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Netziv
Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (20 November 1816 – 10 August 1893), also known as Reb Hirsch Leib Berlin, and commonly known by the acronym Netziv, was a Russian Orthodox rabbi, rosh yeshiva ( dean) of the Volozhin Yeshiva and author of several works of rabbinic literature in Lithuania. Biography Early life The Netziv was the eldest son of Yaakov Berlin, a merchant and Torah scholar in the city of Mir, in the Russian Empire (now in Belarus). His paternal lineage traces back to Rabbi Elchanan of Berlin, known as "R' Elchanan Ba'al HaTosafot" due to his profound Torah knowledge, comparable to that of the Tosafists. On his maternal side, his lineage goes back to Rabbi Meir Eisenstadt, author of the responsa "Panim Meirot." Rabbi Sholom Schwadron recounted that in his youth, the Netziv struggled with his studies, and his father considered sending him to learn a trade. In response, the boy cried for a long time until the gates of wisdom were opened for him. Some of the Netziv's fam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chaim Berlin
Chaim Berlin (1832, Valozhyn – 1912, Jerusalem) (חיים ברלין) was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi and chief rabbi of Moscow from 1865 to 1889. He was the eldest son of the Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin. Biography Chaim Berlin was the son of Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, the Netziv, and his first wife. Berlin initially learned with his father. His connection to the Davidic line, House of David as a descendant of Rabbi Meir ben Isaac Katzenellenbogen, Meir Katzenellenbogen, the Maharam of Padua, is detailed in ''The Unbroken Chain''.Rosenstein, Neil. "The Unbroken Chain: Biographical Sketches and Genealogy of Illustrious Jewish Families from the 15th-20th Century," Volumes 1 and 2, Revised Edition, CIS Publishers: New York, 1990. . Berlin lived in Valozhyn, Belarus, where he was head of a Beth din, rabbinical court. In 1891, his father appointed him head of the Valozhyn yeshiva. There was controversy regarding this appointment as many students felt that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baruch Epstein
Baruch Epstein or Baruch ha-Levi Epstein (1860–1941) () was an Ashkenazi Jewish rabbi, best known for his '' Torah Temimah'' commentary on the Torah. He was the son of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, rabbi of Novarodok and author of the work '' Arukh HaShulkhan''. Biography Epstein grew up in Novarodok, where his father was the communal rabbi, but moved to the city of Pinsk after his marriage to the daughter of Rabbi Elazar Moshe Horowitz, and lived there until his death, apart from a period from 1923 to 1926, which he spent in the United States looking (unsuccessfully) for a rabbinic position. During this period he served as the first ''menahel'' (director) of Ezras Torah from around 1924 until he was succeeded by Rav Henkin around the year 1925. Although Epstein was a bookkeeper by profession, he had been a student at the Volozhin Yeshiva under his uncle Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (who became his brother-in-law after being widowed and remarrying Epstein's sister ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mir, Belarus
Mir (; ; ) is an List of urban-type settlements in Belarus, urban-type settlement in Karelichy District, Grodno Region, Belarus. It is situated on the banks of Miranka River, about southwest of the capital, Minsk. As of 2025, it has a population of 2,248. History Mir village was founded sometime prior to 1345. It is home to Mir Castle Complex, a late medieval castle, which made the town the target of many attacks over the centuries. The town belonged to the Illinič family (Korczak coat of arms) first and then to the Radziwiłł family. It was destroyed by the Swedish forces in 1655 (Deluge (history), Deluge) and again by the Swedes during the Great Northern War in 1706. In 1792, the Lithuanian division of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth army under Józef Judycki was routed by the invading Imperial Russian army corps under Boris Mellin (see Battle of Mir (1792), Battle of Mir). During the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1812, Russian Imperial cavalry, artillery and cossack ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yechiel Michel Epstein
