View source for Chaim Soloveitchik

{{short description|Belarusian rabbi}}
{{About|the founder of the Brisk rabbinical dynasty|his great-grandson, the Jewish historian|Haym Soloveitchik}}
{{Infobox Jewish leader
| image = Chaim Soloveitchik.JPG
| name = Chaim Soloveitchik<br>חיים סאָלאָווייטשיק
| birth_place = [[Volozhin]], [[Russian Empire]]
| yahrtzeit = 21 Av 5678
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1853|03|25}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1918|7|30|1853|03|25}}
| nationality = Belarusian
| dynasty = [[Brisk tradition and Soloveitchik dynasty|Soloveitchik dynasty]]
| death_place = [[Otwock]], [[Kingdom of Poland (1916–18)|Kingdom of Poland]]
| children = [[Moshe Soloveichik]], [[Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik]], Yisroel Gershon Soloveichik
| title = Rabbi
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_name = 
| mother = Lifsha Shapiro
| father = [[Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis Halevi)|Yosef Dov Soloveitchik]]
| buried = [[Jewish Cemetery, Warsaw]]
| profession = 
| spouse = 
| occupation = 
| honorific-suffix = 
| honorific-prefix = 
| denomination = [[Orthodox Judaism]]
}}

'''Chaim''' ('''Halevi''') '''Soloveitchik''' ([[Yiddish language|Yiddish]]: חיים סאָלאָווייטשיק, {{langx|pl|Chaim Sołowiejczyk}}), also known as '''Chaim Brisker''' (1853 – 30 July 1918), was a [[rabbi]] and [[Talmud]]ic scholar credited as the founder of the [[Brisker method]] of Talmudic study within [[Judaism]]. He was also a member of the [[Soloveitchik dynasty]], the son of [[Yosef Dov Soloveitchik]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk - Marking 100 Years Since His Passing |url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4097363/jewish/Rabbi-Chaim-Soloveitchik-of-Brisk.htm |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=www.chabad.org |language=en}}</ref>

He is also known as the Gra"ch ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: גר״ח), an abbreviation of "Ha'''G'''aon '''R'''eb '''C'''haim."

== Biography ==
Soloveitchik was born in [[Volozhin]] on March 25, 1853, where his father, Rabbi [[Yosef Dov Soloveitchik]] was a lecturer in the [[Volozhin Yeshiva|Volozhiner Yeshiva]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gefen|first=Yehonasan|date=Jun 29, 2020|title=Parshat Chukat: The Importance of Forgiveness|url=https://www.aish.com/tp/i/gl/The-Importance-of-Forgiveness.html|access-date=2020-08-05|website=aishcom|language=en}}</ref> The family moved away from Volozhin,<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Schloss|first=Chaim|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OV9jKGJzg3QC&q=%22Beis+Halevi%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA301|title=2000 Years of Jewish History: From the Destruction of the Second Bais Hamikdash Until the Twentieth Century|date=2002|publisher=Feldheim Publishers|isbn=978-1-58330-214-9|language=en}}</ref> and after a few years his father was appointed as a rabbi in [[Slutsk]], where Chaim was first educated.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Wolkenfeld|first=David|title=Rabbi Hayyim Soloveitchik of Brisk|url=https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/50640.1|access-date=2020-08-10|website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref>

He joined the faculty of the Volozhiner Yeshiva in 1880, and later became assistant rosh yeshiva<ref name=":3" /> for a short time, until the [[Russian Empire]] forced the yeshiva to close, when he moved to [[Brest, Belarus|Brisk, Belarus]] and succeeded his father as the rabbi there.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{cite book |title=Ishim v'Shittos |first=S. Y. |last=Zevin |location=Tel Aviv |publisher=A. Tsiyoni |year=1966 |page=43 |oclc=19197943 }}</ref>


He died on July 30, 1918 after seeking medical treatment in [[Warsaw]] and was buried in the [[Jewish Cemetery, Warsaw|Jewish Cemetery]] there.<ref>[https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-bones-of-brisk/ The Bones of Brisk]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Tercatin|first=Rossella|date=July 22, 2020|title=Unexploded Nazi mortar uncovered in 'Warsaw Ghetto' Jewish cemetery|url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/unexploded-nazi-mortar-uncovered-in-warsaw-ghetto-jewish-cemetery-635961|access-date=2020-08-07|website=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |issn=0792-822X}}</ref>

[[File:Ohel Chaima Solowiejczyka i Cwi Naftalego Berlina-Ohel of Chaim Solowiejczyk and Cwi Naftali Berlin-01.JPG|thumb|Tomb of [[Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin]] and Soloveitchik in Warsaw]]

