Joseph Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik

Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, also known as the Beis HaLevi, was a rabbi and scholar and the first of the Soloveitchik dynasty. His mother, Rivke, was the granddaughter of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. R. Yosef Dov quickly became known for his great genius and kindness of heart. In 1854, he was invited to be co-Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin Yeshiva together with R. Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin. In 1865, he became Rabbi of Slutsk, where, upon discovering the impoverishment of the heder children, he instituted community sponsored lunches. Two of his pupils in Slutsk were R. Yosef Rosen – later known as the Rogatchover Gaon – and R. Zalman Sender Shapiro. In 1875, struggles with the Maskilim ultimately forced him to leave Slutsk. In 1878 he was offered the rabbinate of Brisk, a position he held until his death in 1892. Over his lifetime he produced numerous published works, including Talmud commentaries, halachic insights, responsa and sermons, which were all printed under the title "Beit HaLevi."