Avraham Shapira

This article is about the rabbi. For the politician, see Avraham Yosef Shapira. For R' Avraham Shapiro, author of Devar Avraham, see Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro.

Rabbi Avraham Shapira אברהם אלקנה כהנא שפירא‎
Rabbi Avraham Shapira
Title	Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
Personal
Born	c. 1910 Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire
Died	September 27, 2007(2007-09-27) (aged 97) Jerusalem, Israel
Religion	Judaism
Nationality	Israeli
Spouse	Penina Shapira
Children	4 (including Rabbi Yaakov Eliezer Kahana Shapira)
Parent(s)	Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Kahana Shapira and Hanna Reizel Zaks
Denomination	Hardal (Religious Zionist)
Alma mater	Etz Chaim Yeshiva, Hebron Yeshiva
Occupation	Rosh Yeshiva, Posek, Chief Rabbi
Jewish leader
Predecessor	Shlomo Goren
Successor	Yisrael Meir Lau
Position	Rosh Yeshiva
Yeshiva	Mercaz haRav
Position	Chief Rabbi
Organisation	Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Began	1983
Ended	1993
Buried	Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery, Jerusalem
Dynasty	Shapira

Avraham Shapira (Hebrew: אברהם אלקנה כהנא שפירא; c. 1910, Jerusalem – 27 September 2007) was a prominent rabbi in the Religious Zionist world. He served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993. Shapira was the head of the Rabbinical court of Jerusalem, and both a member and the head of the Supreme Rabbinic Court. He was the rosh yeshiva of Mercaz haRav in Jerusalem, a position he held after Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook died in 1982.

He was the founder and president of the Machon HaRav Tzvi Yehuda (Machon HaRatzia), a member of the founding presidency of the Union of Rabbis for the Land of Israel, and president of the Tzvia Ulpana network (after the passing of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook) and Komemiyut movement.

Biography

Early Years

Shapira was born in Jerusalem to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Kahana Shapira and Hanna Reizel (née Zaks). He studied in the Talmud Torah of Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem at the "Hurva" in the Old City, under Rabbi Chaim Man and Rabbi Leib Ruchman (father-in-law of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach). Later, he studied at Yeshivat Tiferet Zvi under Rabbi Avraham Chaim Hacalmman, who encouraged him to publish his first work, "Darchei HaKinyanim," on the laws of acquisitions in Halacha at age twelve. He also studied with Rabbi Reuven Trop, to whom he became very close. After Hebron Yeshiva relocated to Jerusalem following the 1929 Hebron massacre, he joined it and studied under the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein, who greatly valued him. He also studied under Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna. He learned in a chavruta (learning partnership) with Rabbi Moshe Chevroni, who later became the head of the yeshiva. Due to a lack of books, many relied on his ability to recite texts by heart. According to Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen and Rabbi Yaakov Rosenthal, the heads of the yeshiva would say of him:

"Here grows the next Gadol HaDor (leading Torah scholar)."

In his youth, he maintained contact with prominent rabbis such as Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook; the Rabbi of Tchebin, with whom he regularly consulted on various matters, and, according to Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz in his book "BeOhel Avraham," after the death of the Chazon Ish, Rabbi Kook said:

"I don’t know what they’ll say in Bnei Brak, but I say that Rabbi Avraham Shapira is the next Gadol HaDor."

The Chazon Ish wrote to him:

"It is evident that his entire intent is to uncover the truth of the Torah."

Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik of Brisk had a son who recounted that his father would ask for Torah journals if they contained articles by Rabbi Shapira. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote about him:

"The distinguished of Jerusalem’s scholars, fitting to teach in all Torah knowledge, and who am I compared to them."

Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank asked him to comment on his writings. Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer included exchanges with him in his book Even HaEzel. Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog and Rabbi Zvi Yehuda HaKohen Kook also engaged with him in halachic discussions on Rabbi Kook’s father’s responsa. Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv invited him, encouraged by the Chazon Ish, to teach at Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. According to various testimonies, he was offered a position as either a maggid shiur or as a rosh yeshiva. However, he declined, explaining to his students:

"I follow the path of Maran Rabbi Kook of blessed memory."

Additional reasons were his love for Jerusalem and his wish to support his widowed mother, who lived there.

In 1949 (Hebrew year 5709), he edited the book "Zechor Yitzchak" by Rabbi Yitzhak Yaakov Rabinovich (Ponovezh), adding a "Final Appendix" with his own Torah insights on topics discussed in the book. Around this time, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank, would often send halachic questions directed to him to Rabbi Shapira, asking him to respond on his behalf.

During his studies at the yeshiva, he studied in a chavruta with David Raziel, his cousin’s husband, who would later become the commander of the Irgun. While Raziel was on the run from the British Mandate authorities, frequently changing hiding places, he would occasionally stay with the Shapira family. Rabbi Shapira would give up his bed for Raziel and stay awake studying through the night.

At Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva

As a Rosh Metivta

Rabbis Zvi Yehuda Kook (right) and Avraham Shapira at Merkaz Harav yeshiva

While they prayed together in the neighborhood of Meah Shearim, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook met Rabbi Shapira and was impressed by his prayer. He began conversing with him on Torah matters and developed a deep respect for Rabbi Shapira. Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda arranged for Rabbi Shapira’s marriage to Penina, the sister of his brother-in-law, Rabbi Shalom Natan Ra’anan, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook’s son-in-law. In 1945, he invited Rabbi Shapira to teach at Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva, which he accepted, and he continued to teach there for over sixty years. There, he also studied in chavruta with Rav Ha-Nazir on Tikkunei Zohar. At the yeshiva, he became close to its head, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlap, and was the only one teaching Talmud apart from him at that time. As Rabbi Charlap’s health declined, he asked Rabbi Shapira to take over the shiur klali (general lecture), which Rabbi Shapira did and continued delivering regularly after Rabbi Charlap’s passing.