== Works ==
He is considered the founder of the "[[Brisker method]]" (in [[Yiddish]]: ''Brisker derech''; {{Langx|he|derekh brisk}}), a method of highly exacting and analytical Talmudical study that focuses on precise definition/s and categorization/s of [[Jewish law]] as commanded in the [[Torah]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CuBKAQAAIAAJ|title=Similarities in Criticism of the Methods and Responses|work=San Diego International Law Journal|publisher=University of San Diego School of Law|year=2005|volume=7-8|location=San Diego|language=en}}</ref> His works would have particular emphasis on the legal writings of [[Maimonides]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last1=Rubin|first1=Eli|last2=Rubin|first2=Mordechai|title=Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk - Marking 100 Years Since His Passing|url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4097363/jewish/Rabbi-Chaim-Soloveitchik-of-Brisk.htm|access-date=2020-08-07|website=www.chabad.org|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Zakon|first=Nachman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vqsRAQAAIAAJ|title=The Jewish Experience--2000 Years: A Collection of Significant Events|date=2002|publisher=Shaar Press|isbn=978-1-57819-496-4|language=en}}</ref>

Soloveitchik's primary work was ''[[Chiddushei Rabbeinu Chaim]]'', a volume of insights on Maimonides' ''[[Mishneh Torah]]'' which often would suggest novel understandings of the Talmud as well.<ref>{{Citation|last=BERGER|first=DAVID|title=THE USES OF MAIMONIDES BY TWENTIETH-CENTURY JEWRY|date=2011|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt21h4xrd.10|work=Cultures in Collision and Conversation|pages=190–202|series=Essays in the Intellectual History of the Jews|publisher=Academic Studies Press|doi=10.2307/j.ctt21h4xrd.10 |jstor=j.ctt21h4xrd.10|isbn=978-1-936235-24-7|access-date=2020-08-07|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Based on his teachings and lectures, his students wrote down his insights on the Talmud known as ''Chiddushi HaGRaCh Al [[Talmud|Shas]]''. This book is known as "Reb Chaim's stencils" and contains analytical insights into Talmudic topics.

== Views ==
Soloveitchik worked with [[Sholom Dovber Schneersohn]], the fifth [[rebbe]] of the [[hasidic dynasty]] of [[Lubavitch]], in counteracting antisemitic decrees by the czarist regime.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Butman|first=Shmuel|date=March 19, 2020|title=The 'Rambam Of Chassidus'|url=https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/parsha/the-rambam-of-chassidus/2020/03/19/|access-date=2020-08-08|language=en-US}}</ref> He expanded the definition of who represented [[Amalek]], claiming that all who sought to destroy the Jewish people were ideological descendants of the Jewish enemy.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Firestone|first=Reuven|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U5WE-Ue8z70C&q=%22Chaim+Soloveitchik%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT114|title=Holy War in Judaism: The Fall and Rise of a Controversial Idea|date=2012-07-02|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-997715-4|language=en}}</ref>

Soloveitchik was an opponent of Zionism and viewed it as a movement to destroy traditional Judaism and replace it with nationalism.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shapiro|first=Rabbi Yaakov|title=The Empty Wagon|publisher=Primedia|year=2018|isbn=978-1642555547|location=NY|pages=217–219|language=English}}</ref>

== Family ==
A member of the [[Brisk tradition and Soloveitchik dynasty|Soloveitchik-family rabbinical dynasty]], he is commonly known as ''Reb Chaim Brisker'' ("Rabbi Chaim [from] Brisk").

He married the daughter of [[Refael Shapiro]], who was also the granddaughter of Berlin.<ref name=":3" /> Reb Chaim had four children, R. Yisrael Gershon, R. Moshe, Sara (Glickson), and R. [[Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik|Yitchak Zev]] (also known as Rabbi Velvel Soloveitchik). R. Moshe moved to the United States and subsequently served as a ''[[rosh yeshiva]]'' of [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary|Yeshiva Yitzchak Elchonon (YU/RIETS)]] in New York and who was in turn succeeded by his sons [[Joseph B. Soloveitchik]] (1903–1993) and [[Ahron Soloveichik]] (1917-2001).  R. Yitzchak Zev moved to [[Israel]] and his sons led prominent yeshivas.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Chaim "Brisker" Soloveitchik|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Rabbi-Chaim-Brisker-Soloveitchik/6000000003182695182|access-date=2020-08-05|website=geni_family_tree|language=en-US}}</ref>

{{Brisker family tree}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.understandingrebchaim.com Understanding Reb Chaim, Rabbi Yonoson Hughes], June 2010
{{Rabbinical eras timeline|1853|1918|Chaim_Soloveitchik}}
{{Volozhin Yeshiva}}{{Acharonim}}{{Pre-World War II European Yeshivos}}
{{Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soloveitchik, Chaim}}
[[Category:1853 births]]
[[Category:1918 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Valozhyn]]
[[Category:People from Oshmyansky Uyezd]]
[[Category:Belarusian Orthodox rabbis]]
[[Category:Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty]]
[[Category:Talmudists]]
[[Category:Anti-Zionist Orthodox rabbis]]
[[Category:Volozhin rosh yeshivas]]
[[Category:19th-century rabbis from the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:20th-century Russian rabbis]]
[[Category:Volozhin Yeshiva alumni]]