Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik

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).{{cite web |url=http://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=545 |title=Exploring the Pesach Preparations of the Brisker Rav, zt"l |work=Hamodia |access-date=29 January 2011 |last=Freund |first=Rabbi Tuvia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218072140/http://hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=545 |archive-date=18 December 2010 }} His exact date of birth is unknown: some sources state his birth on 19 Tishrei 5682 which would be 21 October 1921,Meller, pp. 134–135. while others say he was born in 1922.{{cite journal |last1=Broide |first1=Avrohom |title=Rav Dovid's Early Life & Hatzolah from Nazis |journal=Yated Ne'eman |date=February 5, 2021 |volume=33 |url=https://yated.com/rav-dovid-soloveitchik-ztl/ |access-date=6 August 2021}} He was named "Meshulam" after his maternal great grandfather, Meshulam Auerbach (who had also proposed the shidduch between his parents),Meller, pp. 115–116. and "Dovid" after his maternal grandmother's second husband, Dovid Mintz. Growing up in Brest-Litovsk (Brisk) where his father served as rabbi, he attended the local Talmud Torah, Mekor Chaim, but at the age of twelve, his father recognized that he was too advanced for the Talmud Torah and sent him to study in Yeshiva Toras Chesed, a yeshiva for older students led by {{ill|Moshe Sokolovski|he|משה סוקולובסקי}}.

Soloveitchik learned in the Kamenitz Yeshiva under Boruch Ber Leibovitz. At age 19, Soloveitchik emigrated to Mandatory Palestine with his father during World War II, and they settled in Jerusalem. He married Yehudis{{cite news |title=Hagaon Harav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, Zt"l, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk |url=https://hamodia.com/2021/01/31/bde-hagaon-harav-dovid-soloveitchik-ztl/ |access-date=1 February 2021 |agency=Hamodia |date=31 January 2021}} the daughter of Asher Sternbuch of London.{{cite web |url=http://tzedek-tzedek.blogspot.co.il/2012/08/marrying-soloveitchik.html|title=Marrying Soloveitchik}} He was the brother-in-law of Moshe Sternbuch, Chanoch Ehrentreu and Yitzchok Arieli.

File:הרב משולם דוד הלוי סולובייצ'יק מלמד תלמידים.JPG

In 1960, Soloveitchik opened his yeshiva in the Gush Shemonim section of the Givat Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem, and served there as rosh yeshiva (dean).{{cite news|title=HaRav Yechiel Michel Feinstein, zt'l|url=http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/archives5763/bechukosai/BCK63arfeinst.htm|access-date=27 January 2011|newspaper=Dei'ah veDibur|date=21 May 2003|author=S. Baruchi|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525073358/http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/archives5763/bechukosai/BCK63arfeinst.htm|archive-date=25 May 2011}} Brisk yeshivas in Israel are attended by select young Talmudists, mainly from the United States.

He did not personally publish any works on the Talmud, but many of his works have been published by his students, especially in the 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.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NztFlik5Rb4C&pg=PR7 |title=Tales for the Soul: A famous novelist retells classic stories with passion and spirit |volume=I |page=vii |last=Weinstock |first=Yair |date=June 1999 |publisher=Mesorah Publications |isbn=1-57819-286-2}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ik0yzp1nNikC&pg=PA31 |title=Trust me: An anthology of emunah and bitachon |page=31 |last1=Parkoff |first1=Eliezer |last2=Linas |first2=Eliezer |publisher=Feldheim Publishers |year=2002 |isbn=1-58330-531-9}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xo2OAAAAMAAJ&q=%2Bdovid+soloveitchik |title=From a Pure Fire |page=12 |last1=Shtern |first1=Mosheh Aharon |last2=Goldstein |first2=Yitzchok Meir |year=2000 |publisher=Feldheim Publishers |isbn=1-58330-448-7}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QdxHnvnHdtMC&pg=PA359 |title=All for the Boss: The life and impact of R' Yaakov Yosef Herman, a Torah Pioneer in America |page=359 |last=Shain |first=Ruchoma|author-link=Ruchoma Shain|publisher=Feldheim Publishers |isbn=1-58330-470-3|year=2001 }}

{{Brisker family tree}}

Soloveitchik's eldest son, Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik (II), who is the son in-law of Berel Povarsky, was a maggid shiur (lecturer) in his father's yeshiva.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXDPoTN1OH4C&q=rav+velvel+soloveitchik+son+of+Rav+Dovid+The+Brisker+Rav%3A+The+Life+and+Times+of+Maran+HaGaon+...+Yitzchok+...%2C+Volume+1+By+Shimon+Yosef+Meller&pg=PA215|title = 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|last1 = Meller|first1 = Shimon Yosef|year = 2007| publisher=Feldheim Publishers }} When Meshulam Dovid died, Yitzchok Zev became the rosh yeshiva.

