by Esther
Rafaeli
Rabbi Yehoshua Aisek ben Yehiel Shapira, (1801-1873), known as
Aisel Harif – Aisel the Sharp Intellect – was a descendent of
Rabbi Shlomo Luria, known as the Maharshal. He had a prodigious
memory and a sharp tongue. His witticisms and clever retorts are
legendary.
"Do you want to swallow up the whole Torah?" he was asked while
still a small boy.
"The Torah was quicker and has swallowed me up," he replied.
In 1853, Rabbi Aisel moved to Slonim, where, as the rabbi, he
worked against the decrees of the Cantonists – the forced army
service of Jewish boys in the Czar's Army. He also developed and
strengthened the Slonim Yeshiva, working especially hard at fund
raising. This was not always an easy task.
"A rich man would rather give to a cripple than to a scholar,"
he would say. "When he sees a cripple, he is afraid that he too
might one day suffer the same injury or lose a limb. But he is
never afraid that he'll become a scholar!"
Rabbi Aisel's eleven original works comprised his life's work.
They reveal his basic rule of learning: To understand the arguments
and reasoning behind the words of the Talmud. His works include
“Emek Yehoshua” and “Nahlat Yehoshua” which encompass his responsa
(questions and answers to problems of his day); “Noam Yerushalmi”,
his commentary and glosses on the Jerusalem Talmud; and “Sefat
HaNahal” and “Ibbei HaNahal” which contain many of his sermons.
He was one of the greatest Torah scholars of his time, yet he
was modest about his achievements, considering his talent a divine
gift.
Nearing the end of his life, Rabbi Aisel was asked his correct
age.
"When a man is about to declare bankruptcy," he answered, "he
does not reveal his balance sheet."
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