The Brisker Rav: The Life and Times of Maran Hagaon Harav Yitzchok Ze'ev Halevi Soloveitchik, Zt"l: Vol 2

The original Hebrew version of The Brisker Rav (HaRav MiBrisk) has won the hearts of Jews in Israel and all over the world. The book has created a new genre in Torah literature.

The research, tremendous in both quantity and quality, covering the entire stormy life of the Brisker Rav; the finely crafted writing; the beautiful, professional layout; and the rare photos that appear within --- represent the fruits of many years of painstaking work.

The second volume of this series includes chapters covering the Brisker Rav's life, starting from his arrival in Eretz Yisrael in 5701 (1941). It was a stormy period, which included the episode of the Tehran Children and the attempts to save them, the Israeli War of Independence and the establishment of the state. More than anything else, it is the story of his enthusiastic and vigorous return to his destined goal in life: teaching Torah. Also covered are his well-known meticulousness and intensity with regard to mitzvah observance.

"The Brisker Rav" series is unique in that it is not just a biography of the Brisker Rav, but rather contains stories that give the reader a flavor for the last hundred years of life in the chareidi world --- the issues, the controversies, and the emergence of the vibrant chareidi community that exists today in the Land of Israel.

Rabbi Shimon Yosef Meller has become known in the Torah world for the series of sefarim he has written: Shai L'Torah, a five-volume work on parashas ha-shavua and the Jewish holidays from the writings of the great geonim of Brisk: Uvdos V'Hanhagos L'Beis Brisk, a four-volume anthology of customs, stories, chiddushei Torah and mussar from the Brisk school of thought; HaRav MiBrisk, a three-volume biography of HaGaon Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveichik; and most recently, Igros Maran Riz HaLevi, which contains over 200 letters and documents from the pen of Harav Yitzchak Zev Soloveichik, zt"l, as well as rare photographs, and the historical background behind each and every document. Spanning forty years, the book provides fascinating documentation of the Brisker Rav's personal life, as well as a description of historical events as seen through his broad and clear perspective.
Before coming to Yeshivas Brisk, R. Meller learned in Yeshivas Chevron, Jerusalem, where he developed a close relationship with the roshei yeshivah. In particular, he became very close to the gaon, R. Simcha Zissel Broide, with whom he established a daily one-on-one learning session that lasted for several years. After R. Broide passed away in 5760 (2000), R. Meller published Prince of the Torah Kingdom, the biographical work on the gaon's life. In 5769 (2009), R. Meller published another biography, HaKohen HaGadol Mei'echav, on the life of another rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Chevron, R. Aharon Cohen, who passed away in 5721 (1961). In addition to being fascinating biographical material, these two sefarim document the glorious and stormy history of the yeshivah: the establishment of Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael in Slobodka, Lithuania: its relocation to the city of Chevron; the tragic Chevron riots of 5689 (1929); and the final move to Jerusalem. These captivating sefarim include remarkable facts, some of which have never before been published.
The author first entered Yeshivas Brisk in Jerusalem over two decades ago, and over the years he has become a close talmid and a friend of the family of the Brisker Rav.
Day after day, year after year, R. Meller has been welcomed into the home of his rabbanim muvhakim the great ge'onim, sons of the Brisker Rav, R. Meshulam Dovid Soloveichik and R. Meir Soloveichik. He listened and noted their every word, recording it all in his mind and in his notebooks. Added to this, there were the dozens of interviews with close talmidim of the Brisker Rav. Detail after detail, story after story, the contents of his collection grew, finding its final form in his many sefarim on Brisk.
Rabbi Meller and his family live in Jerusalem.