Rav Eliyahu Luantz Baal Shem of Worms, Tzofnas Paneach (Tammuz 21, 5396 / 1636 - 388th Yahrzeit) Son of Rav Moshe Ashkenazi (Not to be confused with the earlier famous Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem of Chelm who was an ancestor of Chacham Tzvi and Rav Yaakov Emden. It is this earlier Eliyahu Baal Shem who was famed for creating a golem.)
Born in Frankfurt (Circa 1564 שכד) on 23 Iyar. He was descended from the famed Rav Yosseleh of Rosheim (some say he was Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem’s grandfather) and from Rashi. This leads us to his yichus as part of the famed Luria, family since Rav Yosselman was a descendant of Rav Shlomo Schapira, Rashi the Baalei Tosfos and they were named Luria for the French river bank. The family name Luantz or Loanz is an acronym for Luria Ashkenazi that Rav Yosselman often signed with.
He studied under Rav Akiva of Frankfurt, Rav Yaakov Ginzberg of Friedberg (a teacher and rebbe of the Tosfos YomTov) and the Maharal of Prague. When he arrived in Poland he studied under the Chassid Rav Mendel Rav Avigdor’s Rosh Yeshiva and of Av Beis Din of Cracow. It is said that this was his teacher in Kabbalah.
He was a master at preparing manuscripts for publication and when in Cracow he met Rav Eliezer the brother of the Rema and the Chida in Shem haGedolim tells us how he prepared the manuscript of Darkei Moshe from the glosses written in the margins of Rav Moshe Isserles’ seforim. He published the same Darkei Moshe we use to this day, for which he writes (in his own introduction to Aderes Eliyahu) that he was given by Rav Eliezer as a gift the Rema’s manuscript commentary to the Zohar which Rav Eliyahu later incorporated and published as part of his own sefer Aderes Eliyahu.
He also prepared for publication and printed the Maharshal’s commentary Amudei Shlomo to the Semag and Shaarei Dura as well as the liturgical poems of Rav Akiva of Frankfurt.
Unrest and expulsions plagued the Jews of German lands. His wanderings across Europe led him to meet the Maharal and study under under him. He himself writes that he witnessed Divine Providence and Hashgacha during all of his travels when he was saved from bandits and armed robbers as well as other dangers. He finally arrived in Basel where he printed several of his seforim such as Rinas Dodim on Shir HaShirim as well as the poems and prayers of Rav Akiva of Frankfurt and the Amudei Shlomo of the Maharshal.
He was a master of Kabbalah and his use of Divine Names, amulets and Kameos earned him the title Baal Shem. He served as Rav of several cities and kehillos including Frankfurt, Fulda, Hanau, Worms. He also served as a chazzan, darshan and Rosh Yeshiva.
His talmid Rav Yuzpa Shamash writes that Rav Eliyahu loved and collected many legends, stories and accounts from the ancient kehillah of Worms in older times since the times of the first beis hamikdash and he would use and incorporate these tales and their moral lessons during his derashos.
He was married twice once to Blumelin daughter of Rav Raphael and after she passed away in שצ he married Yettel’eh who passed away 5 years later in .שצה
He left behind the following children known to us: Yehuda Yoselin Yosef named after Rav Yosselman of Rossheim who was a Shatz in Magentza whose Yahrzeit is mentioned in the memoir buch of Magentza as 5th day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos, buried 17 Tishrei תלא. Another son Dovid is known, as well as Menachem and a daughter Hindelin, who was the wife of Rav Uri Vibush.
He passed away on a Thursday 21 Tammuz (others say 29 Tammuz but the account from the pinkas chevra kadisha of Worms and memoir buch of Magentza cited by Avrohom Epstein in his sefer Mishpachas Luria pg53 both say it was on 21 Tammuz) 1636) ה'שצו) at age seventy two (See Ohr Chaim by Rav Chaim Michel pgs 170,186)
His seforim:
Aderes Eliyahu on Zohar (published), Rinas Dodim on Shir HaShirim (published), Michlal Yofi on Koheles (published), Maaglei Tzedek (a commentary to Midrash Rabbeinu Bachaya) An unnamed commentary on Chovos HaLevavos (manuscript), Tzafnas Paneach on Tikkunei Zohar (manuscript), Commentary to Midrash Rabbah (manuscript), A Poem named Vikuach Yayin imMayim with commentary (published).
Based on the biography of Rav Eliyahu Luantz in the sefer Mishpachas Luria by Rav Avraham Epstein - pgs 47-54 and on the biography in the introduction to Aderes Eliyahu pg 9 and onwards
TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:
(Some have made come to the erroneous conclusion and mistook that Rav Eliyahu Luantz Baal Shem of Worms and Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem of Chelm are one and the same person (see Seder HaDoros, Tzemach Dovid both cited by Intro to new edition of Aderes Eliyahu) and claimed that Chelm is a suburb of Worms. Other scholars and historians are however sure that they are in fact two different people (see Kelilas Yofi by Dembitzer and Ohr Chaim by Rav Michel, Melitzei Aish and others). Worms is in Germany whereas Chelm is in Poland. Furthermore Rav Eliyahu of Chelm’s (who was creator of the Golem) father was named Rav Aharon Yehuda and Rav Eliyahu Luantz of Worms’ father was named Rav Moshe. Tradition has it that Rav Eliyahu of Chelm had no matzeiva in the beis ha’chaim of Chelm whereas we know of and have photographic evidence for Rav Eliyahu Luantz’s matzeiva in Worms.)
Unfortunately we do not know the Yahrzeit of Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem of Chelm, creator of the Golem and ancestor of the Chacham Tzvi and so we will include his biography and family history here in the entry for his fellow Baal Shem and conamed Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem Luantz of Worms.
Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem was Rav of Chelm for almost his entire life. Rav Eliyahu was the son of Rav Yehudah Aharon of Chelm, he lived circa 1500-1583. He was famed as a miracle worker and Baal Shem especially because of the tradition that he created a golem. His descendant the famed Chacham Tzvi, father of Rav Yaakov Emden, himself testified that his ancestor Rav Eliyahu was famed to have created a golem, and the Chacham Tzvi discusses the halachic ramifications of such a creature such as can it be counted to a minyan for a quorom of ten men for davening and saying devarim she'be'kedushah. (Shut Chacham Tzvi Volume I Siman 93)
He was a child prodigy and by age 15 he was sent to study under Rav Shlomo Luria the Maharshal in Lublin were he excelled in his studies especially in the areas of halachah, rishonim and gemara. The Maharshal granted him semichah and guided him (Shut Maharshal Siman 42) and he was appointed Rav of Chelm like his father was. He also studied under the Bach and held halachic correspondence with him as well (Shut HaBach HaChadashos Siman 77).
(See also Sources in Yeshurun 17 Nissan pgs 664-667)
