Rav Shlomo Eiger of Lublin zt"l
הרב שלמה בן אברהם איגר זצ"ל
Tammuz 3 , 5700
Rav Shlomo Eiger of Lublin zt"l
Rav Shlomo was born in 5630/1870. He was the oldest son of Rav Avrohom of Lublin, the Shevet Yehuda, who was the son of the first Lubliner Rebbe, Rav Yehudah Leib (Leibel’eh) Eiger, grandson of Rav Akiva Eiger and a close talmid of Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izhbitza.
Rav Leibel’eh established his court in Lublin, where it remained the chief Chassidic group in the town until World War II.
In 5647/1887, at the age of fifteen, Rav Shlomo married the daughter of the noggid Reb Alter Wallerstein of Krushnik. There, he became unofficial leader of the local Chassidim and organized the building of a new shtiebel for the hundreds of Lubliner Chassidim in town.
When the years of his father-in-law’s support came to an end, Rav Shlomo refused to accept any community assistance; instead, he opened a successful fabric business, to which he devoted only a fragment of his time, utilizing every available opportunity for learning.
After the Shevet Yehuda was niftar, on 22 Teves 5674/1914, his Chassidim begged Rav Shlomo to take over, but he refused. Instead, Rav Shlomo’s younger brother, Rav Azriel Meir, began leading the Chassidim in Lublin.
But many Chassidim, especially those in Krushnik, refused to give up, and eventually they succeeded.
Rav Shlomo, a lamdan, was known for his insight; his advice was sound even in mundane matters. In addition, his expertise in medicine, as well as his connections to the best doctors in Lublin and Warsaw, enabled him to give medical advice.
Rav Shlomo refused to accept pidyonos for himself. He donated all the money he received to the impoverished and he refused to take anything at all from poor people. He did not dress in rabbinical garb.
During World War I, Rav Shlomo relocated to nearby Lublin, and took over his father’s beis medrash.
One of his greatest aversions was the secular Lubliner Tagblatt. He announced that anyone who read it had no place in his beis medrash.
When Rav Meir Shapiro, proposed the concept of what later became Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin, Rav Shlomo became one of his chief supporters, helping to establish the yeshiva.
Rav Shlomo also helped Rav Meir to be elected Chief Rav of Lublin, a position he took up on 29 Sivan 5690/1930, the day his famous yeshiva opened. During the next four years, Rav Meir constantly went to Rav Shlomo for advice and assistance, especially toward the end of Rav Meir’s life, when the yeshiva’s financial situation became desperate.
After Rav Meir’s sudden petira in Cheshvan 5694/1933, the yeshiva was left leaderless and with a mountain of debt. At this critical juncture, Rav Shlomo accepted the responsibility for the yeshiva’s debts and traveled around Poland on a fund-raising drive.
Rav Shlomo inherited one of the largest libraries in Poland from his grandfather and great-grandfather. It was said that he never bought a sefer without going through it once or twice and acquainting himself with its contents.
On 17 Elul 5699/September 1, 1939, the Germans attacked Lublin and thousands were killed and wounded in the battle.
After the Yamim Nora’im of 5700/1939, Rav Shlomo underwent an operation, but the surgery was unsuccessful and he was niftar on 3 Tammuz 5700/1940. He was buried in Warsaw, with thousands still able to participate in his levaya.
His sons were Rav Yehudah Leib, Rav Akiva, Rav Yehoshua Simchah Yitzchok and Rav Shalom. His sons-in-law were Rav Avrohom Noach Abramowitz, Rav Chaim Fishel Silman and Rav Shaul Rapaport of Bilitz. All his descendants were killed during World War II.
Hashem yinkom damam.
Zechuso yagen aleinu.
www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-3-tammuzjuly-1/