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Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( Der Vilner Goen; ; or Elijah of Vilna; Sialiec, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, April 23, 1720Vilnius, Russian Empire, October 9, 1797), was a Lithuanian Jews , halakha, kabbalah, and the foremost leader of Misnagdim (non-Hasidic Judaism) Jewry of the past few centuries.
He is commonly referred to or by his Hebrew acronym גר״א Gr״a Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu "Our teacher Elijah the Genius", or in Modern Hebrew as ha-Gaon mi-Vilna "the genius from Vilnius".
Through his annotations and emendations of Talmudic and other texts, he became one of the most familiar and influential figures in rabbinic study since the Middle Ages. Although he is chronologically one of the Acharonim, some have considered him one of the Rishonim.
Large groups of people, including many , uphold the minhag (set customs and rites) named after him, and which is also considered by many to be the prevailing minhag among Ashkenazi Jews in Jerusalem today.
Born in Sielec in the Brest Litovsk Voivodeship (now Syalyets, Belarus), the Gaon displayed extraordinary talent while still a child. By the time he was twenty years old, rabbis were submitting their most difficult halakhic problems to him for legal rulings. He was a prolific author, writing such works as glosses on the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch known as Bi'urei ha-Gra "Elaborations by the Gra", a running commentary on the Mishnah, Shenoth Eliyahu "The Years of Elijah", and insights on the Torah entitled Adereth Eliyahu ("The Cloak of Elijah"), published by his son. Various Kabbalistic commentaries bear his name, and he wrote commentaries on the Book of Proverbs and other books of the Hebrew Bible later in life. None of his manuscripts was published in his lifetime.
When Hasidic Judaism became influential in his native town, the Vilna Gaon joined the Misnagdim, the rabbis and heads of Polish communities trying to curb Hasidic influence.
While he advocated studying branches of secular education such as mathematics to better understand rabbinic texts, he harshly condemned the study of philosophy and metaphysics.
His grandfather was Yissachar Dov, #24 in the book Mishpachat Rivlin. He died on 9 Adar 5496, as mentioned in Ma'alot HaTorah (1942), p. 2. the son of Rabbi Eliyahu Chassid,died on 21 Elul 5470, Kiryah Ne'emanah, by Shmuel Finn, Vilna 1915, p. 99, from the gravestone. after whom he was named. Eliyahu was the son of Moshe Kramer, rabbi of Vilne (now Vilnius),died on 12 Cheshvan 5448. See the introduction to the book Rosh Yosef, by his son-in-law Rabbi Yosef, Av Beit Din of Seltz and Tykocin. and his wife was the granddaughter of Moshe Rivkes, also a rabbi.HebrewBooks, Be'er HaGolah, 24323, First edition, Amsterdam 1662
Until the age of six, he studied under a rabbi. At that age, he delivered a derasha in the Great Synagogue of Vilna that his father had taught him. At the request of Heschel, the Av Beit Din of Vilne, he added his own scholarly discourse to demonstrate his ability to innovate independently.Introduction by the Vilna Gaon's sons to his commentary on the Shulchan Aruch. His book Shnot EliyahuBerakhot, Chapter 1, Mishnah 1, beginning "VeChachamim Omrim Ad Chatzot," and see the words of his son-in-law there. contains an insight he expressed at age 7. At this age, he lived for about three months in Kaidan with the town's rabbi, David Katzenellenbogen, studying under him and Moses Margolies, author of Pnei Moshe on the Jerusalem Talmud and who later served as rabbi of Kaidan.Dov Eliach, HaGaon, Vol. 1, p. 73. At age nine, he began studying Kabbalah,Introduction by his sons to his commentary on the Vilna Gaon and their introduction to Pirush al Kama Aggadot. devoting several hours daily to studying the Zohar and the writings of the Isaac Luria. By age ten, he studied independently and no longer required teachers. During this period, he befriended Aryeh Leib, who later served as the Av Beit Din of Tsechanovitz. From the age of eight, he engaged in astronomyJoshua Heschel Lewin, Alioth Elyahu, 29a-29b 1856.