Yechiel Michel ha-Levi Epstein () (24 January 1829 – 25 March 1908), often called "the ''Aruch haShulchan''" after his magnum opus, '' Aruch HaShulchan'', was a Rabbi and ''posek'' (authority in Jewish law) in Lithuania. Biography Yechiel Michel Epstein was born on 24 January 1829 in Babruysk, Russian Empire (presently in Belarus) to Aharon Yitzchak and Rashka Epstein. His father Aharon Yitzchak Epstein was a builder and contractor who spend much of his time traveling for his work, which were often projects of the Czarist government. He had one brother, Benjamin Beinush Epstein, who lived in Saint Petersburg. The two brothers stayed in touch over the years, and when Epstein needed to travel to Saint Petersburg—usually to submit his writings to the Russian censor before publishing—he would stay at his brother's house. As a child, Epstein studied in a traditional Cheder. His original intent was to follow in his father's footsteps: to work as a merchant, while dedicatin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Refael Shapiro
Rabbi Refael Shapiro (1837–1921) was the famed Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin yeshiva located in the town of Volozhin, Russia, (now Valozhyn, Belarus), and a son-in-law of Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (the ''Netziv'').Yeshiva Eitz Chaim VolozhinRav Refael Shapiro accessed 20 April 2016 After the Volozhin yeshiva was closed down in 1892 by order of the Russian government, he reopened it, albeit on a smaller scale in 1899. He was the father-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik of Brisk, now in Belarus, and is known as the ''Toras Refael'' after his primary work. Rabbi Shapiro ordained Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman (who would eventually become one of Israel's chief rabbis) who studied in the Kollel of the Volozhin yeshiva before opening his own yeshiva in the neighboring town of Vishnyeva (Vishnevo, Belarus). Additionally, Rabbi Shapiro gave Semicha (rabbinical ordination) to Rabbi Moshe Shatzkes, known as the Łomża Rov, and Rabbi Meir Joshua Rosenberg. Rabbi Shapiro died on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis Halevi)
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (born 1820 in Nesvizh, Minsk Governorate, Russian Empire; died 1 May 1892 in Brest-Litovsk, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire) was the author of Beis Halevi, by which name he is better known among Talmudic scholars. He was the great-grandson of Chaim Volozhin. Early years Yosef Dov Soloveitchik was born to Rivka, a granddaughter of Chaim Volozhin. His father was Yitschok Ze'ev, descendant of Simcha Rappaport. In his youth, Soloveitchik lived in Brody, Brod. One anecdote illustrates his early mastery of rabbinic learning. Shlomo Kluger, the rabbi of Brod, enjoyed engaging in Talmud studies with him. When Soloveitchik was about to leave Brod, Kluger is reputed to have said to him, "You have always resolved my ''kushyos'' (difficult Talmudic questions). But I have one difficulty you cannot resolve. How will I manage to part from you?" Rosh yeshiva Soloveitchik was reputed to have one of the great minds of his time. In 1854, he was considered a candidate for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yeshivas Volozhin
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish education, Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The studying is usually done through daily ''Shiur (Torah), shiurim'' (lectures or classes) as well as in study pairs called ''chavrusas'' (Aramaic language, Aramaic for 'friendship' or 'companionship'). ''Chavrusa''-style learning is one of the unique features of the yeshiva. In the United States and Israel, different levels of yeshiva education have different names. In the U.S., elementary-school students enroll in a ''cheder'', post-Bar and Bat Mitzvah, bar mitzvah-age students learn in a ''mesivta'', and undergraduate-level students learn in a ''beit midrash'' or ''yeshiva gedola'' (). In Israel, elementary-school students enroll in a Talmud Torah or ''cheder'', post-bar mitzvah-age students learn in a ''yeshiva ketana'' (), and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Volozhin Yeshiva
