Rav Alter Elyakim was the son of Rav Chaim Shimon Shapira of Tlust. His paternal grandfather was Rav Bertzia, Av Beis Din of Skola and Shefi, and he traced his lineage back to Rav Pinchos Shapira of Koretz.
Rav Alter Elyakim studied Torah lishma, and his many chiddushim are found throughout his seforim: Beis Yehuda on the Torah; Shem MiShimon on the Torah; Mekor Chaim on Shabbos and Yom Tov, Chanuka and Purim; likkutim on Shas and geneologies of many tzaddikim; Beis Yisroel on the Torah; Ohalei Tzaddikim (stories about and chiddushim from many tzaddikim); and Kol Yehuda, a work of responsa. He served as Av Beis Din of Vikna and Czernowitz.
He married the daughter of Rav Yisroel HaLevi of Bakvi, a direct descendant of Rav Dovid HaLevi Segal of Ostrog, author of the Taz on Shulchan Aruch.
He passed away on 8 Elul in the year 5696/ו"תרצ, leaving behind a son, Rav Pinchos Shapira.
HIS SEGULOS:
The Segula Of Shabbos Observance
In the name of Rav Raphael of Bershad (“Raphael HaMalach”), the main disciple of Rav Pinchos of Koretz, author of Pe’er LeYasharim:
All the troubles that befall a person are due to chillul Shabbos; therefore, one who safeguards Shabbos will be saved from troubles. We know that each mitzvah is associated with its own particular segulos and rewards: for example, Chazal teach that tithing maaser is a segula for wealth (Taanis 8) and that lighting Shabbos and Chanuka candles is a segula for having descendants who are Torah scholars (Shabbos 23). Based on this principle, it follows that every transgression must also have its own specific punishment. How, then, can Shabbos desecration be the source of all troubles? Since one who keeps Shabbos has all of his misdeeds forgiven (machul lo), logically the converse must also be true – one who desecrates Shabbos must have all his other misdeeds counted and remembered! Therefore, keeping Shabbos is truly a segula to be rid of all troubles! (Ohalei Tzaddikim)
