Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman, also known as the Vilna Gaon or the Gra, was a talmudist and the greatest Torah authority of his generation. He had a photographic memory; according to legend he memorized the Torah by the age of three. By the age of 20, he was already resolving complicated legal issues that confounded other rabbis. He wrote copious commentaries on virtually all Jewish texts, including corrective notes on the Talmud. He also authored books on grammar and mathematics and encouraged his students to learn secular sciences. He may be best remembered as one of the leaders of the "Mitnagdim," the opponents of the newly emergent Chasidic movement. He declared that the Chasidic belief in miracles and visions were lies and delusions. In response, he advocated a more rational approach to Torah observance that emphasized the traditional obligations of Torah study and fulfillment of the commandments.
Works on Sefaria
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