As a young man, he married Chana, daughter of Yehuda Leib of Kaidan (1724–1782). His wife took responsibility for managing the household so he could devote himself entirely to study. After she died in 5543 (1783), he requested that the following be inscribed on her tombstone: "Chana passed away in 5543, 5 Kislev. She left no equal or comparison / There is no path or way to recount her praise." Later, he married Gitl, daughter of Meir Luntz from Chełm, who was also a widow. Easy Banner - Vilna Gaon
At around age 20, he traveled to Poland and Germany, passing through Leszno and Berlin, and possibly also Amsterdam. He returned to Vilna in 5505 (1745). Over the years, he lived in Vilna but consistently refused to hold an official rabbinic position that would interfere with his studies. Nevertheless, the Vilna community, considering it an honor to have him in their city, granted him a small monthly stipend for his livelihood.Schechter, Solomon; Max Seligsohn
The Vilna Gaon became famous for his extraordinary diligence. His sons recount that throughout his life, he slept only two hours a day, divided into four half-hour segments,Introduction by his sons to Shulchan Aruch. ensuring he never slept more than "Sixty Breaths". Menucha U'Kedusha, introduction to Shaar HaTorah Part II (p. 52, Vilna 1864 edition), Daat Noteh on the laws of Netilat Yadayim, p. 279. He dedicated all his time exclusively to Torah study. His student, Chaim of Volozhin, described how, when he was preoccupied with a Talmudic difficulty, he would refrain from eating for days until he found a resolution, appearing emaciated and afflicted. Betemunah - The Gaon of Vilna: The Man and His Image (PDF)
Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz wrote:
Due to this reverence, he was referred to by Litvaks simply as "the Gaon."
The Vilna Gaon advocated for a study approach focused on the peshat (literal meaning) and was himself widely knowledgeable and erudite. His in-law, the author of Chayei Adam, wrote, "The entire Torah was laid out before him like a set table, so that if he was asked about any matter, he would answer instantaneously."
He opposed pilpul (sharp dialectical analysis) in learning like Maimonides, Judah Loew ben Bezalel, Abraham Isaac Kook, and other sages. In his small study hall, students learned Talmud with the commentaries of Rashi, Asher ben Jehiel, and Isaac Alfasi, in a straightforward manner aimed at reaching halachic conclusions. Yeshivat Har Etzion - Surveying Previous Research on the Vilna Gaon’s Commentary and Its Impact
The Vilna Gaon was highly original in his halachic rulings. He often ruled according to his own understanding of the Talmud, even against the Rishonim and the Shulchan Aruch, or in opposition to established minhag. National Library of Israel - Vilna Gaon
His learning was grounded in a deep pursuit of the literal meaning of the sources, as well as in textual emendations, particularly in less commonly studied works such as the Jerusalem Talmud, the Tosefta, and the Zohar. Despite his historical significance to the Misnagdim, the method of study practiced in contemporary Litvaks differs significantly from his approach. Most of his textual emendations were not based on manuscript evidence available to him but rather on his exceptional mastery of rabbinic and Talmudic literature. In retrospect, many of his emendations have been found to align with accurate textual witnesses.
On the evening following Yom Kippur, the Vilna Gaon would continue fasting for several more hours while studying Torah. He did this based on the teaching of the Chazel:
In other words, the world’s existence depends on uninterrupted Torah study. Since, on the night after Yom Kippur, everyone went home to eat, the Vilna Gaon would continue learning until people finished their meals and returned to study. This idea also served as the foundation of Volozhin Yeshiva, established by his disciple, Chaim of Volozhin.
The Gaon wrote commentaries on the Sifra de-Tzeniuta, which he regarded as the foundational work of Kabbalah, as well as on Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkunei Zohar Chadash, and other sections of the Zohar and the Sefer Yetzirah.
However, unlike other Kabbalists, the Gaon opposed the reception of maggidic revelations, preferring to engage in Torah study and receive divine wisdom directly from God rather than through intermediaries. He also sent his disciple, Chaim of Volozhin, to warn his brother, Shlomo Zalman of Volozhin, not to accept a maggid that was destined to appear to him, explaining that the maggidim of that generation, particularly outside the Land of Israel, "could not possibly be entirely sacred and free of any impurity." Introduction of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin to the Vilna Gaon's commentary on Sifra de-Tzeniuta.
