Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was the first child to be born in the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood of Jerusalem founded by his maternal grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Porush, after whom he was named. His father, Rabbi Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach, was rosh yeshiva of Shaar Hashamayim Yeshiva, and his mother was Rebbetzin Tzivia. By the age of eleven he was proficient in the entire talmudictractate of Kiddushin. As a teenager he attended the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He was known for his diligence which is illustrated by an event which occurred while he was in yeshiva. On the day the first automobile rolled into Jerusalem along the Jaffa Road, all the students left their studies to marvel at the horse-less wagon. Only young Shlomo Zalman remained in his chair immersed in his studies. Following his marriage, he studied under Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank at Kollel Kerem Tzion which focused on the laws of the Land of Israel. He was known as one of the CharediAshkenazi supporters for Heter Mechira during the Shmita year. His first major published work, Meorei Esh, was the first ever written on the subject of using electricity on Shabbat. The work was endorsed by Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski who read it and declared: "Or chadash al Tziyon ta'ir" — "A new light will shine upon Zion" — a quote from the daily morning prayers. He had a close association with Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, as well as the Chazon Ish and Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, the two iconic and preeminent leaders of Lithuanian Haredi Judaism of the first and middle segments of the 20th century. He became the pre-eminent halachic decisor of his time in Israel, respected by all streams of Orthodox Judaism. He was unique in his approach to halacha through thought experiments. He was the brother-in-law of Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, who married his sister Leah. The two shared a long and close relationship as learning partners and personal friends. Renowned for his lucid classes as Rosh Yeshiva, his thousands of students continue to influence the Torah world today. An estimated 300,000 - 500,000 people attended his funeral in 1995. He was interred on Har HaMenuchot.
Children
Rabbi Auerbach had seven sons and three daughters. His sons are:
He also authored a commentary on Shev Shema'tata, which itself is a work of novellae on the Talmud by Rabbi Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller. Most of Rabbi Auerbach's halachic rulings were delivered orally and not published formally. However, his rulings on medical halacha were summarized and publicized by Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth in his book Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah, Rabbi Dr. Abraham S. Abraham in his Nishmat Avraham, and Rabbi Dr. Avraham Steinberg in his Encyclopedia Hilchatit Refuit. Rabbi Neuwirth also made many of Rabbi Auerbach's rulings on Hilkhot Shabbat widely known in his bestselling book, which was first published in Hebrew in 1965 and subsequently rendered into English.
