Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik

Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik (also known as Reb Dovid or Rav Dovid; 21 October 1921 – 31 January 2021; Hebrew: משולם דוד סולובייצ'יק‎) was a Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva of one of the branches of the Brisk yeshivas[3] in Jerusalem, Israel, attended by select young Talmudists, mainly from the United States.

Rabbi Dovid Soloveitchik
Title	Rosh Yeshivas Brisk
Personal
Born	Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik 21 October 1921 Brześć, Interwar Poland
Died	31 January 2021 (aged 99) Jerusalem, Israel
Religion	Judaism
Spouse	Yehudis Shternbuch
Children	Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik (II) Rabbi Asher Soloveitchik Rebbetzin Hendel Kaplan
Parents	Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik and Alte Hindl Auerbach
Denomination	Haredi[1]
Jewish leader
Predecessor	Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik
Successor	Rabbi Velvel (Yitzchok Zev) Soloveitchik[2]
Position	Rosh yeshiva
Yeshiva	Brisk Yeshiva, Jerusalem
Began	12 October 1959
Ended	31 January 2021
Buried	Har Hamenuchot
Residence	Jerusalem
Dynasty	Soloveitchik

Early life

Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik was the fifth of twelve children and the third son born to Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik and Alte Hindl, daughter of Chaim Auerbach (not to be confused with Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach).[4] His exact date of his birth is unknown, but it is known that his older brother Chaim was born in January 1920 and his younger brother Refoel Yehoshua was born in Spring 1924. Some sources state his birth on 19 Tishrei 5682 which would be 21 October 1921.[5] He was named Meshulam after his maternal great grandfather, Meshulam Auerbach, who proposed the shidduch between his granddaughter and the son of Chaim Soloveitchik.[6] He learned in the Kamenitz Yeshiva by Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibovitz. At 19 years old Soloveitchik emigrated to Mandatory Palestine with his father during World War II, and they settled in Jerusalem. He married Yehudis[7] the daughter of Asher Sternbuch of London.[8] He was the brother-in-law of Moishe Sternbuch and Chanoch Ehrentreu.

Rosh yeshiva

Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik with students

In the late 1970s, Soloveitchik opened his yeshiva in the Gush Shemonim section of the Givat Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem.

He did not personally publish any works on the Talmud, but many of his works have been published by his students, especially in the latest Mishor prints of his father's works. He rarely gave approbations to new books.

Soloveitchik was considered by Briskers to be one of the last authentic remnants of a pre-World War II Jewish Lithuania, and is often quoted for his memories of his father's and grandfather's lives and teachings.[9][10][11][12]

Family

Soloveitchik's eldest son, Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik (II), who is the son in-law of Rabbi Berel Povarsky, was a maggid shiur (lecturer) in his father's yeshiva.[13] When Meshulam Dovid died, Yitzchok Zev became the rosh yeshiva. [2]

Soloveitchik's daughter Hendel[7] is married to Nechemya Kaplan, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaar HaTalmud in Jerusalem.[14]

Death

He died from COVID-19 complications during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel on 31 January 2021 at the age of 99.[15] Ten thousand[16] mourners turned out to attend his funeral. He was buried beside his father (Yitzchok Zev "Velvel" Soloveitchik) on Har Hamenuchos.[2]

It was announced at the funeral, that in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, his oldest son, Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik will succeed his father as Rosh Yeshiva of Brisk.[2]

Works

• Shiurei Rabbeinu Meshulam Dovid HaLevi (written by students):
  • Nazir
  • Arachin
  • Zevachim Part 1
  • Zevachim Part 2
  • Zevachim Part 3
• Al Hatorah (2 Vol.)
• Drashos Mussar U'Tefila
• מאמר שעת השמד [Speech Against the Impending Draft of Bnei Torah]

Notable students

• Rabbi Eliezer Geldzahler (1958-2004), Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Yisroel in Brooklyn New York.[17]
• Rabbi Chaim Yosef Goldberg (1948-2016), a renowned philanthropist[18] in Israel.[19][20][21]
• Rabbi Yitzchok Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas[22]
• Rabbi Moshe Twersky (1955-2014)[23]
• Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, av beit din of the Federation of Synagogues in London

Brisker rabbinic dynasty

References

1. Leiman, Sid (10 March 2016). "A Picture and its One Thousand Words: The Old Vilna Jewish Cemetery Revisited". Defending History. Retrieved 22 December 2019. [Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik] was a leader of the Haredi community in Israel.
2. "BARUCH DAYAN HaEmes: HaGaon HaRav Dovid Soloveitchik, Z'TL, Thousands Attend Levaya". the Yeshiva World.com. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
3. S. Baruchi (21 May 2003). "HaRav Yechiel Michel Feinstein, zt'l". Dei'ah veDibur. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
4. Freund, Rabbi Tuvia. "Exploring the Pesach Preparations of the Brisker Rav, zt"l". Hamodia. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
5. Meller, pp. 134–135.
6. Meller, pp. 115–116.
7. "Hagaon Harav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, Zt"l, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk". Hamodia. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
8. "Marrying Soloveitchik".
9. Weinstock, Yair (June 1999). Tales for the Soul: A famous novelist retells classic stories with passion and spirit. I. p. vii. ISBN 1-57819-286-2.
10. Parkoff, Eliezer; Linas, Eliezer (2002). Trust me: An anthology of emunah and bitachon. Feldheim Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 1-58330-531-9.
11. Shtern, Mosheh Aharon; Goldstein, Yitzchok Meir (2000). From a Pure Fire. p. 12. ISBN 1-58330-448-7.
12. Shain, Ruchoma (2001). All for the Boss: The life and impact of R' Yaakov Yosef Herman, a Torah Pioneer in America. Feldheim Publishers. p. 359. ISBN 1-58330-470-3.
13. Meller, Shimon Yosef (2007). The Brisker Rav: The Life and Times of Maran Hagaon HaRav Yitzchok Ze'ev HaLevi Soloveichik : Including Stories of the Great City of Brisk from Its Establishment as a Torah Center Until Its Destruction During the Holocaust. ISBN 9781583309698.
14. Shimon Yosef Meller (2007). The Brisker Rav: The Life and Times of Maran HaGaon Yitzchok. Volume 1. ISBN 9781583309698.
15. Brisk Yeshiva head, Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, passes away at 99
16. TOI STAFF (31 January 2021). "For 2nd time in day, thousands attend funeral of rabbi, flouting lockdown rules". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
17. "Today's Yahrtzeits and History – 8 Kislev". Matzav.com. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
18. "2,500 Envelopes with 200 Shekels Each Distributed at Rav Goldberg's Levayah". Matzav.com. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
19. Koppel, Y. (6 April 2016). "Rav Chaim Yosef Goldberg zt"l". Yated.com. Yated Ne’eman. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
20. Weiss, Yoni (31 March 2016). "Rabbi Chaim Yosef Goldberg, z"l". Hamodia.com. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
21. "Rav Chaim Yosef Goldberg zt"l, Legendary Baal Chesed". Matzav.com. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
22. "Rav Yitzchok Lichtenstein Inaugurated as Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath". YeshivaWorld.com. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
23. Berman, Yehoshua. "Tribute to Rabbi Moshe Twersky 2". Chazaq.org. Retrieved 31 January 2021.

Sources

• rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik Stories about his father with reb yonatan shtencel
• Meller, Rabbi Shimon Yosef (2007). The Brisker Rav: The life and times of Maran HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Ze'ev HaLevi Soloveichik, zt"l. Feldheim Publishers. ISBN 978-1-58330-969-8.