As Rosh Yeshiva under Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook

Delivering a general lesson at the yeshiva

After Rabbi Charlap’s passing, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda invited Rabbi Shapira to serve as Rosh Yeshiva, subject to his guidance. Rabbi Shapira was referred to as "Rosh Yeshiva," while Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda was called "Head of the Yeshiva." Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda saw him as the Rosh Yeshiva responsible for Talmudic and halachic instruction and his right hand in managing and leading the yeshiva. Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda explained his choice:

"We need people from among us who live by the Torah of redemption and bring peace to the world."

Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda wanted to organize a formal induction ceremony attended by other rabbis, but Rabbi Shapira declined, saying he "could not bear the publicity." In 1959, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda also invited Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli to serve as co-Rosh Yeshiva, delivering his shiur klali on Thursdays in addition to Rabbi Shapira’s on Tuesdays. He also delivered a Saturday night lecture on "Ketzot HaChoshen." During this lecture, he would choose and discuss passages from "Ketzot" on topics selected by the students in real time. Additionally, he would often stay during the yeshiva's study sessions to discuss issues with the students. He emphasized in-depth study of Rashi’s commentary, teaching students to see how Rashi’s language subtly addresses the challenges raised by Tosafot. He often stressed,

"the essence of human greatness is revealed in the yeshiva,"

and his position as head of the yeshiva was, to him, the crowning achievement of his life’s work.

During Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda's lifetime, Rabbi Shapira remained modest, refraining from expressing public opinions that differed from those of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda. Nevertheless, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda consulted him on various public and personal matters, recognizing his opinions as decisive Torah views on numerous issues. Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda would send him complex halachic questions for his ruling, particularly those with ideological implications, such as allowing shaving on Independence Day. He would also turn to him for broader matters, like decisions regarding the management of the yeshiva or participating in public demonstrations on various topics. After the passing of Rabbi Mordechai From in 1972, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda gathered Rabbi Chaim Steiner and others, saying, "We need to advance Rabbi Avraham further within the yeshiva."

Head of the Yeshiva

Together with Rabbi Shalom Messas in the dining hall of Merkaz Harav yeshiva

In Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda’s final years, he transferred many of the yeshiva’s administrative responsibilities to Rabbi Shapira and would send him questions concerning both the yeshiva’s internal matters and individuals seeking guidance. In this period, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda increasingly turned to Rabbi Shapira for decisions on matters of public concern. In his final year, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda entrusted Rabbi Shapira with the responsibility of leading the fight against the evacuation of Sinai. In 1982, before his passing, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda designated Rabbi Shapira to continue as head of the yeshiva. Upon his passing, the official appointment was made by the board of the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva, alongside Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli. During this time, Rabbi Shapira established the Machon HaRav Tzvi Yehuda in Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda's memory, publishing the writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda. Despite Rabbi Shapira's primary focus on Talmud and halacha, he ensured that the yeshiva’s study of emunah (faith) continued as before, encouraged and praised these studies, and regularly engaged students in studies of faith on Saturday nights after completing the study of Ketzot HaChoshen. Following Rabbi Yisraeli’s passing in 1995, he remained the sole head of the yeshiva.

A student, Rabbi Gideon Perl, described four main aspects of Rabbi Shapira’s educational approach:

• Warmth and love for the students
• Extensive knowledge of all areas of Torah and deep analysis of every topic and its halachic implications, alongside encouragement of "Torah curiosity" to explore every part of Torah that a student encountered, as well as familiarity with the customs of great Torah scholars
• Recognition of the value of the Jewish people as a foundation for Torah study
• Adherence to the teachings of the great Torah scholars of previous generations, whose authority came from their Torah greatness.

Yeshiva split

During the seven days of mourning for Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda, a group of rabbis, including Rosh Metivta Mordechai Sternberg, Amiel Sternberg, Oded Wolensky, Yehoshua Zuckerman, and Yaakov Levanon, as well as Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, demanded that Rabbi Shapira and Rabbi Yisraeli appoint Rabbi Tzvi Israel Tau as co-head of the yeshiva and grant him veto power over admissions and faculty appointments, financial management, the yeshiva’s public stance, and more. Their request was denied, creating tension within the yeshiva. The differences extended to perspectives on issues of nationalism, with Rabbi Tau being a prominent advocate of the nationalist vision, while Rabbi Shapira held a more critical view of the government. Many of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda’s senior students, including Rabbis Yaakov Ariel, Dov Lior, Yaakov Filber, Chaim Steiner, Zalman Baruch Melamed, Eitan Eisman, Michael Hershkowitz, Elyakin Levanon, David Chai HaCohen, Yehoshua Rosen, and Aryeh Stern, aligned themselves with Rabbi Shapira.

In 1997, this group, along with about two hundred students, left the yeshiva to establish Yeshivat Har Hamor. The split occurred after the yeshiva administration offered students an option to study for a teaching degree alongside yeshiva studies. Rabbi Tau and his associated rabbis alleged that the administration intended to set up a teaching institute within the yeshiva, which, in their view, could compromise the freedom of study there. Rabbi Shapira denied these claims. In an interview, Rabbi Shapira argued that he was the clear authority for the students who left, making it halachically forbidden for them to oppose him and establish a yeshiva in his city. He further stated that until they repented, they were forbidden to issue halachic rulings as students who had opposed their own rabbi’s yeshiva.

