torah leaders of Tzefas to serve as their Chief Rabbi, a position he held until 1918.
Rav Yisroel Ber Odesser: In 1918, Rav Yisroel Ber Odesser, a Breslover Chassid, became a personal attendant to Rav Shlomo Eliezer, who was living in Teveria at the time. After seeing Rav 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.
Yerushalayim: In his final years, Rav Alfandari suffered many ailments, for which he sought medical treatment in Yerushalayim. 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 Rav Ezra Attiya, who later became rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef Yeshiva. The Saba Kadisha held Rav Attiya in high esteem, and would always stand up for him when he visited.
In 1925, Rav Alfandari developed a serious illness while in Teveria. He refused to be treated in the local hospital, where the rules of tzniut (modesty) were not meticulously observed and was taken to Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Yerushalayim instead. After he recovered, Yerushalayim's sages begged him to stay in their city. He rented an apartment in the Ruchama neighborhood (today Mekor Baruch, near Zichron Moshe.)
Here he hosted meetings with many prominent Torah scholars who came to consult with him and speak with him in learning. These included: Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem; Rav Velvel Mintzberg, leader of the Ashkenazi community in the Old Yishuv; Rav Avraham Weinberg of Slonim, author of Birkas Avraham; and Rav Yitzchak Abuchatzeira, brother of the Baba Sali and a Torah sage in his own right.
Views and Chumrahs: It is no wonder the Saba Kadisha and the Minchas Eluzer had much in common. Like Aharon Hakohein, ‘Shelo Shina’ who did not change, both led their flock with ‘old world values’ and refused to adapt to many ‘modern’ societal changes.
The Saba Kadisha 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. Legend has it that he would not allow any single men to enter his room and would have them sent away with the message to get married. In his youth he traded Torah letters with Rabbi Akiva Eiger. He was very carefull to wake up Chatzos each night and cry over the Churban.
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.
Like the Minchas Eluzer, the Saba Kadisha was a strong opponent of the Zionist Nationalist Council, which, in British Mandate Palestine, automatically enlisted all Jews, unless they opted out. Rav Alfandari signed legal rulings obligating every Jew to opt out.
The Sun Sets: Rav Alfandari contracted pneumonia in May 1930 and was treated by the famed Dr. Moshe Wallach of Shaarei Zedek Hospital. His disease worsened, however, and he passed away May 20, 1930 / 22 Iyar 5690. His levaya was attended by thousands, as his talmidim carried his aron on foot from his home all the way to Har Hazeisim-the Mount of Olives. He was over a hundred years old. The street on which he lived in Yerushalayim was named in his memory.
Published Works: All of Rav Shloma Eliezer's responsa and halachic rulings were published posthumously. These include: She'eilot U'teshuvot MaHaRSHa, (Yitzchak Nissim, Jerusalem 1932); She'eilot U'teshuvot Saba Kadisha, (D. Y. Weiss, Jerusalem, 1973-4.); His letters were collected in Masos Yerushalayim, Kumi Roni and Amudei Arazim.
May the merit of the Holy Tzadik Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari protect us all.
Yehi Zichro Baruch!
Author’s note: This article is being presented as part of The Monsey Mevaser ‘Jerusalem Personalities’ series. The author gleaned this tribute information from related articles in the Jewish media and The Eternal Light. Zechuso Yagen Aleinu!
Stories of Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari zt"l
“Warm yourself by the fire of the Sages but beware lest you be burned by their coals; their bite is like a fox, their sting like a scorpion and their words are fiery coals” (Avos 2:15).
Rav Ovadia Yosef used to illustrate our Mishna with the following story about the chief Rav of Constantinople, the Saba Kadisha, Rav Shlomo Alfandri:
After the Spanish Expulsion, Turkey was once of the countries that welcomed Jews in the hopes that their commerce would enrich her coffers. Among the relaxed laws enacted to welcome them was an exemption from army service so that Jewish young men would not be caused to desecrate Shabbos and be exposed to treif food and influences.
However, as time went on and the new sultan, Abid Al Hamid, emerged, he acted to conscript Jews into compulsory army service of the Ottoman Empire. Those Jews close to the ruler and his underlings sought to find favor in their eyes and they urged their Jewish brethren to comply with the sultan’s wishes. The body governing the Jews’ spiritual wellbeing was also in favor of army enlistment, and in the end the only obstacle was the Firman, a document that had been granted by the previous king to the Chacham Bashi, Rav Moshe HaLevi. Using the previous exemption, Rav Moshe HaLevi could prevent the enlistment of the Jews, and the pressure mounting against him was enormous. The Jews wanted to appease the new sultan and garner his favor and the favor of other government ministers, and chief among them was one of the wealthiest Jews in Constantinople, who was very close to the sultan. They all began to pressure the Chacham Bashi to relinquish the previous Firman of exemption and hand it back to the sultan.
One of the lone opposing voices that stood staunchly against enlistment was that of the chief Rav of Constantinople, Rav Shlomo Eliezer Alfandri. He argued that enlistment would cause mass chillul Shabbos and exposure to eating treif and foreign influences. When the sultan heard this he was enraged and he summoned Rav Alfandri. When the Rav came before Abed Al Hamid, the sultan was struck dumb by his holy appearance and dared not harm the Rav. However, the wealthy merchant from Constantinople continued to disagree with the Rav and sought all ways and means to ensure that army enlistment would become a reality. Finally, Rav Alfandri told him that if he would not give up and change his ways, his end would be bitter indeed. When the latter refused, the Rav turned away sadly and threatened him with one final stroke, declaring that Hashem would not forgive him for his actions.