Yeshivas Etz Ḥayyim (), commonly called the Volozhin Yeshiva (), was a prestigious LItvak yeshiva located in the town of Volozhin in the Russian Empire (now Valozhyn, Belarus). It was founded around 1803 by Khayim Volozhiner, a student of the famed Vilna Gaon, and trained several generations of scholars, rabbis, and leaders. It is considered the first modern ''yeshiva'', and served as a model for later Misnagdic educational institutions. The institution reached its zenith under the leadership of Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, who became ''rosh yeshiva'' in 1854. In 1892, demands of the Russian authorities to increase secular studies forced the ''yeshiva'' to close. It re-opened on a smaller scale in 1899 and functioned until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. During the War German soldiers used the building as a stable, and it was subsequently converted into a canteen and deli. The site was returned to the Jewish community of Belarus in 1989. It is considered a cultural ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meir Bar-Ilan
Meir Bar-Ilan (; – ) was an orthodox rabbi, author, and religious Zionist activist, who served as leader of the Mizrachi movement in the United States and Mandatory Palestine. Bar-Ilan University, founded in 1955, was named in his honour. Biography Early life Bar-Ilan was born Meir Berlin in 1880 to a Lithuanian Jewish family, the youngest son of Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin and his second wife Rayna Batya Miriam Berlin (). Bar-Ilan's father was the head of the famous Volozhin Yeshiva in Lithuania. Bar-Ilan was also a descendant of Rabbi Meir Katzenellenbogen, the Maharam of Padua. He studied at the Volozhin Yeshiva and, after his father's death in 1894, at the traditional yeshivas of Telshe, Brisk and Novardok, where he learned with his maternal grandfather, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein. After gaining ''semicha'' in 1902 at the age of twenty-two, Bar-Ilan travelled to Germany to attend the University of Berlin. There, he became acquainted with a more modern f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Judaism, God on Mount Sinai (Bible), Mount Sinai and faithfully transmitted ever since. Orthodox Judaism therefore advocates a strict observance of Jewish Law, or ''halakha'', which is to be Posek, interpreted and determined only according to traditional methods and in adherence to the continuum of received precedent through the ages. It regards the entire ''halakhic'' system as ultimately grounded in immutable revelation, essentially beyond external and historical influence. More than any theoretical issue, obeying the Kosher, dietary, Tumah and taharah, purity, ethical and other laws of ''halakha'' is the hallmark of Orthodoxy. Practicing members are easily distinguishable by their lifestyle, refraining from doing 39 Melakhot, numerous rou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosh Yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and the Torah, and ''halakha'' (Jewish law). The general role of the rosh yeshiva is to oversee the Talmudic studies and halakha, practical matters. The rosh yeshiva will often give the highest ''Shiur (Torah), shiur'' (class) and is also the one to decide whether to grant permission for students to undertake classes for rabbinical ordination, known as ''semicha''. The term is a compound word, compound of the Hebrew words ''rosh'' ("head") and ''yeshiva'' (a school of religious Jewish education). The rosh yeshiva is required to have a comprehensive knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called ''chidushim'' (wikt:novellae, novellae) verbally and often in print. In some institutions, such as YU's Rabbi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor
Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor or Isaac Elhanan Spector (; 1817 – March 6, 1896) was a Russian rabbi, ''posek'' and Talmudist of the 19th century. Early life Spektor was born in Ros', Belarus (Yiddish: Rosh), then part of the Grodno Governorate of the Russian Empire. His father, Israel Issar, rabbi of Resh and Yitzchak Elchanan's first teacher, leaned toward Hasidism. Yitzchak Elchanan studied Talmud and at the age of thirteen he married, and settled with his wife's parents in Vilkovisk, where he remained for six years. He was for a short time the pupil of Elijah Schick, and later he studied under Benjamin Diskin, rabbi of Vilkovisk and was the fellow student of Diskin's son Joshua Leib Diskin, afterward rabbi of Brisk. Spektor received his ''semikhah'' (rabbinic ordination) from Benjamin Diskin and from R. Isaac Ḥaber of Tiktin (later of Suwałki). His wife's 300 rubles dowry was lost in the bankruptcy of his debtor. In 1837 Spector became rabbi of the small adjacent town ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