In a letter signed by several of the yeshiva’s alumni rabbis, Rabbi Shapira and the students who left were called upon to return to the yeshiva and seek Rabbi Shapira’s forgiveness. Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu added a note to the letter praising Rabbi Shapira and stressing the prohibition against splitting from the yeshiva he led. Another letter published in HaTzofe argued that the split violated Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda’s teachings on unity, respect for Torah scholars, and Torah itself. The signatories expressed support for Rabbi Shapira, "who devoted himself to elevating Torah and ensuring the integrity of our people and land," encouraging yeshiva students "to absorb from the spirit of our great teachers." Among the signatories were Rabbis Dov Lior, Zalman Melamed, Yaakov Ariel, Amnon Shugarman, Gideon Perl, Yehuda Felix, Yeshayahu Meitlis, Yehoshua Ben Meir, Shmuel Yaniv, Menachem Felix, Shabtai Zelikovitz, Emmanuel Zarbiv, Yosef Toledano, Simcha Statner, Shabtai Sabato, Yosef Alankva, Chaim Avihu Schwartz, David Chai HaCohen, and others. At the head of the signatories was Rabbi Eliyahu Shlomo Ra'anan, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook’s grandson.

A group of veteran students of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda continued to teach at the yeshiva after the split and after Rabbi Shapira’s passing, including Rabbis Yehoshua Rosen, Chaim Steiner, Yaakov Filber, Michael Hershkowitz, Yitzhak Ben Shachar, and Chaim Avihu Schwartz. Some of his students who had previously taught at the yeshiva, such as Rabbis Yaakov Ariel, Aryeh Stern, and David Chai HaCohen, returned during this period to show their support.

In 2003, he instructed his son, Rabbi Yaakov Eliezer Kahana Shapira, to deliver the shiur klali alongside him at the yeshiva. After his passing in 2007, it was announced that he bequeathed his position to this son in his will. Another son, Rabbi Shmuel, serves as the yeshiva’s manager.

Rabbinic positions, committees, and Torah Institutes

In his youth, he was among the initiators of a weekly gathering of Torah scholars at the home of the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, to discuss Torah topics and complex halachic questions. This weekly meeting deepened Rabbi Herzog’s respect for him, and he granted him certification as a dayan (rabbinical judge). In 1956 (Hebrew year 5716), Rabbi Herzog requested him to join the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court, which Rabbi Shapira accepted following encouragement from his friend, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who was already serving there and asked Rabbi Shapira to join him. In 1971, he was appointed Av Beit Din (head of the rabbinical court). Starting in 1974, he served on the Rabbinical Supreme Court and as a member of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. When he was appointed to the Rabbinical Supreme Court, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu refused to head the tribunal, despite being senior in rank according to the court’s guidelines. Rabbi Eliyahu conditioned his participation on Rabbi Shapira serving as Av Beit Din (head of the tribunal).

Around the 1970s, Rabbi Shapira responded to the request of a group of medical students led by Rabbi Professor Avraham Steinberg, delivering a series of lectures over an extended period on issues related to medicine and Shabbat. Among the topics discussed were questions like how to administer injections, insert IVs, and apply bandages on Shabbat. At that time, halachic rulings on these topics were not yet clarified, and he innovated in these areas.

In 1980 (Hebrew year 5740), he was appointed a member of the legislative department at the Harry Fischel Institute and became the chief inspector of the 'Otzar HaPoskim' project. He also served as president of the Maharsha"l Institute, which published the writings of Gaonim and Rishonim.

During this time, he served on various committees, including the committee on autopsy issues and the education committee established by Minister Haim-Moshe Shapira. One of the notable decisions made by this committee was to recognize years of study in yeshivas as the best form of teacher training.

In the Chief Rabbinate

Together with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein during a visit of the Chief Rabbis to the United States

Meeting with U.S. President George Bush

Appointment, Nature of His Tenure, and Activities

Towards the end of the tenure of Chief Rabbis Shlomo Goren and Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi Shapira attempted to extend their term of service. When these efforts were unsuccessful, and under pressure to run himself, he presented his candidacy but refused to campaign actively. On 1 Nisan 5743 (March 15, 1983), he was elected as the Chief Rabbi of Israel. This was despite the Chief Rabbinate Law of Israel requiring the Chief Rabbi at the time of election to be under 70 years old. Rabbi Shapira received 80 votes out of 136, while the other candidates, Rabbi Yitzhak Kolitz and Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen, received 36 and 17 votes, respectively. He served in this role for ten years, alongside Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu until Nisan 5753 (1993).

Their tenure was characterized by cooperation between the two Chief Rabbis. For example, they alternated weekly Chief Rabbinate Council meetings between their offices and ensured matching chairs were placed in each office for their colleague, meeting weekly to discuss pressing issues.

Together with Rabbi Shlomo Goren

During his tenure, Rabbi Shapira worked to strengthen the position of rabbis and judges and to improve and elevate the Chief Rabbinate’s exams, giving them such prestige that Torah scholars from the United States, including members of the Haredi community, traveled to Israel specifically to take these exams. Through his collaboration with Rabbi Eliyahu, they ended the ability to appoint judges without the formal certification exams by the Rabbinate. Additionally, he sought to fortify the authority of the Rabbinate, and during their tenure, the judicial system avoided conflicts with the Rabbinate. They expanded the Rabbinate’s involvement beyond traditional roles such as kashrut and marriage, addressing various public issues, including a nurses' strike and worked to increase its authority and influence in multiple areas. Among other initiatives, they introduced a permanent representative from the Rabbinate into the Ministry of Education. Rabbi Shapira regularly met with the heads of religious education to discuss current events. Rabbi Shapira viewed these activities as a spiritual mission to:

"…teach and instill that the Torah has something to say about every aspect of life, especially in a Jewish state."