The teachings of the Vilna Gaon in Kabbalah are considered a distinct stream (although they are sometimes integrated with the teachings of Ramchal). Many Kabbalists have studied and interpreted them, such as his disciples Chaim of Volozhin in his book Nefesh HaChaim, Moshe of Tolchin, Menachem Mendel of Shklov, and the disciples of his disciples, Yitzhak Isaac Chever, David Luria, Avraham Simcha of Amchislav, Elijah of Kalish, as well as Shlomo Elyashiv in the Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah, Naftali Herz Halevy of Jaffa, and others.
The writings of the Vilna Gaon have been studied in the present day by Yitzhak Shlomo Zilberman, Sraya Dublitzky, Israel Eliyahu Winterob, Yaakov Edes ( Divrei Yaakov), Divrei Yaakov – Kabbalah of the Vilna Gaon, Part 1, Divrei Yaakov – Kabbalah of the Vilna Gaon, Part 2. and Yosef Avivi, who also wrote a book explaining the uniqueness of the Vilna Gaon’s Kabbalah and the differences between it and the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria.
During the struggle between the Hasidim and the Misnagdim, the Hasidim spread a rumor that the Vilna Gaon did not believe in the teachings of Kabbalah and did not read the Zohar or the writings of Isaac Luria. By doing so, they sought to undermined the Gaon’s opposition to Hasidism. Torah Musings – Is Chabad Heresy? The Vilna Gaon’s disciple, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, in his introduction to the Vilna Gaon's commentary on Sifra D’Tzeniuta, sharply criticizes those who spread the rumor, with the following words:
The words of Baruch Shik are supported by a translation written by the Vilna Gaon's son, Avraham Vilner, of parts of the Natural History by the radical French scientist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon., "Their Eyes Shall Behold Strange Things": Abraham Ben Elijah of Vilna Encounters the Spirit of Mr. Buffon," AJS Review, Vol. 36, Issue 2 (2012), pp. 295-322 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8749263
According to the testimony of his disciples and the books written in his name, the Gaon was knowledgeable in mathematics, engineering, biology, astronomy, geography, linguistics, and music, but he refrained from engaging in pharmacy based on his father's instructions.
He also studied human philosophy but opposed the study of the humanities in general because he did not see them as having intrinsic value for Jewish life. The Gaon distinguished between the humanities and the natural sciences, which he regarded as "pharmacology and medicine" that assist in understanding the Torah.See Professor Shreiber's article Bd"D 9 pages 5–28, and Bd"D 10, pages 5–16.
Yisrael Shklov recounts the Gaon's teachings:
In contrast to his view on natural sciences, he strongly opposed philosophy and its practitioners, as stated in the Even Shlomo, a compilation of his writings, in chapter 11, section 4. "Blessed are those who distance themselves from those who engage in the study of divine, logical, and natural philosophy. They will merit, in the future, to the light of God (Isaiah 2:6)." A footnote said:
In his commentary on the Book of Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 6, the Vilna Gaon offers a mystical interpretation of the verse. He reads the text as a hidden praise of those who separate themselves from corrupt influences in pursuit of divine truth:
In this commentary, the Gaon suggests that separating from a society fixated on astrology, foreign wisdoms, and misapplied spiritual traditions can elevate a person spiritually. Rather than interpreting the verse as divine abandonment, he reads it as a description of the righteous individual’s inner journey away from external confusion and toward divine truth.
The Vilna Gaon's commentary on Yoreh De'ah, section 319, subsection 6, small subsection 13:
Some saw his favorable attitude towards secular studies as the reason for the spread of the Haskala in Lithuania more than in Hasidic Poland. This claim was refuted in later research.Emmanuel Atkes, Unique in His Generation, Chapter Two – The Vilna Gaon and the Haskalah
There is disagreement regarding the year in which the Vilna Gaon tried to make aliyah. Dov Eliyach, in his book "The Gaon," tries to prove from the wording of the letter that the attempt occurred when the Gaon was around forty years old, likely in the winter of Tavkuf Kaf (1759–1760). The book 'Kol HaTor' states that he attempted to make aliyah in the year Tavmem Bet (1782). In contrast, Dr. Aryeh Morgenstern argues that the attempt occurred around the year Tavkuf Lamed Chet (1778), based on documents from the Jewish community in Holland mentioning a person named "Rabbi Eliyahu from Vilna," although it is unclear whether this refers to the Gaon. Eli Eliyach suggested that the attempt took place in the summer of the year Tavkuf Zayin (1767).Eli Eliyach, Academia.edu, HaGaon MiVilna - Anthology, 2020, pages 52–59.
