Rabbi
Avraham Shapira
אברהם שפירא
TitleAshkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
Personal
Bornc. 1910
Jerusalem
Died27 September 2007
Jerusalem
ReligionJudaism
NationalityIsraeli
DenominationHardal
Began1983
Ended1993
BuriedMount of Olives Jewish Cemetery, Jerusalem

Avraham Shapira (Hebrew: אברהם אלקנה כהנא שפירא; c. 1910,[1][2][3][4] Jerusalem – 27 September 2007) was a prominent rabbi in the Religious Zionist world. Shapira had been the head of the Rabbinical court of Jerusalem, and both a member and the head of the Supreme Rabbinic Court. He served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993. Shapira was the rosh yeshiva of Mercaz haRav in Jerusalem, a position he held since Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook died in 1982.

Biography

Avraham Elkanah Shapira was born to a Jerusalemite family; his father was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Shapira. As a child, he lived in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.[5]

In his youth, he studied at Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem, later moving to the Hebron Yeshiva, where he studied under Rabbis Moshe Mordechai Epstein and Yechezkel Sarna. After his marriage, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook invited him to join Mercaz HaRav yeshiva.[6] He corresponded, in his youth, with the Chazon Ish, Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, and Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer.

In 1956, he was appointed as a member of the Jerusalem religious court by Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog. In 1971, he was appointed Av Beit Din.

Shapira was elected Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel in 1983, serving alongside Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, who was elected Sefardi Chief Rabbi.[5]

Rabbi Shapira with President George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office
Rabbi Shapira together with Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu at Yom Yerushalayim celebration at Mercaz HaRav

He died on the first day of Succot, 2007.[7][8] Tens of thousands of people took part in his funeral procession on September 28, 2007.[9] he was interred at the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.

Shapira and his wife Penina had four sons. As per his will, his son Rabbi Yaakov Shapira was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Mercaz HaRav after him.[10]

Views

During the Oslo Accords, Shapira ruled that handing over territories violates Jewish law. He also called on soldiers to refuse orders to dismantle Jewish communities during the 2005 disengagement from Gaza.[8]

Published works

  • Shiurey Maran HaGra Shapira – A summary of the rabbi's lectures, comprising six volumes
  • Minchat Avraham – A collection of original halachic essays, comprising three volumes
  • Morasha – Original essays on various topics

References

  1. ↑ הרב אברהם אלקנה שפירא זצ"ל (in Hebrew). Chief Rabbinate of Israel site. נולד בכ"ג באייר תר"ע
  2. ↑ Shargai, Nadav. נפטר הרב שהוביל את המאבק לשלמות הארץ. הארץ (in Hebrew). Haaretz. נולד ב 1911
  3. ↑ Yaakobi, Yoel. הכהן הגדול מאחיו (in Hebrew). Arutz 7. נולד בירושלים בי"ד באייר תרע"א (1911), אם כי יש המאחרים את תאריך לידתו בשנתיים
  4. ↑ Selah, Kobi. הגאון הרב אברהם שפירא הלך לעולמו (in Hebrew). Arutz 7. נולד בירושלים בכד אייר תרע"ד
  5. 1 2 Sylvetsky, Rochel (26 January 2018). ""There was only one Abraham" – a Tzaddik in our times". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Shapira, Yaakov (27 February 2013). "Remembering Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, (d. Purim, 1982)". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Wagner, Mattew (2007-09-28). "Rabbi Avraham Shapira dies at 94". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  8. 1 2 Shragai, Nadav (2007-09-28). "Former chief Ashkenazi rabbi Abraham Shapira dies at 96". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
  9. ↑ Copans, Laurie (2007-09-28). "Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Dies". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  10. ↑ Avraham Shapira (Hebrew)
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