When he traveled abroad on behalf of the Chief Rabbinate, he would observe a personal fast due to the significance of representing Israel.

Kashrut and Import Department

Chief Rabbis Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Rabbi Avraham Shapira in prayer, 1991.

He and Rabbi Eliyahu placed a special emphasis on improving the kashrut standards of the Chief Rabbinate, ensuring direct involvement in its operations. They dispatched representatives to various regions, particularly the Far East and areas without organized rabbinic oversight, organized special gatherings of rabbis and professionals, and personally reviewed lists of products and ingredients. They implemented new regulations, established clear protocols for issuing kashrut certificates, ensured deep involvement of the Rabbinate and its supervisors, and maintained strict oversight of factories and supervising rabbis abroad. This led to the revocation of credentials for some deemed unreliable and the improvement of others. To establish absolute control of the kashrut process, Rabbi Shapira initiated meetings with supermarket chains, convincing them to refuse merchandise from importers lacking Rabbinate approval. Their efforts created a framework that prevented non-kosher products from entering the market. Together, they built the extensive kashrut infrastructure seen today.

They solidified the Rabbinate’s status as the authority over all kashrut in Israel. To achieve this, Rabbi Shapira and Rabbi Eliyahu co-sponsored legislation prohibiting the issuance of any kashrut certification without Rabbinate supervision, requiring even private kashrut authorities, like Badatz Eida HaChareidis, to be accountable to the Chief Rabbinate. In response, certain Haredi groups and others launched criticism in various forums, attempting to discourage the Rabbinate’s strict oversight, but Rabbi Shapira held firm to his standards.

As part of their kashrut activities, Rabbi Shapira established the "Import Department" of the Chief Rabbinate, explaining that an efficient import department would elevate the status of a modern kashrut system, integrating Torah with science and food technology, both in Israel and globally. They introduced new national kashrut guidelines, especially in the areas of imports and meat slaughter abroad, and conducted continuous, strict supervision of kosher slaughtering teams outside of Israel, significantly raising the level of kosher certification abroad. His distinguished student, Rabbi Yitzhak Yaakobovitch, who later became the rabbi of the South Sharon Regional Council, was appointed head of the department. Rabbi Shapira also formed a special import committee that included rabbis Simcha HaKohen Kook, Pinchas Korach, Avraham Rubin, Yosef Gliksberg, and Yosef Bar-Shalom, who, at Rabbi Shapira’s request, studied and specialized in food technology. One of the decisions made by this committee was to prohibit the entry of products into Israel without undergoing laboratory testing by a chemist who was God-fearing to verify they contained no non-kosher ingredients.

Determining the moment of death

With his colleague Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and their predecessor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef

One of the most significant rulings during his tenure in the Chief Rabbinate was the decision in 5746 (1986) on determining the moment of death. This ruling provided ethical approval for organ transplantation in Israel. The decision was made after the Ministry of Health approached the Rabbinate to resolve the issue, and Rabbi Shapira, recognizing its importance, dedicated significant time and effort to reach a clear ruling. He formed a committee that included, in addition to himself and Rabbi Eliyahu, Rabbis Shaul Yisraeli, Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, David Haim Shlush, and Yisrael Meir Lau. He also invited experts in medicine and Halacha such as Rabbi Professor Avraham Steinberg and Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Halperin as medical advisors.

The committee consulted with senior doctors at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, studying the issues related to transplants and the medical and halachic aspects of determining death, with professional medical guidance from experts in neurology, anesthesiology, surgery, cardiology, and other fields. Once the medical aspect was fully understood, they addressed the halachic perspective and concluded that brain death, defined as irreversible cessation of breathing, is considered death. Due to halachic concerns, the committee established conditions for confirming brain death, including requiring a certified rabbi with expertise in medical halacha to be present at the time of death determination. Rabbi Shapira gave the final ruling on the matter, and the decisions were adopted by the Chief Rabbinate Council.

The conditions set by the committee were not initially accepted by the Ministry of Health, preventing organ donations at that time and stopping observant Jews from signing Adi organ donor cards. A month after Rabbi Shapira’s passing, MK Otniel Schneller introduced the Brain Respiratory Death Law, based on the committee’s decisions, which was approved by the Knesset, along with the Organ Transplant Law, providing a halachic framework for organ donations and enabling religious participation.

Final days

Funeral of Rabbi Shapira

Rabbi Avraham Elkana Kahana Shapira died on the first day of Sukkot, 15 Tishrei 5768 (September 27, 2007), at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Toward the end of 5767, his health declined, and he attended the yeshiva's High Holiday prayers in a wheelchair, connected to an oxygen tank. During the Ten Days of Repentance, many prayer rallies were held for his recovery, including a large gathering at the Western Wall. Despite the Jerusalem custom of not delaying a funeral, his funeral was postponed to the following day, in accordance with his ruling a few years prior that the funeral of a Torah scholar may be delayed to allow a large crowd to attend, in honor of the Torah.

Tens of thousands attended his funeral. He was buried in Mount of Olives Cemetery, near the graves of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, Rabbi David Cohen (the Nazir), and Rabbi Shlomo Goren.

