JOSEPH BEN ELIJAH OF ZASLAW

JOSEPH BEN ELIJAH OF ZASLAW (first half of 17^th century), rabbi and preacher. He was author of the exegetical-moralistic works Rekhev Eliyahu (Cracow, 1638) and Yesod Yosef (Lublin, 1638). In Rekhev Eliyahu, which he named in honor of his father Elijah, he printed as an introduction a moralizing letter by Elijah, containing much self-criticism as a merchant-scholar. Joseph demanded sincerity and humility from his own circle of scholars: "Brethren and companions, see how all of us have gone astray through the bad trait of priding ourselves on learning loudly, openly, and publicly. Whosoever praises himself more appears the better in his own view; each one thinks himself wiser than his fellow, as if the Torah was given to him alone; only he knows how to clarify talmudic problems and teach pupils. This self-glorification is very frequent, in particular among the leaders of the people, who say 'There is none but me. Is there a teacher like me?'" (Rekhev Eliyahu, fol. 27b). He attacked false humility: "This evil I have seen – each and every false and boastful man likes to say as if in amazement: 'Is there any pride in me? You would not find a more humble person than myself '" (ibid., fol. 22a–b). He devoted a special paragraph against bankruptcy and warned that bankrupts should not give charity or buy candles for the synagogue (ibid., fol. 12b). He demanded earnest kavvanah in prayer. Joseph's personality and work show that, in the new era of Jewish settlement and economic activity in Poland-Lithuania, a high level of Jewish culture and exacting standards of individual and social morality had been set by the first half of the 17^th century.

bibliography:

H.H. Ben-Sasson, Hagut ve-Hanhagah (1959), index.

[Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson]