Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis Halevi)

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This article is about the 19th century rabbi. For his great-grandson and namesake, see Joseph B. Soloveitchik.
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik
Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveychik 1a.jpg
Rosh yeshiva in Volozhin, rabbi in Slutsk and Brisk
TitleRabbi
Personal
Born1820
Nesvizh, Minsk Governorate, Russian Empire
Died1 May 1892(1892-05-01) (aged 71–72)
Brest-Litovsk, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire
ReligionJudaism
NationalityRussian
ChildrenChaim Soloveitchik
DenominationOrthodox Judaism
Yahrtzeit4 Iyar 5652
BuriedJewish Cemetery, Warsaw
DynastySoloveitchik dynasty

Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (born 1820 in Nesvizh, Minsk Governorate, Russian Empire; died May 1, 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.[1][2][3]

Early years[]

Yosef Dov Soloveitchik was born to Rivka, a granddaughter of Chaim Volozhin. His father was Yitschok Ze'ev, descendant of Simcha Rappaport.[4]

In his youth, Soloveitchik lived in 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 rosh yeshiva of Volozhin yeshiva, over Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin. During this time he would lead the Yeshiva alongside the Netziv.[5] However, Berlin would ultimately be selected for the position, resulting in Soloveitchik relocating to Brisk.[6]

Rabbinate[]

In 1865, Soloveitchik became rabbi of Slutsk.[5] After assuming this position, he went to visit the cheder classes where the young boys received their education. When he observed the impoverished state of many children, he arranged for lunches to be served there, paid for by the community. His son, Chaim Soloveitchik, once said that while he himself responded to peoples’ needs, his father went further and discovered on his own what their needs were. His pupils in Slutsk included Joseph Rosen, later to gain fame as "the Rogatchover Gaon", and .

He was a fierce opponent of the Maskilim, as a result of which he left Slutsk in 1874. He then moved to Warsaw where he lived in poverty. When the rabbi of Brisk, Yehoshua Leib Diskin left for the Land of Israel in 1877, Soloveitchik was offered the rabbinate of Brisk.[5][6] He continued to hold that position until his death in 1892, when he was succeeded by his son Chaim Soloveitchik.[2] He is buried at the Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw.[3]

Works[]

Soloveitchik composed works on Jewish law (responsa) called Shu"t Beis Halevi, as well as a commentary on the first book and part of the second book of the Bible (Beis Halevi al Hatorah).[3][6]

Family tree[]

  • v
  • t
Brisker family tree
Esti Rosenberg, director of Migdal Oz (seminary)
Rabbi Yitzchok Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rabbi Bais Avrohom, Monsey, NY
Rabbi Yosef Dov (Reb Berel) SoloveichikRabbi Avrohom Yehoshua SoloveichikRabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion
Rabbi Meshulam Dovid (Reb Dovid) SoloveichikRabbi Yitzchak Zev SoloveichikRabbi Mayer Lichtenstein, Rabbi Ohel Menachem Bet Shemesh
Rabbi Yosef Dov (HaLevi) Soloveichik
author of Beis HaLevi		Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik
"Reb Chaim Brisker"		Rabbi Yitzchak Zev (Reb Velvel) Soloveichik
"The GRIZ"
The Brisker Rov		Lifsha Soloveitchik FeinsteinDr. Tovah Soloveitchik LichtensteinRabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt
Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin yeshivaLifsha Shapiro
Rabbi Refoel SoloveichikRabbi Dr. Aharon LichtensteinTzipporah Rosenblatt
Rabbi Meir SoloveichikDr. Atarah Soloveitchik TwerskyRabbi Mosheh Twersky Hy"d, Maggid Shiur at Yeshiva Toras Moshe
Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. (Yosef Dov) Soloveitchik
"The Rav"		Rabbi Dr. Isadore Twersky, Talner Rebbe of BostonRabbi Mayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
Rabbi Moshe SoloveichikRabbi Ahron SoloveichikRabbi Dr. Haym SoloveitchikRabbi Moshe Soloveichik, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk (Chicago); Rav of Kehilas Beth Sholom Ahavas Achim
Peshka Feinstein SoloveichikDr. Samuel SoloveichikRabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik, Maggid Shiur at Lander College's Beis Medrash L'TalmudRabbi Meir Yaakov Soloveichik
Shulamit Soloveitchik MeiselmanRabbi Moshe Meiselman, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras MosheRabbi Yosef SoloveichikSarah Orenshein
Anne Soloveitchik GerberRabbi Chayim Soloveichik, Maggid Shiur at Yeshivat Reishit; Morah D’Asrah of Kehillat Ohr Shalom, Ramat Beit ShemeshMoshe Soloveichik
Rabbi Yosef Dov SoloveichikRabbi Shmuel Chaim Soloveichik
Rabbi Yitzchok SoloveichikRabbi Yisroel Soloveichik
Rabbi Yisroel Gershon SoloveichikRabbi Moshe SoloveichikRabbi Boruch Soloveichik
Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Soloveichik
Daughter Soloveichik, Wife of Rabbi Shlomo Zev Carlebach
Notes:

Soloveitchik was the great-grandfather of the eponymous Joseph B. Soloveitchik and another descendant, Berel Soloveitchik who moved to Israel, both of whom are also known as "Yosef Dov Soloveitchik."

See also[]

  • Brisk yeshivas and methods.

References[]

  1. ^ Russian Jewish Encyclopedia
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Rabbi Yosef Dov "Beis HaLevi" Soloveichik..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  4. ^ Pascal Massry, Sarah (September 27, 2012). "Her Father's Legacy". Ami Living (88): 47.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Wolkenfeld, David. "Rabbi Hayyim Soloveitchik of Brisk". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Schloss, Chaim (2002). 2000 Years of Jewish History: From the Destruction of the Second Bais Hamikdash Until the Twentieth Century. Feldheim Publishers. ISBN 978-1-58330-214-9.
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