Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv - The Last Kabbalist

Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv (1841-27 Adar 1926) - "The Last Kabbalist" - as the Chazon Ish called him. He was not just fluent in every aspect of the kabbalistic tradition but was able to teach some of the most complicated concepts in the most simple of terms.

His most famous work is known as the "Leshem Shvo Ve'Achlama" referring to the three stones in the third row, found in the breastplate (Chosen Mishpat) that the Kohen Gadol wore. Amazingly this line from Parshat Pekudei (Exodus 39:12) - which we read this week - usually falls in the week of the Yahrtzeit or just after! 

He is the grandfather of the late Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv who was Niftar in 2012 at the age of 102! 

I have heard the following story and read it in a book - though all things considered I have questioned its authenticity. If anybody knows of the truth or falsehood of this story (and why perhaps it even came about or how) please let me know:

A story that goes back some 105 odd years is told about a lady who lived in the centre of Jerusalem. One day she was cleaning her and her husband's garments. In those days, there were no fancy washing machines nor driers. After hand-washing the items one by one taking much time, she hung them on the main outside line in the courtyard shared by many other neighbours.

A neighbour of hers who was upset by / about something cut the washing line and the freshly laundered garments fell into the dirty mud below. The lady - whose name was Chaya Moussia - picked them up one by one - only to have to clean them all again! 

When her husband returned, she said nothing of the despicable story that had occurred. 

The same day, the lady who had recklessly cut the washing line returned home to find her son with an immensely bad fever. She was in a state, and not knowing what to do, she made her way immediately to the Rabbi of Jerusalem - Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld! He enquired from her, if perhaps she had done something bad that day that may have warranted the possibility of such a punishment being imposed upon her from Above. She told the Rav that indeed she had caused much aggravation to a neighbour by soiling her washed clothing... 

He told the woman that without any delay - she was to go to the lady and ask forgiveness, and that he would go together with her. They knocked on the door and were greeted by the warm smile of Chaya Moussia. Her husband - Rabbi Avraham - came to the door as he heard some commotion going on. He asked about the visit and was told about the story that had occurred that day. 

"Do you mean to say," Rabbi Sonnenfeld asked the the husband, "that you knew nothing of the event?" The husband replied that indeed his wife had not so much as whispered a word! The wife on her side had preferred not to speak words of Lashon Hara and had kept quiet! 

So impressed was Rabbi Sonnenfeld with her behaviour and her spiritual beauty, he asked her if there was anything she needed in her life. She told him that since she was already "old in days" and not blessed with children, that she wanted only one thing... a child! 

With that, Rabbi Sonnenfeld gave his blessing and the couple were blessed shortly thereafter with a son... That son, and grandson of the Leshem - Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv who had only one daughter - was none other than Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, the great Posek of our generation!!! (Indeed his first name was named for the Rabbi who gave the blessing!) 

Amazingly, Rabbi Shlomo had only one daughter (who it seemed would never "bear fruit",) but it is known that at the time that his grandson died, he (the grandson - Rabbi Yosef Shalom) was blessed with more than 1000 descendants!!! 

Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv was truly one of the last of the real kabbalists around. His daughter is buried in the Sanhedria cemetery - almost right next to the Tzaddik Rabbi Aryeh Levin - whose daughter married her son! 

We go there often to pray...

Destitute - A Meditation

A recent conversation had me thinking about a terrifying situation in life (may we not have to know of it.) The word "destitute" came up. I haven't consciously paid attention to it recently. On the contrary, words like "poor" or "lacking" - words so much more clinical in nature - are more the norm for today's society. "Destitute" on the other hand tells it all - no holds barred!

The Free Dictionary defines destitute as, "utterly lacking, devoid," and "lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished". I was thinking of that other cruel sounding word which many "with means" are so fond of using, "indigent," to refer to someone considered to be a lost cause to the world, hopeless, and often even a waste to society (G-d forbid.) At least this is the way I've always heard it in the conversations I've been involved in.