In public leadership

Public leader

Rabbi Shapira’s prominent public activities began with his opposition to the withdrawal from Sinai, a campaign he led at the request of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook (the "Rav Tzvi Yehuda"), who was weakened. Later, as Chief Rabbi, he became known for his opposition to evacuating Jewish areas in Land of Israel in general, as well as opposing reductions in the authority of the Chief Rabbinate. After completing his tenure, along with Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, he became a central rabbinic authority for the national-religious community, giving halachic rulings and public leadership. He was regarded as the senior rabbi of Religious Zionism, and its spiritual leader. Members of the National Union-Mafdal Party would regularly consult with him and Rabbi Eliyahu.

He also influenced various fields, including politics, education, Jewish law, and the authority of the Rabbinate, which he continued to defend even after his official term. His central influence stemmed partly from his position as the rabbi of thousands of alumni from Mercaz Harav Yeshiva who engaged in numerous fields. Many stayed connected to the yeshiva and Rabbi Shapira, so his opinions had a widespread impact.

Torah and education

Rabbi Shapira encouraged and assisted in establishing many yeshivas, both high and secondary, as well as seminaries and kollels led by his students. He sent yeshiva graduates for Torah and educational work abroad. He also guided and sent many students to roles in rabbinics, Jewish law, and education. He supported the establishment of small yeshivas (yeshivot ketanot). Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu once said of him:

"There are today, across the land, yeshivas led by heads of yeshivas – all from his school."

The Judicial System

Concerning the secular court system, he wrote:

"When there are religious courts adhering to Torah law, going to secular courts contrary to Torah law is a severe matter. The Rashba wrote that it is akin to 'raising a hand against the Torah of Moses.'"

However, regarding involvement in the secular system, Rabbi Shapira struggled between advancing Jewish law and the concern that a judge might be forced to rule in a manner considered theft in halachic terms.

Opposition to the Oslo Accords

During the Oslo Accords, Rabbi Shapira led the rabbinic opposition, joined by Rabbis Shaul Yisraeli and Moshe-Zvi Neria. Together with Rabbi Nachum Eliezer Rabinovitch, they founded the "Union of Rabbis for the Land of Israel", which became the primary rabbinic body leading the opposition, issuing proclamations and public instructions, creating public pressure, organizing rabbinic gatherings, and more. The Union declared that relinquishing land under Israeli control to non-Jews, even in exchange for peace agreements, was against Halacha and that one should refuse such orders. This ruling stirred extensive debate. He continued to oppose the Hebron Agreement and was one of the firmest rabbinic voices against the transfer of land.

Opposition to the Disengagement Plan

Rabbi Shapira in Gush Katif

When the Disengagement Plan was announced, Rabbi Shapira, alongside Rabbi Eliyahu, led the rabbinic opposition, comparing its implementation to other biblical prohibitions where following orders is not permitted. He thus called for refusal of orders. One hundred and fifty rabbis joined him in calling for adherence to his ruling. He also participated in rallies supporting the communities and people of Gush Katif and in protests against the government. After the evacuation, he continued to maintain ties with the evacuees for years.

Ahead of the disengagement, a public interview was published with Chief Military Rabbi Yisrael Weiss, in which he opposed refusal of orders and claimed one should comply – after asserting he was a student of Rabbi Shapira and acted under his guidance. Following the interview, Rabbi Shapira sent Rabbi Weiss a letter emphasizing his stance that it was a Torah prohibition to comply with the evacuation orders, urging,

"If you claim to be my student, please heed my opinion and do not teach the opposite. If you are not, then do not use my name to fulfill your missions… do not become an accomplice to sin!"

His last letter, signed alongside Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu a few days before his death, also addressed the prohibition of evacuating areas of the Land of Israel.

As a Halachic authority

With Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu at the Jerusalem Day ceremony at Merkaz Harav yeshiva

Halachic approach

Rabbi Shapira saw halacha as encompassing all areas of life. Unlike some rabbis from Religious Zionism, he placed minimal importance, if any, on meta-halakhic considerations in his rulings, viewing the study of Jewish thought and philosophy as a tool to strengthen observance of halacha, rather than as something that influences halachic rulings.

He allowed for the possibility of new legislation by the state based on communal regulations recognized by halacha, provided they did not contradict halacha, and for ordinances by the Rabbinate when necessary, especially for issues arising in modern times, particularly due to the existence of the State of Israel, which lacks historical precedent or direct halachic literature addressing it. However, Rabbi Shapira preferred a conservative approach to halachic interpretation, avoiding changes and innovations when he feared they could lead to overly broad rulings by others. For example, he stated that although it is necessary to long for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and the offering of sacrifices, one should not ascend the Temple Mount and let such desires dictate halachic rulings.

Views

State of Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting Rabbi Shapira in his Sukkah

Rabbi Shapira expressed Zionist views and saw the State of Israel as the beginning of redemption (atchalta de'geulah). He viewed the establishment of the state as the end of the exile. Regarding the election to the 10th Knesset, he stated that people should vote for a religious party, not a party of both religious and secular individuals supporting the entirety of the land.

He praised the state for being a "supporter of Torah" and for the unprecedented growth of Torah study in the country, which he felt had not been seen since the Second Temple period. Each year on the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut, he requested reports from the Ministry of Religious Affairs detailing the exact number of Torah students in the country: Talmudei Torah, yeshiva ketanot, yeshiva gedolot, kolelim, and so forth.

Despite his state-oriented perspective and his view of the State of Israel as the beginning of redemption, he opposed political decisions that, in his view, contradicted the Torah, especially territorial concessions. He did not see these oppositions as contradictory to "state loyalty." Conversely, he rejected arguments suggesting that any government's actions could alter the fundamentally positive stance toward the state.

