Modest Genius, The

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Rabbi Yehoshua Aisek Shapira lived in the 19th century and was the great-grandson of Rabbi Luria, the famed Kabbalist of Safed. Rabbi Aisel Slonimer, as he was known, spent most of his rabbinic life in Slonim, in the Grodno district of Byelorussia. He was called “Harif” (Sharp) because of his prodigious memory and his sharp tongue. His witticisms and clever retorts are legendary. Rabbi Aisel wrote many of his major works in Slonim, including “Emek Yehoshua” and “Nahlat Yehoshua” which encompass his responsa (questions and answers to problems of his day); “Noam Yerushalmi”, his commentary and glosses on the Jerusalem Talmud; and “Sefat HaNahal” and “Ibbei HaNahal” which contain many of his sermons.

When Rabbi Aisel arrived at Slonim, one of the leaders of the city said to him: “It is said in our town that it is a good sign for the rabbi and for the congregation if rain fall when a new rabbi comes. And here the new rabbi has come, but the sky is clear and the sun is shining.” Rabbi Aisel answered, “Well, the rains are according to the rabbi. An indifferent rabbi brings just a slight shower; an average rabbi, an average rain; and a great rabbi brings heavy rains and storms. A rabbi such as I should bring a flood, but since the Holy One promised mankind never to bring another flood, the sky remains clear and the sun shines.”