Eliyahu Feinstein

Eliyahu Halevi Feinstein, also known as Reb Elye Pruzhaner, (b. Slutsk, Russia 1843 - d. Pruzhany, 1929), was a leading rabbinic authority of his time.

Feinstein was born in Slutsk, in the Minsk Governorate of the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus), in 1843. In 1851-1852 aged ten years old, he became the pupil of Rabbi Joseph Feimer ("Reb Yossele Slutzker") in Slutsk. Afterwards he continued his studies at the Volozhin Yeshiva, then led by the Netziv.

Feinstein held many rabbinical posts during his life, but always on one condition: that he be free from non-urgent community concerns until noon every day, so he could study Torah uninterrupted. He became rabbi of Starobin in 1863, of Kletsk in 1867, and of Karelitz in 1873. He was then rabbi of Chaslovitz. His final position was as rabbi of Pruzhany. He was called Rabbi Elya Pruzhaner from that time forward. It was in the time that he was rabbi in Pruzhany that he was often called to serve on a Bet Din for Lyakhovichi. Although he received many offers to be Rav of larger cities, he preferred to stay in Pruzhany. The town of Pruzhany was one of four so called "Karpes" cities in which the Hasidim did not gain a foothold. He was twice offered the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, but each time turned it down. Possible reasons for his declination are the need to find proper suitors for his unwed daughters, or unwillingness to become entangled in the politics of the Holy Land. When this position was instead taken by Abraham Isaac Kook, Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld expressed his regret over Reb Elye's decision.

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