Grave of Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach
Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach (1931–2018) was a prominent Israeli Haredi rabbi, Torah scholar, and the influential leader of a fiercely conservative breakaway group within the non-Hasidic Lithuanian Ashkenazi community.While he was highly respected for his immense Torah scholarship, he became a defining and polarizing figure in Israeli society due to his militant opposition to the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Early Life and Family Lineage
Born in the Sha'arei Hesed neighborhood of Jerusalem, Rav Shmuel was the eldest son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, who was widely revered as one of the greatest, most moderate halachic (Jewish law) authorities of the 20th century.
Contrast with His Father: While his father purposefully avoided politics and was known for a gentle, inclusive demeanor that bridged divides across secular and religious Israelis, Rav Shmuel chose a path of fierce ideological battle and unyielding political activism.
Personal Life: He married Rachel Paksher, who passed away in 1990. The couple had no children. In her memory, he named his published book of Mussar (ethical discourses) Ohel Rachel.
Rabbinic Career and Scholarship
Before his entry into intense political warfare, Rav Shmuel was globally recognized for his elite intellectual status within the yeshiva world.
He served as the Rosh Yeshiva (head of school) of Yeshivas Ma'alot HaTorah in Jerusalem.
He served as the president (Nasi) of several other prominent institutions, including Yeshivas Midrash Shmuel and Yeshivas Toras Simcha.
He authored Darchei Shmuel, a highly regarded series of analytical commentaries (chidushim) on various tractates of the Talmud.
The Great Lithuanian Schism and the Jerusalem Faction
For over a decade, Rav Shmuel was a member of the Council of Torah Sages for Degel HaTorah (the mainstream Lithuanian political party founded by Rav Shach). However, the year 2012 marked a monumental shift in his legacy.
Following the passing of the supreme leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, a leadership vacuum emerged. A profound ideological struggle broke out between the more moderate Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman and the hardline Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach.
When Rabbi Shteinman assumed mainstream leadership, Rav Shmuel orchestrated a historic rebellion, fracturing the traditionally unified Lithuanian sector. He and his followers established:
The Jerusalem Faction (HaPeleg HaYerushalmi): A hardline, ideologically uncompromising movement that separated entirely from mainstream institutions.
The Bnei Torah Party (Etz): A distinct political party that won municipal seats in cities like Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Modi'in Illit.
Hapeles: A dedicated daily newspaper serving as the faction’s uncompromising ideological mouthpiece.
The Anti-Draft Crusade
The defining battle of Rav Shmuel's later years was his uncompromising opposition to the Israeli government’s attempts to conscript ultra-Orthodox men into the military following the expiration of the Tal Law in 2012.
While mainstream Haredi leaders instructed their students to cooperate with the military draft offices just enough to sign deferrals and maintain exemptions, Rav Shmuel viewed any cooperation as a spiritual death sentence.
The Policy of Non-Cooperation: He ordered his followers never to report to military induction centers, even if the purpose was solely for routine medical exams or bureaucratic paperwork.
Because his students refused to register, they were legally classified as draft dodgers and deserters, leading to frequent arrests by military police. In response, Rav Shmuel regularly mobilized thousands of yeshiva students to block major intersections, highways, and city streets in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak. These intense civil disobedience protests frequently turned into violent clashes with law enforcement.
Death and Impact
Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach suffered a fatal heart attack and passed away on February 24, 2018, at the age of 86. Reflecting his stature as a powerhouse of Torah scholarship despite his controversial politics, tens of thousands of mourners attended his massive funeral procession through the streets of Jerusalem.
Because he was the sole source of rabbinic legitimacy holding the Jerusalem Faction together, his passing left the movement without a singular undisputed heir. Today, the faction operates under a council of several rabbis trying to preserve his fierce, anti-establishment blueprint.