Archaeological dig that found the mikveh of the Great Shul of Vilna
150 Years After His Passing
This endeavor which began to take on substantial form and which had gathered in a noteworthy amount of books, nonetheless did not last for very long. The difficulty of the times, compounded by the outbreak of the First World War, and the paralysis of the vital order of daily life in Eretz Yisroel and Europe, prevented them from continuing to develop the library and to maintain this special beis midrash.
Yet again, one hundred and fifty years after the Gra's passing, the initiative to reestablish a similar one rose to the fore so that it would answer the tremendous need for pursuing the studies of the Gra's writings by a body of Torah scholars.
It was R' Shimon Halperin, a Meah Shearim resident and past moreh tzedek of Vilna, who turned to the public at the beginning of 5708 to come and assist him in establishing an institute on the Gra's name. This time there was an additional impetus for such an establishment, since after the terrible Holocaust, the entire community of Vilna had been destroyed and the Gra's kloiz, which had operated up until the kehilla's final day, was razed to the ground.
R' Shimon called upon the public to thus make a monument and memorial for the entire community of Vilna in general, and this holy institution in particular.
He published his call in the book Divrei Eliyohu, the second edition of a compilation of the Gra's teachings which he published in that year to commemorate one hundred and fifty years since his passing.
R' Halperin stated his project in these words: "To include in this institution men great in Torah and piety, as had existed in Vilna, that they should immerse themselves in Torah and worship by day and by night. They would be required to observe all of the customs of the Gra as they were kept in Vilna, so that it would be a hallmark and symbol in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Vilna, also called `Jerusalem of Lithuania,' was deemed worthy to have such a great institution transferred to the real Jerusalem where it would continue to exist, for they were like twin cities. Also, the bulk of the old settlement in Jerusalem was created by the disciples of the Gra z'l, as is known."
This blessed endeavor apparently never came to fruition at all, because of the pressures of the times, for we are talking of the year in which the State of Israel was established, amidst a very difficult war.
It should be noted that in that very year, a special gathering was held in Jerusalem of all the descendants of the disciples of the Gra to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth year since his passing. This gathering, headed by R' Yaakov Moshe Charlap, dealt with and discussed mainly the immigration of those disciples to Eretz Yisroel, and their works in establishing the Ashkenaz community in Jerusalem.
What did come out of it over the years was the foundation of several synagogues, like the Gra Shul established in Meah Shearim and in Tel Aviv in 5694, which served for many years as a center of Torah and prayer in this major city.
Another synagogue bearing the Gaon's name was built in the Bayit Vegan section of Jerusalem and another one, the original shul in the Sha'arei Chessed neighborhood in Jerusalem, which today houses Yeshivas Maalos HaTorah, is named after the famous work by HaRav Avrohom, son of the Gra.
Kollel Prushim "Aderes Eliyohu"
The first beis midrash in Eretz Yisroel bearing his name for the purpose of both prayer and Torah study was established by his disciples in Tzfas when they came in 5570. The list of regulations of the stipend allocation [chaluka] of the Kollel Prushim describes "the yeshiva which was established in the Holy City of Tzfas in memory of adoneinu, moreinu verabbenu, master of the entire Diaspora, the true devout Gaon, holy and heavenly being,... Eliyohu, of blessed and saintly memory, of Vilna."
The regimen of study there was in the spirit of the Gaon's method of study: gemora with Rishonim in depth to arrive at the practical application of the halocho, and Shulchan Oruch with the Gra's commentary. They set aside a special session to delve into kabbalah according to his approach and commentary.
Each step they took in Eretz Yisroel was based on mystic allusions and gematriyos derived from the kabbalistic teachings of the Gaon. These served them as signposts and directions, and also strengthened and encouraged them to stand firm against the vicissitudes of the times.
Important comments about this beis midrash we find in a `call to the public' issued on its behalf by HaGaon R' Akiva Eiger who, alongside HaGaon R' Chaim of Volozhin, who served as president and head for all their activities, endorsed and supported them and helped personally to collect funds for them.
R' Akiva Eiger's circular stated as follows:
"To come to the aid of Hashem through His mighty ones... who stand in the House of Hashem, the great beis midrash which is called by the name of our great Rabbenu, the famous Gaon... Eliyohu of Vilna... may his memory protect us. They disseminate Torah in a sublime, elevated yeshiva, seeking to increase Torah and glorify it, enveloped in the pure and clear fear of Hashem. These include learned rabbis, leaders of the generation, scholars greatly steeped in wisdom and fear of Hashem. They are immersed in the righteousness of Hashem day and night, without any other preoccupation in the world besides..."
