[edit]Front cover of Torah Novellae of the Genius From Sosnowiec, comprising Sztencl's two works, Beis Shlomo and Koheles Shlomo.Chaim Kanievsky looking at the book
In 1897, several months before his bar mitzvah, Shlomo traveled to Berzeznitz to study with its Chief Rabbi, Yaakov Yosef HaCohen Rabinovitch, author of Emes LeYaakov.[5] Several months later, when Rabinovitch was appointed Chief Rabbi of Klabotsk, he took Sztencl with him. After for a year and a half, Shlomo returned to the yeshiva of Amstov to study for another year. In the winter of 5661 (1900–1901), he studied with Avrohom Bornsztain for six months. In the summer of 1901 he returned home to Czeladź.[6]
Several days after his eighteenth birthday in 1902, Sztencl married Miriam Bayla, daughter of Rabbi Efraim Mordechai Mottel Zweigenhaft.[6] Following his marriage, Sztencl began writing a diary, in which he kept a cheshbon hanefesh (lit. "soul-reckoning"),[7] which was discovered only after his death.[6]
At the age of 21 Sztencl became rabbi of Czeladź.[6] Four years later he moved to Sosnowiec and was appointed rabbi and dayan (religious judge). He also led a yeshiva.[8]
Sztencl died on August 31, 1919 (5Elul 5679)[9] at the age of 35.
Sztencl's father collected and prepared his son's writings for publication. The manuscript was then divided into two books: Koheles Shlomo and Beis Shlomo. The former was published in 1932 and reprinted in 1973 by his Israeli descendants.[3] In 2013 Beis Shlomo was published for the first time in one volume together with Koheles ShlomoinJerusalem. The book was entitled Chidushei Hagaon M'sosnovitz (Novelle of the Genius of Sosnowiec).[11][12]
^שטנצל, שלמה בן חיים דב, 1884-1919. "Preface to Koheles Shlomo". Hebrewbooks.org. Retrieved 2013-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^שטנצל, שלמה בן חיים דב, 1884-1919 (1932). "Introduction to Koheles Shlomo". Hebrewbooks.org. Retrieved 21 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