He explained the complexity and provided evidence that the state is considered a form of redemption simply because it is Jewish governance, even while opposing actions that contradict the Torah by its leaders:

"The Kingdom of Israel during the First Temple period belonged to all of Israel, not to King Jeroboam and his associates. During the rule of wicked kings, there was no exile, quite the opposite, and only when the gentiles conquered the state and Israel became subject to foreign rule did exile emerge... The State of Israel does not belong to Ben-Gurion and his colleagues or the ministers up to this day, but to all of Israel. And thus, because the state is under the governance of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and not under foreign rule, it cannot be called exile."

The Jewish People

Rabbi Shapira placed great importance on a sense of partnership and belonging with the entire Jewish people. He emphasized this yearly in his address on Rosh Hashanah before the shofar blowing, saying:

" 'I dwell among my people' – what will happen with all of Israel will happen with us."

In a letter to an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva student, he rebuked him, writing:

"The whole of Israel is not only yeshiva students, but the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all who are called by the name Israel."

The Chief Rabbinate

He insisted on maintaining the status and dignity of the Chief Rabbinate as the highest rabbinic authority of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, which he believed must be preserved to uphold its authority over Jewish matters. In his view:

"Without the existence of the Chief Rabbinate, the rabbinate would be open to anyone who calls themselves a rabbi, like in the Diaspora, and half of the Land of Israel would be exposed and handed over to Reform and Conservative rabbis, as in the United States. Likewise, the system of rabbinic courts, the strongest Torah-based institution in the Land of Israel, would collapse, with all the serious consequences that would result from this."

Yeshivas and Torah Learning

In his later years, studying with the use of a magnifying glass

Rabbi Shapira believed that the goal of lectures in a yeshiva is to develop new perspectives, but that the primary learning should be done by each student independently in a way that suits their own nature. Therefore, he advocated reducing the number of lectures attended by students, both in Talmud and in emunah. Nevertheless, he valued the opportunity to hear different styles of lectures. This approach continues to be practiced at Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva.

He placed great importance on encouraging young people to study in yeshiva, seeing it as the future of the Jewish people. He worked hard to persuade young people who thought studying in a yeshiva was beyond their capability, emphasizing that above any other Torah study path available, yeshiva study holds a unique and irreplaceable value. Therefore, he strongly opposed the pre-military preparatory programs. In a conversation with preparatory students at his home, he remarked:

"One who does not study in a yeshiva loses not only the acquisition of a study method but also the mental and emotional experience that the yeshiva provides. For those who are capable, it is preferable to study even one year in yeshiva rather than two years in a preparatory program."

Rabbi Shapira placed special importance on the concepts of "rabbi and student," which embody the central aspect of the transmission of the Oral Torah. He emphasized that the proper way is for the rabbi to receive the Torah from his teacher to pass it on to his students, who will then transmit it to their own students. Thus, he saw the yeshiva as a crucial institution within the Jewish people, as it serves as the place of Torah transmission from generation to generation, considering it for this reason to be "a place where the Divine Presence rests." He would often say that a Jew needs three full years of yeshiva study to leave "the presumption of being unlearned in Torah." He maintained that although there is room for learning Kabbalah and other subjects, the traditional yeshiva curriculum should not be changed.

Public laws and leadership

Rabbi Shapira emphasized that in matters of "public laws" and significant rulings, only the opinions of prominent Torah scholars with established expertise should be considered. He strongly criticized young rabbis lacking experience and qualifications who involved themselves in weighty issues impacting the Jewish public. In this context, he coined the term "rebbalach" (a diminutive form, implying small or unqualified rabbis) as a dismissive label for rabbis who attempted to make rulings on issues beyond their competence. He remarked:

"One who does not have the authority to release an agunah should not take on matters concerning the entire people of Israel."

Tradition of the generations

He frequently emphasized the preservation of ancient customs and traditions and the sense of connection to the old Jewish world. His student, Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Meir, described Rabbi Shapira as a figure bridging the new generation and the ancient chain of tradition, merging continuity and creativity:

"He ensured that we... would be a continuation of the chain of Jewish tradition and the world of Torah scholarship from previous generations... It is precisely the generation of rebirth and redemption... that recognizes the centrality of the State of Israel in the redemption process, knowing how to integrate eternal treasures with the changing times and events."

Other religions

When asked about meetings with religious leaders of other faiths, Rabbi Shapira responded:

"We do not go to them to engage in polemics, but if they come to us, it is appropriate to receive them respectfully, and it is permissible to allow them into a synagogue or Beit Midrash for the sake of peaceful relations, as has traditionally been done, though the non-Jew should also be respectful and avoid entering with a cross."

Family

Rabbi Shapira's father was Rabbi Tzvi Asher Kahana Shapira, one of the heads of the Yeshivat HaMekubalim Sha'ar HaShamayim. Rabbi Shapira was the 27th generation descendant of Rashi and the great-grandson of Rabbi Moshe Maggid Rivlin, a disciple of the Vilna Gaon who immigrated to Israel during the Aliyah of the Disciples of the Vilna Gaon, making him a sixth-generation Jerusalemite. The Shapira family is a priestly family with a lineage tracing back to Ezra the Scribe. On his mother's side, he was the great-grandson of Rabbi Avraham Elkana Zacks, son of Rabbi Moshe Zacks, one of the early disciples of the Chasam Sofer who immigrated to Israel (his father-in-law was Rabbi Tzadok HaLevi Kroiz). His cousins were Rabbi Menahem Ben-Zion Zacks, a rabbi in Chicago, and Rabbi Yehoshua Fishel Zacks. Rabbi Shapira expressed a desire for a book to be published about his family history. His sons are Dr. Moshe Chaim Zacks and Dr. Yitzchak Zacks.