The disciples of the Gra also named their marvelous project of supporting the settlement of Eretz Yisroel after their illustrious master: Kollel Prushim — Aderes Eliyohu, like the name of his commentary on the Torah, and having the numerical value of the Hebrew words `ingathering of the exiles.'
Several years after their immigration to Eretz Yisroel and settling in Tzfas, the disciples of the Gra went to Jerusalem and founded the Ashkenazic community there. They initiated the rehabilitation of the Churvah synagogue, or in its full name, Churvas Rav Yehuda Hechossid, in the Old City. This became their spiritual center in Jerusalem: here they practiced the various customs of the Gra which became accepted throughout Eretz Yisroel to this very day.
Incidentally, in Shklov, where there was a significant concentration of the disciples of the Gra, they founded, yet in his lifetime, a most prestigious yeshiva. When he departed the world, they changed its name to "Aderes Eliyohu." It is told that at the Gra's request, a special department was instituted in this yeshiva for the study of Kabbalah, open only to the yeshiva's most veteran and esteemed scholars.
New Impetus for the Publication of the Works of the Gra
The thrust of the arousal each time that the memory of Rabbenu HaGra came to the fore was to strengthen Torah and augment its study, whether by adding shiurim to delve into his profound works or to stimulate the publication of his writings.
It is no secret that the work of publication was spread out over many years, for various reasons. First is the fact that his teachings are deeper than the sea and broader than the earth, and thus not even every wise, intelligent scholar is capable of understanding them properly and preparing his writings for printing. Furthermore, they were written very succinctly, sometimes in allusions or insights, almost like a code.
This is why many of his manuscripts emerged without any order, without arrangement, but the almost haphazard result of the efforts of whoever decided to undertake a project and proceeded forward. Many of his still unpublished writings deal with Toras hanistar. On the other hand many are the works that seek to shed light on his writings through commentary and expansion so that they may be properly understood.
Aside from his sons and disciples who put their hand to this task right away, the one who truly made progress was a descendant of the Gra, of the fourth generation, R' Eliyohu Landau, who worked all his life on it in Eretz Yisroel. He published several of his writings and the writings of his disciples from manuscript. He also reprinted what was out of print.
He accumulated a great number of letters of encouragement from many gedolei Yisroel who all praise him and endorse him heartily for the holy undertaking he assumed, especially at a time when there was an arousal to print the Gra's work to commemorate a century since his passing.
At this point we again return to our original question: Shall we leave the commemoration of the bicentennial since his passing to those who are distant from his teachings and experience? Or shall we be foresighted enough to pioneer this effort and provide a fitting and proper remembrance for the Gaon's great name?
Chazal said: "Their teachings are their very remembrance," and it is understood that the most important contribution of all is what we can reveal of the hidden treasures in his teachings by glorifying additional segments of his Torah, for despite the many works of his which have already been printed, much ground is still left for such activity, and if we have succeeded in arousing someone to this task, it will be our very reward and merit.
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At the bicentennial of the ascent of Eliyohu to Heaven, the Moreshes Hayeshivos Institute published Pearls from the Table of the Gra, a compilation of hundreds of insights and explanations on the Torah, Nach and Aggadata, along the lines of the well known Kol Eliyohu which appeared some ninety years ago. This will include ideas brought in the name of the Gra, whether by his disciples or in the many other works throughout the generations, and also from his manuscripts. This is aside from the large number of new insights not generally known, which are also brought in this new publication.
A special effort has been made this time to check each entry at the source and to arrange them in a proper sequence, all according to the guidance and counsel of present day gedolei Torah.
A three-volume biographical work on the Gra was also released, similarly produced under the guidance of Torah leadership and with their hearty encouragement. This book is based on a fundamental and embracing study on the Gra and contains new details not generally known about the Gra's life and teachings. It is presented in a form readily accessible to all, in the tradition of all the publications of Moreshes Hayeshivos Institute.
The address of Machon Moreshes HaYeshivos: P.O.B. 5156, Jerusalem, 91051. Tel. 972-2-538-6888.
