There is nothing like the Torah of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt’l, one of the previous generation’s gedolei ha’dor. And now, a new sefer has emerged that has gathered all of his sayings, psakim, and Torah pertaining to Shabbos. It is called Shalmei Shabbos and is the third in Rabbi Tuvya Freund’s “Shalmei series.”

Rabbi Tuvya Freund’s father was a talmid of Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt’l. The first two chalakim were often quoted by Rav Ovadiah Yosef as the authoritative positions of Rav Shlomo Zalman. Rabbi Freund happens to be a Stoliner Chassid, but his family follows the psakim of Rav Shlomo Zalman. The series has been sponsored by Rabbi Moshe Ze’ev Halevi Morris of London, a former student of Rav Shlomo Zalman and a successful real-estate investor. This volume was printed on the occasion of his daughter’s wedding. There were 3,000 printed of Shalmei Shabbos, and 11,000 of the Shalmei Mo’ed.

The sefer contains Torah from Rav Shlomo Zalman, from both published and unpublished sources. There are over 700 pages of material in the work. The sefer is filled with incredible nuggets of Torah thought and psak.

Examples abound:

When is the absolute latest one can do melachah on a Friday? Rav Shlomo Zalman’s answer? Four minutes before shekiyah (p. 23 from his grandson–Rav Aharon Goldberg, shlita).

May diabetics or people with heart conditions who need to carry nitroglycerin tablets carry them with a shinnui on Shabbos if there is no eiruv? Rav Shlomo Zalman ruled that (a) if it is not a reshus ha’rabbim d’Oraisa and (b) if he does not stop while walking and (c) if he is going for a dvar mitzvah such as davening b’tzibbur then he may place the pill under his hat wrapped in a tissue.

Regarding an adopted child who wants to be called up to the Torah by his adopted father’s name, what is the halachah? Rav Shlomo Zalman answered that it is forbidden. However, if he does not know his real father’s name, it is permitted (p. 331). He proved this latter point from a Ramban in Bamidbar 26:46 about Serach bas Asher–who was not Asher’s child, but his wife’s.

Bidding for aliyos: may ma’aser money be used? Rav Shlomo Zalman answered yes–but when the ma’aser is initially separated, he should make a condition that he plans on doing so.

If someone receives an aliyah on Shabbos before the yahrzeit, is it preferable to receive maftir or will any aliyah do? Maftir is preferable for two reasons: (a) There are more berachos recited. (b) Tzur Kol HaOlamim is a form of tzadok ha’din which is beneficial for the neshamah.

What about going into a taxi on motzaei Shabbos with a cab driver who was not frum and did not recite Havdallah? Rav Shlomo Zalman was unsure whether someone who does not keep Shabbos is obligated in reciting Havdallah, but to ensure that he would not be in violation of lifnei iver, he would say shavuah tov to him upon entering the cab, so that he would at least fulfill the biblical mitzvah (p. 575).

If an eino Yehudi that is shomer Shabbos is punished, how then did Avraham Avinu observe the Shabbos? Rav Shlomo Zalman explained that Avraham Avinu, through his apperception of kol haTorah kulah, gained extraordinary kedushah–and with that kedushah one may observe Shabbos. He referenced an Ohr HaChaim in Bereishis 2:3 that throughout history, even before the Jewish nation existed, there were individuals like Avraham and Yaakov who kept Shabbos, thus keeping the world in existence (p. 626).

The sefer is a remarkable addition to the Torah of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and makes a fantastic gift to bring for Shabbos.

Rabbi Auerbach had seven sons and three daughters. His sons are: Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, a leading authority of the Degel HaTorah political party; Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach, a son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt’l, and the rav of Chanichei Hayeshivot in Bayit Vegan; Rabbi Avraham Dov Auerbach, a rabbi in Tiberias; Rabbi Mordechai Auerbach, the pulpit rabbi of Avir Ya’akov in Tel-Aviv; Rabbi Ya’akov Auerbach, a rabbi in Beit Shemesh; Rabbi Meir Simcha Auerbach, a posek and rosh yeshiva in Betar Illit; and Rabbi Baruch Auerbach, who published the complete works of Rabbi Yom Tov Algazi, and was killed in an automobile accident in 1999.

Rav Shlomo Zalman’s daughters are: Rachel, married to Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, a leading posek in Israel; Miriam, married to Rav Treger in Antwerp; and Malka, married to Rav Bordiansky.

The reviewer can be reached at Yairhoffman2@gmail.com.

 

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