The wealthy merchant left his home that day to head out to the sultan and find a way to achieve his goal, but he never made it there! As he crossed his own threshold he suffered heart failure and died on his own doorstep!
During the levaya, Rav Alfandri forbade anyone to eulogize the niftar. Even though the wealthy merchant’s son and other dignitaries and government officials begged the Rav to allow a hesped for the sake of the honor of the sultan and the man’s high rank and position, the Rav stood his ground and refused. “You talk of his honor and the sultan’s but I am an Eved Hashem; I stand for the honor of Hashem, Master and King of the World. It is His honor I seek and I will not change my mind or bend my will to you.” Even the hefty bribe of a purse full of money would not sway the Rav, and the man was buried in dishonor and disgrace.
Afterward, Rav Alfrandri was awarded by the sultan the title of Chacham Bashi, when he was appointed chief Rav of Damascus. There he ruled as Rav and Dayan with the legal backing of the authority of the sultan as well as the Torah and was thus able to run the Jewish community as he saw fit and punish any transgressors who would oppose him. (Anaf Etz Avos p. 136–7)
There is a well-known story related by the elders of Tzefas that one of the women who lived in close proximity to Rav Alfandri’s home was once on her roof porch on a hot summer day to cool off, as many did in the summer, when she became terrified at the sight of a fire blazing on Rav Alfandri’s roof and in his home! She ran quickly to seek help, and as she approached the Saba Kadisha’s home, Rav Alfandri’s talmid, Rav Aharon Ben Shimon, with whom he was engaged in Torah study, heard the commotion, and came out. Rav Ben Shimon assured the distraught woman that there was no danger and the blazing fire she had witnessed was the Aish Kodesh, the fiery flames of the intense Torah study they were engaged in at that time and what a zechus she had that she was zoche to witness it. He asked her to keep the matter a secret and she did so, not revealing this amazing fact until the Saba Kadisha had left this world. (Toras Aharon p. 17)
A Turkish Pasha once visited Tzefas and Rav Alfrandri’s reknown as a holy Rav from Constantinople drew him to seek the chief Rav’s blessing. “Please bless me,” requested the Pasha of the Chacham.
“My berochos require humility in order to be received,” answered the Saba Kadisha. “You must dismount from your horse and bow your head before me so that I may bless you.”
The Pasha agreed; he dismounted and bowed his head before Rav Alfandri and the Saba Kadisha blessed him that Hashem should grant the Pasha success on condition that he would work to benefit and safeguard his Jewish subjects. (Oros Mimizrach p. 147)
The elders of Tzefas used to tell how one of the nights during Chodesh Nissan, after Chacham Alfandri had concluded reciting the berocha of Kiddush Levona, they noticed that his gaze was drawn heavenward and his eyes gazed at some distant object. Then he clapped his hands in despair and sorrow and sighed a great heavy sigh of anguish. When asked what he saw that troubled him so, the Saba Kadisha responded, “I see drawing near a great war; soon an outbreak of war will strike the world harshly,” and not long afterward the First World War broke out. (Oros Mimizrach p. 147)
When the Munkaczer Rav, Rav Chaim Elozor Shapira, came to Eretz Yisrael, he traveled to Yerushalayim especially to meet with the Saba Kadisha, Rav Alfandri, who had now exceeded one hundred and ten years and who, after leaving the chief rabbinate of Tzefas, was living in the holy city.
During the visit, the Munkaczer conversed in Loshon Kodesh with a Sefardi accent so that the Saba Kadisha could understand him; the Rav had been practicing and he made of the elder Tzaddik and holy Rav a unique and wondrous request. He revealed that he had brought a holy, secret letter, an epistle, an igeres sesorim that he had inherited from the holy Komarna Tzaddik, Rav Yaakov Moshe Safrin, foretelling that the way to bring the Geula closer depended on the decree of the Tzaddik HaDor. If the Tzaddik HaDor would decree that Moshiach must come, then this would hasten the Geula. The Munkaczer Rav held that Rav Alfandri was worthy and on the level of someone who could make this decree! He then asked the Saba Kadisha to do so. However, Rav Alfandri refused, stating in his humility, “I am not a Tzaddik.” This conversation took place eight days before the Saba Kadisha left this world on the 22nd of Iyar. (Oros Mimizrach, page 153)
Rav Shlomo 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'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 Rav Shlomo Eliezer's day, however, a new sultan, Abdul Hamid II, decreed that all non-Muslims must enlist.
The city's rabbanim 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.
Rav Shlomo Eliezer was the only one who protested this course of action. At the Vaad meeting, he declared, "Since serving in the Turkish army involves Shabbos desecration and the defiling of oneself with non-kosher 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 Rav Shlomo Eliezer to deliver the first eulogy at every funeral, and no one dared precede him. But today, the Rav 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 rav 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 Rav Shlomo 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 Chacham 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.