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TheSoloveitchik dynasty ofrabbinic scholars and their students originated theBrisker method ofTalmudic study, which is embraced by their followers in theBrisk yeshivas. It is so called because of the Soloveitchiks' origin in the town of Brisk, orBrest-Litovsk, located in what is nowBelarus. Many of the first Soloveitchik rabbis were the official rabbis of Brisk, and each in turn was known as "the Brisker Rov". Today,Brisk refers to severalyeshivas inIsrael and theUnited States founded by members of the Soloveitchik family, including the yeshivas of R’ Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik and the late R’Dovid Soloveitchik, among others.

The Soloveitchik family includes many significant rabbinical forebears, such asSimcha Rappaport andChaim of Volozhin, famed Talmudist and founder of theVolozhin yeshiva. Chaim of Volozhin was a student of theVilna Gaon.

The Soloveitchik dynasty began with Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik known as theBeis HaLevi. More significantly, the "Brisker style" described below can already be found to some degree in the Beis HaLevi's works, which is not the case for earlier ancestors.

All members of the Soloveitchik family are descended from theTribe of Levi and thus sometimes go by the descriptorHaLevi. The surname "Soloveitchik" comes from the word fornightingale inSlavic languages; it was chosen by the family because the primary duty of the Levites in theTemple in Jerusalem was singing.^{[citation needed]}

Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (1820–1892) served as rabbi of Brisk for much of his life. His works on theMishneh Torah and first five books of theHebrew Bible which he authored were titledBeis HaLevi (Hebrew for "House of the Levites"). Many people therefore refer to him simply as the Beis HaLevi, which also avoids the confusion with two of his prominent great-grandsons who shared the same full name: (1) RabbiMoshe Soloveichik's son, RabbiJoseph Soloveitchik (1903–1993) who moved to theUnited States; and (2) RabbiYitzchak Zev Soloveitchik's son, RabbiBerel Soloveitchik, who lived in Israel.

Soloveitchik succeeded RabbiYehoshua Leib Diskin as rabbi of Brisk when the latter moved to Jerusalem in 1876. He had previously served as the rabbi ofSlutzk, and before that, on the faculty of the Volozhin yeshiva.

TheBeis HaLevi was succeeded as rabbi of Brisk by his son, RabbiChaim Soloveitchik (1853–1918). He is most commonly known as "Reb Chaim Brisker" (Rabbi Chaim from Brisk) where he implemented an analytic method of studying Talmud that focuses on precise definition/s and categorization/s ofJewish law . His primary work wasChidushei Rav Chaim HaLevi, a volume of insights on theMishneh Torah which often would suggest novel understandings of the Talmud as well. He had three sons, Yitzchak Zev, Moshe and his eldest, Yisroel Gershon.

Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik became known asThe Brisker Rov when he succeeded his father as rabbi of Brisk. He was often known by the nameVelvel, aYiddishnickname for "little wolf". (Zev isHebrew for "wolf".) He is also commonly known as the "GRYZ" or "HaGRYZ," anacronym for (Ha)GaonRabbiYitzchakZev ("[the] genius Rabbi Isaac Wolf"). He became famous enough that many people, however, refer to him simply asder Brisker Rov ("the rabbi of Brisk"). In fact, many in the Brisker yeshiva world in Israel refer to him simply as "The Rov". (In the Modern Orthodox community, his nephew, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, is referred to as "the Rav".)

Like his father, Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik published works based on theMishneh Torah, often suggesting novel insights on the Talmud in the process. He fled theHolocaust and moved to theBritish Mandate of Palestine. His children and grandchildren live in Israel today, and have founded several yeshivas there, all known as "Brisk", based inJerusalem.

RabbiMeshulam Dovid Soloveitchik (known as Reb Dovid) was the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik. He was rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Brisk in theGush Shemonim section of Jerusalem. Like his father and grandfather he published works based on Mishnah Torah, and many of his lectures have been published by his students. He was considered by Briskers to be one of the last authentic remnants of a pre-World War II Jewish Lithuania. His students include the lateRabbi Moshe Twersky, Rebbi in Yeshivas Toras Moshe and RabbiYitzchok Lichtenstein Rosh Yeshiva ofYeshiva Torah Vodaas, both grandsons of his cousin RabbiJoseph Ber Soloveitchik. He died on January 31, 2021, in Jerusalem, Israel.

RabbiBerel Soloveitchik, commonly known simply as "Reb Berel," was one of the leading Brisker Rosh Yeshivas inJerusalem,Israel. He was the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Zev, the Brisker Rav, and the cousin of Rabbi Joseph Ber Soloveitchik. His son,Rav Avrohom Yehoshua, succeeds him as Rosh Yeshiva of Brisk in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik was the son of Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik and headed one of the Brisker Yeshivas in Jerusalem, which was attended by many Torah scholars, including the currentRadzinerRebbe, Grand Rabbi Moshe Leiner. He should not be confused with RabbiMeir Soloveichik, the son of RabbiAhron Soloveichik's son Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik. He died at the age of 87 on April 2, 2016.his yeshiva is now headed by his son Rabbi Yechiel Soloveitchik together with his brother Rabbi Avrohom Soloveichick and another yeshiva by his son Reb Velvel and his brother

Rabbi Yitzchok Zev "reb Velvel" Soloveitchik is the son of Rav Meshulam Dovid, as well as his successor as Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas brisk. He carries the name of his grandfather, The Brisker Rov.

Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik's other famous son was Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik. His works on theRambam are known as theChiddushei HaGram haLevi and "Chiddushei haGram ve'haGrid." He served as the Rabbi of Rasseyn and then of Chaslavich. He then moved to Warsaw where he served asrosh yeshiva ofTachkemoni Rabbinical Seminary. He moved to America in 1929 and was appointed as a rosh yeshiva atRabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). (While RIETS has at no point ever called itself a "Brisk yeshiva" per se, it was home for many decades to Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik and later his sons.) His sons were the famous RabbiJoseph Soloveitchik, who lived in Boston and commuted to teach Talmud atYeshiva University in Manhattan; Dr.Samuel Soloveichik, a chemist as well as a Talmudic scholar; and RabbiAhron Soloveichik, who taught at Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin and then at Yeshiva University. Rav Ahron founded and was the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Brisk in Chicago, Illinois.

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik was a son of Moshe Soloveichik. He succeeded his father as the senior Rosh Yeshiva of RIETS in New York. As he rose to become an important leader of Modern Orthodox Jewry, he ordained close to 2,000 rabbis over the course of almost half a century thereby strengthening his status as "The Rav"—as he was 'the rabbis's rabbi'. He began the day school movement when he establishedMaimonides School as one of the firstJewish day schools outside the New York area in 1937 after arriving in Boston with Tanya Levitt Soloveitchik in 1935 to be themara d'atra of the greater Boston Jewish community. Today, Maimonides maintains many of the Rav's radical educational posits including co-education and femaleTalmud study. He is often credited with being a primary founder ofModern Orthodoxy, a movement of Judaism which maintains that Jews must both practice aHalakhic life without shunning the outside world. He also gave much needed validity to the Zionist effort in his famous work "Kol Dodi Dofek". Although he was primarily a brilliant Talmudist, his most famous works of "Lonely Man of Faith", "Catharsis", "Halachic Man", and "Uvikkashtem Misham" are largely philosophical. A film called The Lonely Man of Faith: the Life and Legacy of Joseph B. Soloveitchik documents the Rav's lifework and personality in greater detail.

Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik was a son of Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik. He taught atMesivta RabbiChaim Berlin and then atYeshiva University. He eventually moved to Chicago and became rosh yeshiva at theHebrew Theological College and in 1974 founded his own yeshivaYeshivas Brisk of Chicago. After his brother Joseph became ill, beginning in 1986 he began to commute to New York City to lecture atRIETS as well. Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik died in 2001, and Yeshivas Brisk of Chicago became defunct a few years later as a Mesivta but remains active today as aBeth Medrash under Rabbi Ahron's eldest son, Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik. His grandchildren include Rabbi Shmuel Marcus, philosopher Rabbi Dr.Meir Soloveichik, and political analystNechama Soloveichik. Rabbi Dr.David Applebaum was considered one of his most outstanding and devoted disciples.

v t e Brisker family tree
This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(November 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) RabbanitEsti Rosenberg, director ofMigdal Oz (seminary) RabbiYitzchok Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva ofYeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rabbi Bais Avrohom, Monsey, NY RabbiYosef Dov (Reb Berel) Soloveichik RabbiAvrohom Yehoshua Soloveichik RabbiMosheh Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva ofYeshivat Har Etzion RabbiMeshulam Dovid (Reb Dovid) Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveichik Rabbi Mayer Lichtenstein, Rabbi Ohel Menachem Bet Shemesh RabbiYosef Dov (HaLevi) Soloveichik author ofBeis HaLevi RabbiChaim Soloveichik "Reb Chaim Brisker" RabbiYitzchak Zev (Reb Velvel) Soloveichik "The GRIZ" The Brisker Rov Lifsha Soloveitchik Feinstein Dr. Tovah Soloveitchik Lichtenstein RabbiJonathan Rosenblatt RabbiRefael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva ofVolozhin yeshiva Lifsha Shapiro Rabbi Refoel Soloveichik Rabbi Dr.Aharon Lichtenstein Tzipporah Rosenblatt Rabbi Meir Soloveichik Dr. Atarah Soloveitchik Twersky Rabbi Mosheh Twersky z"l, Maggid Shiur atYeshiva Toras Moshe Rabbi Dr.Joseph B. (Yosef Dov) Soloveitchik "The Rav" Rabbi Dr.Isadore Twersky, Talner Rebbe of Boston RabbiMayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva atRabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary RabbiMoshe Soloveichik RabbiAhron Soloveichik Rabbi Dr.Haym Soloveitchik Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk (Chicago); Rav of Kehilas Beth Sholom Ahavas Achim Peshka Feinstein Soloveichik Dr.Samuel Soloveichik Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik, Rosh Yeshiva atLander College's Beis Medrash L'Talmud RabbiMeir Yaakov Soloveichik Shulamit Soloveitchik Meiselman RabbiMoshe Meiselman, Rosh Yeshiva ofYeshiva Toras Moshe Rabbi Yosef Soloveichik Sarah Orenshein Anne Soloveitchik Gerber Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik, Maggid Shiur at Yeshivat Reishit; Morah D’Asrah of Kehillat Ohr Shalom, RamatBeit Shemesh Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveichik Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchok Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Gershon Soloveichik RabbiMoshe Soloveichik Rabbi Boruch Soloveichik Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Soloveichik Daughter Soloveichik
Notes: Rabbi Chaim Halevi Soloveichik (the second)

