10 Fascinating Facts About the Vilna Gaon
According to his son, the Vilna Gaon intended to create a new Shulchan Aruch to resolve all disputes with irrefutable proof, although he did not succeed.
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- פורסם כ"ז חשון התשע"ד
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1. Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, known as the Vilna Gaon, was referred to by unique titles such as "The Pious Genius" or simply "The Genius," and by the acronym of his name: "haGra".
2. At the age of six, the Vilna Gaon was recognized as a prodigy; he delivered a deep discourse at the great synagogue in Vilna that he heard from his father and also prepared a discourse of his own. His book "Shnot Eliyahu" contains a novelty he stated when he was just seven.
3. At nine, he began learning Kabbalah, and by ten, he studied independently without teachers. According to his student, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, before the age of thirteen, the Gaon attempted to create a "golem" but stopped midway as he was prevented by heaven.
4. The Vilna Gaon refused to serve as the official rabbi of Vilna or any other position due to his humility and his desire not to be distracted from Torah study.
5. According to his son, the Gaon intended to create a new Shulchan Aruch that would resolve all disputes with undeniable evidence, but he did not achieve this.
6. Despite his sharpness, the Gaon advocated for learning the straightforward approach aimed at halachic decision-making, and he was himself extremely knowledgeable and well-versed.
7. The Gaon is the only one from the latter eras (in the last 400 years) whom the great sages of recent generations confer the weight of the earlier sages.
8. According to his students, the Gaon was proficient not only in sacred Torah study but also in mathematics, engineering, biology, astronomy, geography, linguistics, and music. However, he opposed engaging in general humanities, as he did not see them as truly beneficial.
9. The Gaon strongly desired to move to the Land of Israel and even attempted to do so, but was unsuccessful. He encouraged his students to make this journey, and many succeeded in moving and settling in the Land of Israel.
10. The greatest disciple of the Gaon was Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, author of "Nefesh HaChaim" and founder of the "mother of yeshivas" - the famous Volozhin Yeshiva, which nurtured many of the great figures of the recent generations.