I considered in my own mind the super abundance we seem to be living with, with most people oblivious to the reality of things. Sure in today's times, we are all poor. Nobody has any money. We're all suffering. The cliche's and platitudes continue ad nauseum. One dare never point this out to those making such original, caring statements, lest they bark up another dozen insults at the other's way of living. And then, just after their ingenious brilliance at the terrible state of life affairs, they'll continue with the importance of the next vacation they're planning for at least three weeks at the coast. They'll be sharing how their latest smartphone - just two months old, has already seen it's last - and it's time to upgrade! They might even laugh at their silliness at having dropped the last one down the toilet (a feat I have never understood,) and the necessity of purchasing a new one without delay! But the phone is not the only necessity. Today one needs the laptop (constantly updated!) for meetings, the Tablet (for ease of carrying around) and the electronic book reader - wherever one goes. All of course - for those in this senseless crazy situation of dire poverty!

I was thinking about the "greatness" of our generation today. Many commit themselves to an hour or so a day of introspective meditation. Feet folded a certain way. Hands positioned just right. Breathing - in absolute and perfect control. The relaxation is said to assist them with all of life's trials and challenges and help them to relax - so that perhaps they can get back into paragraph 3 again.

I considered the power of one of my favourite Torah books - Shaarei Kedusha (Gates of Holiness) written by Rabbi Chaim Vital and containing the secrets of some of the deepest levels of meditation available. The work may be a short one, but the effort needed in attaining these sublime levels of holiness can mean a lifetime of work. Not the kind mentioned in Paragraphs 3 or 4, but the kind related to that very word "Destitute". When one can truly understand it. When one can hear it, listen to it, and be so affected, that when one arises after having considered the total depth of despair another may feel when they are indeed destitute - that one can think of nothing less than doing whatever one can to assist them to succeed in life again - to have, just like everyone else does, to be able to live like others who do, and who themselves can become givers to others too.

Call it new-wave meditation if you like. It's something about hearing the reality of a situation. It's about being able to calm oneself enough - not for simple relaxation - but in order to listen and in order to hear the difficulty another may be going through (or if you like, to experience their joy too when the time comes!) When one arises after the session, the reality is so great, that it leaves nothing less, than the need to act in action. This is true holiness. It is true greatness. It is the most real of meditations possible because it affects oneself - and it affects another. It's not just something to think about. It's something to actually do.

Not for nothing does the Torah teach, "Action is the main thing!"

Planting a Seed - For Eternity

It's one of those strange things about life... With all the hustle and bustle of today's times, we're all focused on getting on with our own careers - you know - making whatever we're able to, so that we can take care of ourselves. The Talmud tells us the story of Choni HaMaagel - Choni the Circle-drawer who was not only famous for praying for rain when the town needed it - but was also famous for falling asleep for 70 years to awaken and find the world still carrying on as usual. The only thing that seemed to have changed was a tree that had sprouted up next to him. Some 70 years before he had "scoffed" when he noticed an old man planting a carob tree, knowing it would take some 70 years before any benefit could be had from it. When he asked the old man what in the world he was doing, because surely he wouldn't be alive at that time when real benefit could be had from it, the man answered that he was planting for the next generation - because after all, wasn't it the previous generation who planted for them to enjoy the fruits that they now eat from?!

Though we certainly must focus on ourselves, there's a far deeper message with Choni and even the cartoon above. In most instances, we'll find that much of life brings us what others have already left us. It's the greatness of the father planting a seed with his son and watering it daily that's going to count so many years later for his son. One day, there will be a large tree (with fruit too!) all thanks to the father. But the son will also have learnt a great lesson. He too must add something. Even a tree can have something more added - that will bring even further happiness for even the next generation. That son, may well add a swing for his child and attach it to the tree. I guess his child will enjoy both tree and swing, learn the lesson and find himself being able to add something even further.

It all begins with the intial seed though. It's about seeing to it, that wherever one is, that seed is planted so that the tree will grow somewhere - so that when the time comes, the next generation will have something even better. That's a great lesson a "Dad" can teach his "Son." It's a lesson for us all. We can't always do everything on our own - but with the right "inheritance" and guidance, we'll not only get to enjoy what a previous generation gave to us - but be able to give over something even greater!