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In contrast to theHasidic movement, all of the Soloveichik rabbis were a part of theLithuanian yeshiva movement, and thus were strong believers in a traditional Talmudic education and, to a certain degree,intellect overemotion. However, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik made it clear that he was very much in touch with Hasidism, having lived for several years in Chaslavich, which was mostly Hasidic.

The "Brisk dynasty" and their followers (known as "Briskers") are known for a tendency towards strictness in the Halacha (Jewish law); if there is ever a doubt between two rabbinic opinions, the "Brisk way" is more likely to follow the more stringent one. They maintain that we are unable to determine Halacha as following one opinion over another. They instead are stringent in the sense that they will look to fulfill the opinion of all early Halachic authorities. For example, many yeshiva students will not only not shave theirpayot (sidelocks), as required by theTorah, but will also let the entire area grow very long, which they tuck behind their ears- as required by certain early Halachic authorities. These are known as "Brisker Peyos", or "Briskers".

Following Reb Velvel (the "Brisker Rav"; see above), many Briskers in Israel are very stringent inritual tithes ("trumos uma'asros" in Hebrew). They repeat theKrias Shema many times, each time with a different possible pronunciation, in order to make sure they fulfill the Biblical command.

The innovative Brisk, or "conceptual", style of Talmudic analysis is described in theBrisker method article.

A great deal of controversy has erupted regarding the political views of the rabbis of Brisk. Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik and his descendants, who settled in Israel, have made their opinion clear that they oppose a secularZionist state and thus show no support for the Israeli government. They do not follow anyone's lead and decide their opinions regarding the state on a case to case basis, therefore avoiding joining any political faction, including those who are anti Zionist, preferring to make an informed decision on their every interaction necessary with the state. Generally, they do not support the state but nor do they support the political anti Zionist bias.^{[citation needed]} For example, they do not accept any money from the Israeli government. They are also opposed to yeshiva students having a secularcollege education. Turning to their forebears, Rabbi Chaim Brisker is quoted with some harsh statements against Zionism, though he lived in an era whenHaredi anti-Zionism was far more prevalent.^[1] Generally speaking, however, they are viewed as the true heirs to the Brisker opinion on this matter.^{[citation needed]}

In contrast, most of the Soloveitchiks who moved to the United States, including Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik and his brother Rabbi Aaron Soloveitchik, were very supportive of theState of Israel, as well as what they perceive as a well-rounded college education. They were far more supportive than the generalultra-Orthodox American Jewry. Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik became the accepted leader of theModern Orthodox movement, with the yeshiva he headed,Yeshiva University, becoming the Modern Orthodox flagship institution. Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik was the American head ofMizrachi, the organization of religious Zionists. His followers generally identify themselves with Mizrachi, and are strong supporters of the State of Israel. Rabbi Soloveitchik was even a candidate forChief Rabbi ofTel Aviv at one point, but was outvoted by supporters for RabbiMoshe Avigdor Amiel.

With regards to feminism, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik was proud to point out that on his parents' wedding invitation, his grandparents are listed as "Chaim & Lifsha" on one line, with "Soloveitchik" on the next line, centered between their names. This could be seen as more feminist than the "Rabbi & Mrs. So-And-So" (or in Hebrew, "Ploni BenPloni V'Rayaso") seen in manyHaredi invitations today. However, in regard to feminism in areligiously accusing sense, i.e., where the Torah is questioned or accused of being incomplete or unfair, Rabbi Yosef Dov held that this was heresy, this outlook is quoted by many of his closest students.

Today, however, most adherents of the Israeli Soloveitchiks follow the general Israeli Haredi, i. e., strongly right-wing, worldview regarding women's role in Jewish education and communal life. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, and many of his students and descendants, on the other hand, have been guardedly more open to opportunities for women, Rabbi Soloveitchik himself delivering the opening Talmud lecture at Yeshiva University'sStern College for Women.

• "Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on the Brisker Method"
• Family Tree of Lithuanian Rabbis, including entire Soloveitchik branchArchived 2007-08-20 at theWayback Machine

• Haredi Judaism in Israel
• Yeshivas of Belarus
• Orthodox Judaism in Belarus
• Jewish Russian and Soviet history
• Education in Jerusalem
• Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty
• Talmud
• Rabbinic dynasties

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