Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (or Elyashiv), is an Orthodox rabbi who lives in Jerusalem in the State of Israel. Well into his nineties, he is nevertheless lucid and active and remains the paramount leader of Israel's mitnagdim (non-Hasidic Haredi Ashkenazi Jews) who regard him as the posek ha-dor (Hebrew: "Decisor [of] the Generation"), the leading authority on Torah law, i.e. halacha, at the present time.

Work and influence

Eliashiv holds great influence over the United Torah Judaism party in Israel's Knesset, and in particular over its Degel HaTorah faction that abides by all his rulings and instructions. Similarly, he has great influence over the formal Orthodox rabbinate of the State of Israel, and it is reported that Israel's most recent Chief Rabbis were appointed because of his recommendations.

He does not head a congregation or community as such, but spends his days in deep Talmudical study, delivering some highly specialized classes in Talmud and Shulkhan Arukh at a local synagogue in the Meah Shearim where he lives, and receives supplicants from all over the world.

Most Rosh yeshivas associated with the Agudath Israel of America movement actively and frequently seek out his opinions and follow his advice and guidelines concerning a wide array of policy and communal issues affecting the welfare of Orthodox Judaism.

Amongst many Torah scholars, he is also regarded as a Kabbalist.

Rulings

Most of Eliashiv's opinions in matters of Jewish law have been recorded by rabbis seeking his opinion. This phenomenon, rare before the 20th century, has occurred with several other decisors, such as Rabbis Moshe Feinstein and Shlomo Zalman Auerbach . He has not published any works himself (while Feinstein and Auerbach have).

As an example of his rulings, in 1999 he was asked if Kollel scholars who engage in outreach work by teaching basic Judaism to secular or assimilated Israelis should still be paid as "full time scholars" even though they must leave the study halls of their yeshivas in order to go out and teach those with a lesser background. Eliashiv stated forcefully that it would be a sin to decrease the stipend, as the time taken off was spent on matters affecting the whole Jewish people, and not for the students' own pursuits. By doing so, he "gave [...] recognition to the principle that doing [outreach] work one evening a week is a mandatory obligation incumbent upon every single member of the [...] community..

Footnote

• Moshe Schapiro. Halachic Ruling Redefines Role of Kiruv Work in Eretz Yisroel. Dei'ah veDibur, April 21, 1999 (article).