“Kol Eliyahu.” The voice of Elijah. The voice coming from the tape is that of Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian, one of the last outstanding exponents of the Mussar movement.
A student of Rabbi Simcha Zyssel Broida of Kelm, Rabbi Lopian was for more than seventy years active as a preacher and teacher of Mussar until his death in 1970 at the age of ninety-six.
He started his career in the Torah world, as founder and head of a Yeshiva in Lithuania. For nearly twenty-five years he resided in England, where he was Rosh Yeshiva and Mashgiach of Yeshiva Etz Hayyim of London. The last twenty years of his life he spent in the Land of Israel. For a period he gave Mussar talks in the Kamenitz Yeshiva of Jerusalem. Subsequently he became Menahel Ruchani of Yeshiva Knesset Chizkiyahu, which was first located in Zichron Yaakov and later moved to Kfar Chasidim.
Reb Elye- as he was affectionately called in wide circles- was one of the most powerful speakers produced by the Mussar movement. A Gaon in Torah, his talks were erudite and replete with original thoughts. But it was not only the contents, but also the presentation and manner of delivery which made every one of his talks a memorable event. Like the famous Maggidim of old he was a great raconteur, describing vividly scenes and moods and adjusting his strong voice to the ideas and situations he conveyed.
He came to Israel, after retiring from Yeshiva Etz Chayyim, with the intention of ‘being a listener and not a speaker.’ However, soon after his arrival, when his brother-in-law, in whose home he was staying, suggested that he give a talk in the Zichron Moshe synagogue, Reb Elye couldn’t refuse. His Derasha electrified the audience and became the talk of the entire neighborhood. Jerusalem’s Jews were used to famous rabbis and great Maggidim, but Reb Elye’s appearance was a new experience altogether. Rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva flocked to his home asking him to speak at their places. At that time he accepted the offer of the Kamenitz Yeshiva. But even after he had returned to his old routine, he wasn’t sure- in view of his advanced age- whether he should continue. He sought the advice of the Chazon Ish. “Even in old age they shall give yield, they shall be fertile and thriving- to tell that G-d is just,” the sage of Bnei Brak replied, quoting Psalms 92:15-16. The Chazon Ish stressed the word “Lehagid” (to tell), giving the two verses the meaning: Even in old age they shall give yield… (namely) to tell (to preach, teach) that G-d is just.
Reb Elye’s years in Israel constitute a glorious chapter in his long and fruitful life. He inspired and imbued with deep faith the students of Knesset Chizkiyahu, whose love and reverence for him knew no bounds. There were Sefardi students at the Yeshiva and students from the Oriental communities who were not content with hearing about Rabbi Elye’s talks from their Yiddish- speaking fellow students, but endeavored to learn the language to be able to listen to the Shmussen!
Reb Elye did not write down his thoughts or talks; he had no time for that. However there were at Knesset Chizkiyahu some students who took notes of them; others recorded them on tapes. The volumes of Lev Eliyahu are primarily based on these notes and tapes. One of the students, who had the foresight to tape Reb Elye’s talks was Rabbi David Joseph Schlossberg. He made his tapes available to Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, the editor of Lev Eliyahu. He also contributed reminiscences about Reb Elye to the biographical section in Lev Eliyahu on Bereshith.
About five years ago, Rabbi Schlossberg decided to make his tapes available to wider circles. The demand proved much greater than he expected. Encouraged by the good reception, he began reproducing more recordings, including some originally taped by others, among them recordings of talks Reb Elye had given during his visit to the U.S. in 1955.
Rabbi Schlossberg arrived recently in this country to spread his Kol Eliyahu tapes among rabbis, Roshei Yeshiva, Torah Educators and Yeshiva students. He told me in great detail how he taped Rabbi Elye’s talks.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Rabbi Schlossberg studied in Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore from 1947 to 1957. He continued his studies in Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore from 1947 to 1957. He continued his studies at Knesseth Chizkiyahu in Kfar Chasidim. Before long he became an intimate of Reb Elye. He was chosen to be his bachur; he ate with him, slept in his room and attended to Reb Elye’s needs. When he suggested to tape his talks, Reb Elye wouldn’t hear of it; he belittled the tape recorder calling it, “a tzatzkale.” After some time, probably because he felt indebted to Rabbi Schlossberg, he agreed with great hesitation to the latter’s pleas to tape the talks.
“When I played back the first tape, Reb Elye was fascinated,” Rabbi Schlossberg told me. “He listened attentively. He was all ears. Watching him listen, I learned how to listen to a Mussar Shmues.”
When there was an intermission in the replay—because Reb Elye had paused in his talk—Reb Elye asked: “Why doesn’t he continue?”
At the end Reb Elye remarked: “He knows it better than me. I could not have repeated my talk as well as he did.” Reb Elye also said that it was a pity that his talks were not taped many years ago. He had forgotten much of what he knew then.
At the end of my conversation with Rabbi Schlossberg, I listened to one of the tapes. For an hour I was nailed to my seat. Hearing the voice of Reb Elye, I was carried back to the years of my youth, almost half a century ago, when I was a student of his at London’s Etz Chayyim.