Rabbi Eliezer Papo (1785–1828) was the rabbi of the community of Selestria in Bulgaria. He is famous for writing the Pele Yoetz, a work of musar (ethical) literature which gives advice on how to behave as a Jew in many aspects of life.
He was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia. He moved at the age of 27 to Bulgaria, where he died in 1828.[1]
He authored the Pele Yoetz, his most famous work, as well as Eleph Hamogein, Oros Eilim, Chesed L'Alophim (on the Orach Chaim), Yaalzu Chasidim (on Sefer Chasidim), and Chodesh HaAviv.[2]
One of his noted works is Beit Tefillah, which is filled with many different prayers for specific situations, including one for the welfare of the Jewish people. A Ladino edition was published in the 1860s, and a Hebrew version was printed in Jerusalem in 1968 (There were some additional, newer printings since).
His grave is up to the present day a focus of pilgrimage by observant Jews, some of whom fly especially from Israel and even from Latin America to Bulgaria for that purpose.[3]
