obituaries
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Halachah, or Jewish law, who had a close
relationship with Elyashiv, who had
moved to Jerusalem as a young boy.
The non-Chasidic haredi community
went to Elyashiv as the final arbiter for
any dilemma, not just in the field of
religious practice, but also in matters of
politics, business and even matchmak-
ing. For the believers who turned to him,
Elyashiv's rulings carried the weight of
someone privy to God's will.
Unlike nationalist, Zionist rabbis who
regularly issue rulings in matters con-
cerning the ceding of parts of the West
Bank or the proper balance between
religion and state, Elyashiv did his best to
skirt such matters.
In rare cases, when he was forced to
issue a ruling in order to direct haredi
politicians on how to vote on a particu-
lar issue, Elyashiv seemed concerned
primarily with safeguarding haredi
Orthodoxy's parochialism even if it
meant taking a dovish position on the
West Bank and Jewish settlements.
In 2005, Elyashiv ruled in favor of
joining Ariel Sharon's government, pro-
viding it with essential backing ahead of
the withdrawal from Gaza Strip and the
evacuation of some 9,000 Jewish settlers
living there.
In exchange, Elyashiv demanded an
immediate halt to all attempts to limit
the complete autonomy of haredi edu-
cational institutions, including those
partially funded by the state. Secular sub-
jects such as math, history and languages
are not taught in haredi high schools,
something that has hampered the ability
of community members to join the job
market and perpetuated haredi poverty
and reliance on welfare.
Elyashiv also strongly opposed military
service for haredi young men — includ-
ing service tailored to haredi needs —
fearing that time spent in a secular envi-
ronment presented unacceptable spiritual
dangers and took away time from Torah
scholarship. For similar reasons, he also
opposed the growth of institutions pro-
viding occupational training for haredi
men. He also said women should not
work outside the home.
Many Orthodox Jews believe that God
ensures that in every generation there is
a man of great stature whose decisions
reflect God's will, known as da'at Torah
— literally, the opinion of the Torah.
Haim Cohen, a haredi political func-
tionary and close aide to Elyashiv,
said that "the entire generation" chose
Elyashiv as the unrivaled representative
of da'at Torah in this generation.
"There are no primary elections for a
position like this:' Cohen told JTA. "He
was simply a man that dedicated himself
completely to Torah study, and people
recognized and honored this. They sim-
ply understood that he was the one."
Stringent Approach
Whether it was providence or insider
politics that brought Elyashiv to preemi-
nence, his rulings in Jewish law reflect a
deeply conservative, stringent approach.
In large part due to Elyashiv's opposi-
tion, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate has not
instituted the use of prenuptial agree-
ments that could help reduce the agunah
problem — women who are "chained"
to husbands who refuse to grant them
a religious writ of divorce, or get — by
imposing hefty monthly fines on unco-
operative husbands.
Elyashiv prohibited haredi institutions
from receiving charity from Christians.
He ruled that it was forbidden to use
elevators on Shabbat, including those
preprogrammed to work automatically.
He took a stringent position on the hala-
chic definition of death, making it nearly
impossible for Jews to donate organs.
Brown attributed Elyashiv's extreme
conservatism to his limited social contact
with the outside world.
His wife, Sheina Chaya, herself the
daughter of a prominent rabbi, Aryeh
Levin, died in 1994.
The couple had 12 children, including a
son who died of illness in childhood and
a daughter who was killed by Jordanian
shelling in 1948.
Even as a child, the Jerusalem-born
Elyashiv was renowned for his perse-
verance, relentless concentration and
detached, logical analysis.
In a 30-minute YouTube video, Elyashiv
can be seen in his tiny, shabby apartment
in Mea Shearim, where he lived since he
married, learning Talmud and singing
softly to himself without once lifting his
eyes from the book.
"I have difficulty explaining to the gen-
eral public Rabbi Elyashiv's appeal:' said
Kobi Arieli, a haredi writer, commentator
and entertainer. "For people unfamiliar
with the world of Torah scholarship, it is
nearly impossible to convey the reverence
and respect a man like Rabbi Elyashiv
commands:'
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Obituaries