As described in the book Kol HaTor, the Vilna Gaon sought to renew the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel, to revive its desolate areas, and to create a group of wise and moral individuals whom he called "Anshei Emunah" (People of Faith). He believed this would pave the way for the arrival of the Messiah, whom he anticipated would appear in the year Tav Resh (1840). He proclaimed, "The voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land" (based on Song of Songs 2:12).
Following his teachings and through the initiative of his disciple Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, many of his students made aliyah to the Land of Israel beginning in the year Tav Kaf Chet (1808), in the aliyah known as the "Aliyat Talmidei HaGra" led by his disciple Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov. Initially, they settled in Safed and established the Perushim community there. From the year Tav Kuf Ayin Vav (1816), some of them moved to Jerusalem and re-established the Ashkenazi community there.
There are various opinions regarding the distortions the Gaon saw in Hasidism. Shimon Dubnov argued that Hasidism threatened the communal structure of the rabbinic Jewish faith by placing emotion before reason, in addition to concerns that it was a new messianic movement rising against Judaism. Others argued that Hasidism was perceived as a frivolous movement that mocked Torah scholars who opposed it, accompanied by actions viewed as lighthearted, such as disrespect for prayer times, standing on one's head, and more. Rabbi Joseph Dov Halevi Soloveitchik of Boston added that the Gaon saw Hasidism spreading rapidly, which caused him to fear that it was "the work of Satan," as holiness usually spreads slowly.
Some claim that the opposition stemmed from the Gaon's belief that Hasidism contained elements that differed from the Jewish faith as it had been accepted until then. In a letter from the Gaon, he referred to Hasidism as the worship of wood and stone, a statement that indicates the theological aspect of his opposition to Hasidism, identifying it as deviating from the fundamentals of Jewish faith. He may have meant the oversimplification of complex Kabbalistic ideas, such as the presence of God in the physical world and the existence of "Nitzotzot" (holy sparks) in the world, even in simple things like trees and stones, for the purpose of "clarifying the sparks," a central concept in Hasidic thought. There may also be a hint to his suspicions that Hasidism continued or resembled dangerous heresy and antinomianism, as seen in the Shabbatean and Frankism movements.
In a letter from Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi to his followers in Vilna, he mentions that the Gaon's opposition to him stemmed from a disagreement on defining the presence of God in the physical world.
The Gaon's sons write that in his later years, two brothers from Shklov, Rabbi Binyamin and Rabbi Menachem Mendel, came closer to him:
According to the words of Rabbi Israel of Shklov, it is believed that the Gaon wrote all his works up to the age of 40 (except for the glosses on all of the Talmudic literature). After this, he lectured to his students or dictated his teachings to them. In Rav Israel’s introduction to Pe'at HaShulchan he writes:
The bibliographer Isaiah Winograd compiled a complete book Treasury of the Vilna Gaon's Books in which he gathered all the Vilna Gaon's works in their editions as they were printed until the year Tav Shin Nun Chet (1998). Some of his books have recently been edited in a clearer and annotated form by Rabbi Shlomo Bravda.
His student, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, writes:
All eight of the Vilna Gaon’s children were born to his first wife, Chana:
Among his more notable descendants in recent times is Rabbi Eliyahu Landa.
Portraits of the Vilna Gaon began to be published as lithographs between the years 1821–1825. The original artist was the head of the lithographic department at the University of Vilna, the Lithuanian-Polish artist Joseph Hilary Globzicki.
In 1999, the Government of Israel requested to bring the Vilna Gaon’s remains to Israel, but the request was denied by the Lithuanian government, partly due to the opposition of the Jewish community there.
The year 2020, marking the 300th anniversary of the Gaon’s birth, was declared by the Seimas the Year of the Vilna Gaon and the Year of Jewish History. In the same year, the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History in Lithuania was named in his honor.
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