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R. Samuel Elijah b. Hayyim Jacob Elkin (1875-1961). He was born in Zarasai, Kovno Province, where his father served as a rabbi and preacher (p. 166). R. Samuel Elijah studied in Vilna and Telz and served as a rabbi in Berezny, Chernigov Province, and Staryi Bykhov, Mogilev Province. Following pogroms in 5667 (1907], he left for London and was appointed a dayyan. He immigrated to America in 5670 (1910] in search of a more hospitable climate and served as a rabbi in Baltimore, Syracuse, Lawrence (MA), St. Louis (ca. 1915; p. [3]), Chicago (1926-1936) and Brownsville (1936-?). "The forceful, half-blind Rabbi Samuel Elkin preached in the Etz Hayim - Tree of Life - Synagogue on Stone and Sutter Avenues [in Brownsville]. In a moment of ecstasy he sometimes opened the Ark and carried on a dialogue with the Creator about the sad plight in which the Jewish people finds itself. He later moved to Israel and was a teacher in Yeshivat Torat Hesed of Jerusalem by 5718 [1958].
"Readers will understand and preachers will realize that there is a novel approach in this volume of sermons. Earlier volumes of sermons follow the path of halakha, but contain no depictions of life. Halakha, novellae and casuistry come together in interpreting the text ... but this does not appeal to the present generation. Later books of sermons embrace contemporary methods, but abandon halakha ... But in this work, the first volume of which I am now printing, both approaches are combined ... I have published here [miscellaneous] sermons [for Sabbath lections and other occasions] ... which I delivered in various holy congregations in [European and American] cities where, for sixteen years, I was a rabbi ... Only a small number of them [i.e., of the sermons] appear here, and it is my hope to publish the other sections of my manuscripts with God's help and grace. The second part of this volume is on halakha, with a hadran for completing the six orders of the Mishnah that I delivered here in St. Louis ... and [two] responsa [from R. Menahem Mendel Shapira of Rimse regarding shehitah]" (pp. [34]). The halakhic section, also contains novellae, including some by his father (pp. 166-8). The printer's advertisement, which declares that he permits no work to be done on the Sabbath, is signed "Benjamin Moinester, Ish Yerushalayim" (p. [8]). The imprint date is recorded based on the preface. |