The Shapira family was known for its dayanim (rabbinical judges). Among them was Rabbi Shapira's grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Leib Levy (brother of Rabbi Nahum of Shadik), who served as Av Beit Din in the rabbinical court of Rabbi Shmuel Salant and the Maharil Diskin in Jerusalem. Rabbi Shapira himself served as a member of the Great Rabbinical Court and later as its president. His brother, Rabbi Shmuel Kahana Shapira, was Av Beit Din in Jerusalem, and his nephew, Rabbi Eliezer Shapira, also served as a dayan in the Great Rabbinical Court. Rabbi Eliezer's son, Rabbi Shlomo Shapira, continues this role today.

Rabbi Shapira was married to Penina, daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Eliezer Hirschowitz, sister of Rabbi Shalom Natan Ra'anan, who was the director of Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav and son-in-law of Rabbi Kook (she died in 2019). The couple had four sons: Shlomo Zalman, Rabbi Ben-Zion (author of the book "Pnei Avraham" and head of the Merkaz HaRav Institute), and the twins Rabbi Yaakov Elazar Kahana Shapira (who succeeded his father as the head of the yeshiva, according to Rabbi Shapira's will) and Rabbi Shmuel Tzvi (who was designated in his father's will as the yeshiva's director).

Notable students

• Rabbi Yaakov Elazar Kahana Shapira – Head of Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav
• Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz – Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav and Beit El
• Rabbi Avraham Zacks - Researcher of the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
• Rabbi Aharon Eisental – Rabbi of Chispin and Ram at Yeshivat HaGolan
• Rabbi Itamar Orbach – Rabbi of Hashmonaim and Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav
• Rabbi Eitan Eiseman – Head of the "Noam" educational institutions, formerly head of his office at the Chief Rabbinate
• Rabbi Aharon Trop – Former head of the high school yeshiva "Bnei Tzvi"
• Rabbi Eliezer Shenwald – Head of the Hesder Yeshiva "Meir Harel" in Modi'in and Ofakim
• Rabbi Elyakim Levanon – Head of Yeshivat Birkas Yosef and Rabbi of the Shomron Regional Council
• Rabbi Aryeh Stern – Head of the Halakha Brurah and Birur Halakha Institute and Rabbi of Jerusalem
• Rabbi Gideon Perl – Rabbi of Alon Shvut and former head of his office at the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
• Rabbi Dov Lior – Former Rabbi of Hebron-Kiryat Arba and Head of Yeshivat Nir Kiryat Arba
• Rabbi David Hai HaCohen – Head of Yeshivat Netivot Yisrael and Rabbi of a neighborhood in Bat Yam
• Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed – Head of Beit El Yeshiva
• Rabbi Chaim Steiner – Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav and senior rabbi of the Tkuma Party
• Rabbi Yigal Lerer – Av Beit Din in Petah Tikva and Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav
• Prof. Rabbi Yigal Shafran – Head of "Merkhavim" and expert in Medicine and Halacha
• Rabbi Yehoshua Magnes – Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, formerly head of the Ulpana in Tel Aviv
• Rabbi Yehuda Zoldan – Chief supervisor of Talmud education
• Rabbi Yehuda Amichai – Head of Torah and the Land Institute and head of the Conversion Administration
• Rabbi Yosef Alankwa – Rabbi of the Gaza Strip settlements
• Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Meir – Former head of Yeshivat Shevut Yisrael in Efrat
• Rabbi Yoel Manovich – Head of Yeshivat HaGolan
• Rabbi Yehezkel Daum – Rabbi of Tnuva and the village of Ramat Magshimim
• Rabbi Yaakov Ariel – Former Rabbi of Ramat Gan and President of Yeshivat Ramat Gan
• Rabbi Yitzhak Ben Shahar – Head of Yeshivat Kedumim
• Rabbi Yitzhak Yaakobovitz – Rabbi of the Southern Sharon Regional Council
• Rabbi Yerachmiel Weiss – Former head of Yeshivat Yerushalayim LeTzeirim
• Rabbi Micha HaLevi – Rabbi of Petah Tikva and Head of Yeshivat Ateret Nechemiah
• Rabbi Meir Freeman – Rabbinical court judge in Tel Aviv
• Rabbi Michael Hershkowitz – Rabbi of the village of Neria and Ram at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav
• Rabbi Eliezer Melamed – Rabbi of Har Bracha and head of the Har Bracha Yeshiva
• Rabbi Menahem Burstein – Head of Puah Institute
• Rabbi Moshe Bigel – Rabbi of Meitar and member of the Tzohar organization
• Rabbi Moshe Dimantman – Senior lecturer at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh
• Rabbi Moshe Harari – Author of the "Mikraei Kodesh" series
• Rabbi Moshe Klein – Rabbi of the Hadassah Medical Center and Rabbi of the Kfar Ganim neighborhood
• Prof. Rabbi Neria Guttel – Former head of Orot Israel College
• Rabbi Zvi Kostiner – Head of Yeshivat Midbara KeEden in Mitzpe Ramon
• Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hamo – Rabbi of Kiryat Gat
• Rabbi Shlomo Korach – Rabbi of Bnei Brak
• Rabbi Shlomo Shapira – Member of the Great Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem and grandson of his uncle

Books

Together with Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria on Jerusalem Day at Merkaz Harav yeshiva