Soloveitchik's daughter Hendel is married to Nechemya Kaplan, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaar HaTalmud in Jerusalem.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXDPoTN1OH4C&q=rav+nechemia+kaplan&pg=PA226|title=The Brisker Rav: The Life and Times of Maran HaGaon Yitzchok. Volume 1|author=Shimon Yosef Meller|isbn=9781583309698|year=2007|publisher=Feldheim Publishers }}

Soloveitchik died on 31 January 2021 at the age of 99,[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SJLCbyNgd Brisk Yeshiva head, Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, passes away at 99] with ten thousand mourners at his funeral.{{cite news |last1=TOI STAFF |title=For 2nd time in day, thousands attend funeral of rabbi, flouting lockdown rules |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-2nd-time-in-day-thousands-attend-funeral-of-rabbi-flouting-lockdown-rules/ |access-date=1 February 2021 |publisher=The Times of Israel |date=31 January 2021}} He was buried beside his father on Har Hamenuchos.

It was announced at the funeral that according to Soloveitchik's wishes his oldest son Yitzchok Zev would succeed him as rosh yeshiva of Brisk.

• Chidushei Rabbeinu Meshulem Dovid Halevi (Published in part on the first anniversary of his death)
• Shiurei Rabbeinu Meshulam Dovid HaLevi (written by students):
• [http://hebrewbooks.org/50248 Nazir]
• [http://hebrewbooks.org/50251 Arachin]
• [http://hebrewbooks.org/50250 Zevachim Part 1]
• [http://hebrewbooks.org/50249 Zevachim Part 2]
• [http://hebrewbooks.org/50312 Zevachim Part 3]
• Al Hatorah (2 Vol.)
• Drashos Mussar U'Tefila
• [https://www.scribd.com/doc/99838485/Rav-Dovid-Soloveitchik-s-speech-against-the-impending-draft-of-Bnei-Torah מאמר שעת השמד [Speech Against the Impending Draft of Bnei Torah]]

• Eliezer Geldzahler (1958-2004), rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Yisroel in Brooklyn, New York.{{cite news |title=Today's Yahrtzeits and History – 8 Kislev |url=https://matzav.com/todays-yahrtzeits-and-history-8-kislev-3/#comment-1969684 |access-date=24 November 2020 |publisher=Matzav.com |date=24 November 2020}}

• Yitzchok Lichtenstein, rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas{{cite news |title=Rav Yitzchok Lichtenstein Inaugurated as Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1606068/rav-yitzchok-lichtenstein-inaugurated-as-rosh-yeshiva-at-yeshiva-torah-vodaath.html |access-date=24 November 2020 |publisher=YeshivaWorld.com |date=20 October 2018}}

• Moshe Twersky (1955-2014){{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Yehoshua |title=Tribute to Rabbi Moshe Twersky 2 |url=https://chazaq.org/articles/2016-01-20-10-21-28/119-English/2448-Tribute-to-Rabbi-Moshe-Twersky-2 |website=Chazaq.org |access-date=31 January 2021}} maggid shiur in Yeshiva Toras Moshe

• Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, av beit din of the Federation of Synagogues in London

{{Brisker family tree}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T_TPsADYbw rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik Stories about his father with reb yonatan shtencel]
• {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXDPoTN1OH4C |title=The Brisker Rav: The life and times of Maran HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Ze'ev HaLevi Soloveichik, zt"l |last=Meller |first=Rabbi Shimon Yosef |isbn=978-1-58330-969-8 |year=2007 |publisher=Feldheim Publishers}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Soloveitchik, Meshulam Dovid}}

Category:1921 births

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Category:Anti-Zionist Haredi rabbis

Category:Haredi rabbis in Israel

Category:Israeli people of Belarusian-Jewish descent

Category:Rabbis of the Edah HaChareidis

Category:Rosh yeshivas

Category:Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty

Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel

Category:20th-century rabbis in Jerusalem

Category:21st-century rabbis in Jerusalem

Category:Rabbis from Brest, Belarus

Category:Burials at Har HaMenuchot