Rabbi
The Vilna Gaon דער ווילנער גאון זצ"ל
Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman, the Gaon of Vilna, whose Torah still lights up every beis medrash
Fix / add informationRabbi Eliyahu of Vilna (1720–1797) was the greatest Torah genius of Lithuania and the father of the Lithuanian approach to learning. He wrote commentaries on almost the whole of Torah, and his students built the Lithuanian yeshiva world.
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A genius from childhood
Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman was born on 15 Nisan 5480 (1720) in Lithuania and was known as a prodigy from early childhood [1]. He never accepted a rabbinic post or any official position; he sat and learned day and night, and still became the recognized leader of all of Lithuania [1].
His works
The Gaon learned every part of Torah: Tanach, Mishnah, the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud, halacha and Kabbalah. His "Biur HaGra" on the Shulchan Aruch appears in every major edition, and his glosses on the Shas are printed in every Gemara [1].
His students
His foremost student, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, founded the Volozhin Yeshiva in 1803, "the mother of all yeshivas" [1]. Other students moved to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Tzfas and Yerushalayim. The Gaon passed away on 19 Tishrei 5558 (1797), Chol Hamoed Sukkos, in Vilna [1].
Sources
- 1WikipediaVilna Gaonaccessed October 20, 2026
Videos
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Last reviewed: October 22, 2026. Spotted an error? Let us know.
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