// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Refael Shapiro a good baker? He kneads the dough.

Rabbi Refael Shapiro

Rabbi Refael Shapiro (1837–1921) was the famed Rosh Yeshiva of the Volozhin yeshiva located in the town of Volozhin, Russia, (now Valozhyn, Belarus) and the Rabbi of the city.

Biography

He was born in 1837, in Smorgon, to Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapira, the rabbi of Kovna. In 1852, at the age of fifteen, he was chosen by Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin as a groom for his daughter Sarah Rasha. In1870, he was appointed as the deputy head of Volozhin Yeshiva alongside his father-in-law the Netziv, and began delivering lectures at the yeshiva three times a week. In1881, he relinquished his position in favor of his son-in-law Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, and went to serve as rabbi of the community of Novo-Alexandrovsk in Lithuania.

In 1886, he moved to serve as rabbi of the community of Bobruisk in White Russia, present-day Belarus. In the year 1899, with the reopening of Volozhin Yeshiva through the efforts of the yeshiva's trustees in Vilna and Minsk and with the agreement of the leaders of Volozhin, R' Raphael was invited to serve as rabbi and head of Volozhin Yeshiva. Like all heads of Volozhin Yeshiva, R' Raphael added a special closing alongside his signature: "One who labors in the service of Torah in Volozhin."

Rabbi Shapiro ordained Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman (who would eventually become one of Israel's chief rabbis) who studied in the Kollel of the Volozhin yeshiva before opening his own yeshiva in the neighboring town of Vishnyeva (Vishnevo, Belarus). Additionally, Rabbi Shapiro gave Semicha (rabbinical ordination) to Rabbi Moshe Shatzkes, known as the , and Rabbi Meir Joshua Rosenberg.

In the year 1915, close to the outbreak of World War I, the yeshiva disbanded and R' Raphael relocated to Minsk, where he passed away on the March 2, 1921.

Works

Torat Raphael - Novellae on Halacha and Explanations of the Words of the Talmud and the Halachic Decisors, 2 parts on the section Orach Chaim, and a 3rd part: a collection of responsa and compilations, Jerusalem 1943.

Students

• Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman, the Chief Rabbi of Israel.
• Rabbi Moshe Shatzkes, the Łomża Rov,
• Rabbi Aryeh Levin, the prisoners' rabbi.
• Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Rif (his grandson).
• Rabbi Meir Chaim Dolinko, rabbi of Motele.
• Rabbi Yehuda Leib Avida (Zlatnik), writer and researcher.
• Prof. Pinkhos Churgin, founder and president of Bar-Ilan University.

Family tree

Brisker family tree
Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg, director of Migdal Oz (seminary) Rabbi Yitzchok Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rabbi Bais Avrohom, Monsey, NY Rabbi Yosef Dov (Reb Berel) Soloveichik Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveichik Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion Rabbi Meshulam Dovid (Reb Dovid) Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveichik Rabbi Mayer Lichtenstein, Rabbi Ohel Menachem Bet Shemesh Rabbi Yosef Dov (HaLevi) Soloveichik author of Beis HaLevi Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik "Reb Chaim Brisker" Rabbi Yitzchak Zev (Reb Velvel) Soloveichik "The GRIZ" The Brisker Rov Lifsha Soloveitchik Feinstein Dr. Tovah Soloveitchik Lichtenstein Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin 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 at Yeshiva Toras Moshe Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. (Yosef Dov) Soloveitchik "The Rav" Rabbi Dr. Isadore Twersky, Talner Rebbe of Boston Rabbi Mayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Ahron 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 at Lander College's Beis Medrash L'Talmud Rabbi Meir Yaakov Soloveichik Shulamit Soloveitchik Meiselman Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva 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, Ramat Beit Shemesh Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveichik Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchok Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Gershon Soloveichik Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Boruch Soloveichik Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Soloveichik Daughter Soloveichik
Notes: Rabbi Chaim Halevi Soloveichik (the second)