Talmud and Halacha

• Shiurei Maran HaGra Shapira – A series of books containing Rabbi Shapira’s general lectures on the Talmud delivered at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, edited by Rabbi Binyamin Rakover in six volumes on eleven tractates: Bava Batra, Shabbat-Pesachim, Ketubot-Kiddushin, Yevamot-Gittin, Bava Kamma-Nedarim, and Bava Metzia-Sanhedrin. This series won the Jerusalem Prize for Torah Literature and the Shapira Prize.
• Ma'amak Avraham – Selected teachings on the Talmud. Edited by Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz.
• Shu"t Minchat Avraham – Four volumes containing Rabbi Shapira's responsa, rulings, and halachic essays.
• Zecher Yitzchak – A book by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Rabinowitz of Ponevezh, edited by Rabbi Shapira in his youth (republished by the Jerusalem Institute with additional parts edited by his student and nephew, Rabbi Shlomo Shapira).

Faith and Thought

• Morasha – Shichot LeMo'adim – A collection of Rabbi Shapira’s talks for Jewish holidays, gathering his lectures delivered at the yeshiva. An additional part, a booklet called HaYoshevet BaGanim, was added, featuring brief words of Torah. Edited by Rabbi Shamir Shintov and Rabbi Yonatan Aviv.
• Morasha – A compilation of sermons and essays on Torah, Eretz Yisrael, education, public leadership, modesty, Torah study for women, refusal of orders, the laws of the state, and tributes to former yeshiva heads—Abraham Isaac Kook, his son Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, and Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli. Edited by Rabbi Shamir Shintov and Rabbi Yonatan Aviv.
• Haggadah Shel Pesach HaYoshevet BaGanim – A Passover Haggadah with insights and pearls of wisdom on Hazal. Edited by Rabbi Shamir Shintov and Rabbi Yonatan Aviv.
• Kuntres HaYoshevet BaGanim – On the High Holy Days and topics of repentance.
• Yemei HaPurim – Reflections on Purim.
• Ahavti Toratecha – Chapters on the ways of acquiring Torah, based on the teachings of Rabbi Avraham Elkana Kahana Shapira. Edited by Elad Avraham Carmon, 2018.

Booklets of Sermons

• Yoma Drigla – Talks delivered at the annual memorial service for Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, held on Ta'anit Esther.
• Et LeKol Chefetz – A collection of sermons for various Jewish holidays.
• Chag HaSukkot – A collection of sermons on the holiday of Sukkot.

Memorials and honors

• A street in Jerusalem, connecting Herzl Boulevard and Yitzhak Rabin Boulevard, is named after him.
• The central square in the town of Mevo Horon is named after him.
• A street in the city of Beit Shemesh carries his name.
• A street in the settlement of Beit El is named in his honor.
• Beit Hora’ah Beit Avraham – A halachic guidance center led by Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, Rabbi Eitan Eizman, and Rabbi Yehoshua Magnes, established in 2019. It provides answers to halachic questions by students of the yeshiva who are ordained rabbis under the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
• A Torah community and kollel, Torat Avraham, in Nazareth Illit is named in his memory.
• A mikveh in the Givat Shaul neighborhood is dedicated to his memory.
• The Torat Avraham Beit Midrash in the Yeshivat Mevakshi Hashem is named after him.
• Previously, there was a high school yeshiva named "Beit Avraham" led by Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Schreiber.

Further reading

• Rabbi Binyamin Rakover and Rabbi Yitzhak Dadon (editors), Imrei Shefer – Insights on the Torah, anecdotes, and guidance in Rabbi Shapira’s teachings.
• Rabbi Yitzhak Dadon, Rosh Davar – Facts and stories Rabbi Shapira told, organized according to the weekly Torah portions, with an appendix titled Merosh Amana – some of his practices, published in Adar 2010.
• Rabbi Yitzhak Dadon and Dvir Amar, Av BaTorah Av BeChachma – Hundreds of stories around Pirkei Avot, 2019.
• Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz, Me'amak Avraham – Summaries of lectures given at the yeshiva. Be'ohel Avraham - Biography and stories about him.
• Rabbi Ben-Zion Kahana Shapira and Rabbi Yehoshua Weisinger (editors), "Echad Haya Avraham": Articles, letters, and memories in commemoration of ten years since the passing of Rabbi Avraham Elkana Kahana Shapira, Jerusalem 2018, published by Merkaz Harav.
• Rabbi Avraham Israel Silbetzki, Shlosha Ktarmim, in the memorial book Eshel Avraham.
• Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz, Me'Amak Avraham – Summaries of lectures given at the yeshiva. Be'Ohel Avraham – Biography and stories about him.
• Rabbi Ben-Zion Kahana Shapira and Rabbi Yehoshua Weisinger (editors), Echad Haya Avraham: Articles, letters, and memories commemorating ten years since the passing of Rabbi Avraham Elkana Kahana Shapira, Jerusalem 2018, published by Merkaz Harav.
• Rabbi Avraham Israel Silbetzki, Shlosha Ktarmim, in the memorial book Eshel Avraham.
• Rabbi Yehoshua Ben-Meir, Ve'Avraham Hai: Insights and stories about Rabbi Avraham Shapira, within the context of Jewish holidays and significant events in Israel.
• Rabbi Yosef Shapira, Talmudo BeYado: A comprehensive biography and review of Rabbi Shapira's halachic decisions and contributions to Jewish law.
• Rabbi Itamar Orbach, Tzedakah U’Mishpat: On the leadership and halachic influence of Rabbi Shapira in the religious Zionist community.