Baruch Sorotzkin
Encyclopedia
Rephoel Baruch Sorotzkin (February 5, 1917 - February 10, 1979) was the Rosh Yeshiva
of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders.
Sorotzkin was born on February 5, 1917 (13th of Shevat, 5739) in Zhetl, Lithuania. His father, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin
was the town's rabbi
.
As a young man, Sorotzkin studied under Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman
in Baranovich, and then under Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebovitz in Kamenitz.
In 1940, Sorotzkin married Rochel Bloch, daughter of the Telzer Rav and Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch
. Rabbi Sorotzkin and his wife fled Europe at the start of World War Two and made their way to the United States. There, they joined his wife's uncles (and his own cousins) Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch and Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz
who had re-established the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio.
.
In 1953 Sorotzkin was appointed associate dean of the yeshiva
.
In 1962 Sorotzkin became dangerously ill and the name Rephoel was added to his name.
In 1964, when the Telz Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz
died, Sorotzkin together with Rabbi Mordechai Gifter
assumed the leadership of the yeshiva.
In the Telzer tradition, Rabbi Sorotzkin extended his sphere of activities to include even more areas of communal responsibility, such as working for Chinuch Atzmai
, Torah Umesorah and Agudath lsrael of America where he served as one of the youngest member of its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah - Council of Torah Sages.
In 1977, with the establishment of the Yeshiva in Israel, Mordechai Gifter
left to head the Yeshiva in Israel.
Sorotzkin died on Saturday, February 10, 1979. The Hebrew date - 13 Shevat - was the same date as his birthday.
His daughter Rebetzin Rassia Busel died in March 1998.
His sons: Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin
serves as dean of the Telz Yeshiva and Mesivta of Lakewood, New Jersey; Rabbi Binyomin Sorotzkin is dean of Ateres Shlomo in Israel; Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Sorotzkin is dean of Yeshiva Tiferes Boruch Of North Plainfield, New Jersey
. His sons-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Busel is dean of RJJ of Edison, New Jersey
, Rabbi Aryeh Schulman is rabbi of Kiryat Telz-Stone, Israel, Rabbi Nosson Boruch Herzka is a Rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Yisroel Brog is dean of Tiferes Avigdor Wickliffe, Ohio
.
Many of his lectures on Talmud
have been posthumously published by his children. Sorotzkin's wife died in November 2006.
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders.
Sorotzkin was born on February 5, 1917 (13th of Shevat, 5739) in Zhetl, Lithuania. His father, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin
Zalman Sorotzkin
Zalman Sorotzkin was a famous Orthodox rabbi. He is also known as the "Lutzker Rav", as he served as the Rabbi of Lutsk, Poland....
was the town's rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
.
As a young man, Sorotzkin studied under Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman
Elchonon Wasserman
Elchonon Wasserman was a prominent rabbi and rosh yeshiva in pre-World War II Europe. He was one of the Chofetz Chaim's closest disciples and a noted Torah scholar.-Biography:...
in Baranovich, and then under Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebovitz in Kamenitz.
In 1940, Sorotzkin married Rochel Bloch, daughter of the Telzer Rav and Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch
Avraham Yitzchak Bloch
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch was the Chief Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Lithuania, and one of the greatest pre-Holocaust Rabbinic figures....
. Rabbi Sorotzkin and his wife fled Europe at the start of World War Two and made their way to the United States. There, they joined his wife's uncles (and his own cousins) Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch and Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz
Chaim Mordechai Katz
Chaim Mordechai Katz was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland, and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders.- Pre-War Years :...
who had re-established the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio.
Teaching
In 1943 Sorotzkin began delivering classes in the yeshivaYeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
.
In 1953 Sorotzkin was appointed associate dean of the yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
.
In 1962 Sorotzkin became dangerously ill and the name Rephoel was added to his name.
In 1964, when the Telz Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz
Chaim Mordechai Katz
Chaim Mordechai Katz was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland, and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders.- Pre-War Years :...
died, Sorotzkin together with Rabbi Mordechai Gifter
Mordechai Gifter
Rabbi Mordechai Gifter was the rosh yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland and among the foremost religious leaders of Orthodox Jewry in the late 20th century. He studied in yeshivas in Lithuania and held several rabbinical positions in the United States of America.-Biography:Mordechai Gifter...
assumed the leadership of the yeshiva.
In the Telzer tradition, Rabbi Sorotzkin extended his sphere of activities to include even more areas of communal responsibility, such as working for Chinuch Atzmai
Chinuch Atzmai
Chinuch Atzmai was founded in 1953 by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to serve as an alternate school system for Orthodox children in Israel. It was initially led by Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin....
, Torah Umesorah and Agudath lsrael of America where he served as one of the youngest member of its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah - Council of Torah Sages.
In 1977, with the establishment of the Yeshiva in Israel, Mordechai Gifter
Mordechai Gifter
Rabbi Mordechai Gifter was the rosh yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland and among the foremost religious leaders of Orthodox Jewry in the late 20th century. He studied in yeshivas in Lithuania and held several rabbinical positions in the United States of America.-Biography:Mordechai Gifter...
left to head the Yeshiva in Israel.
Sorotzkin died on Saturday, February 10, 1979. The Hebrew date - 13 Shevat - was the same date as his birthday.
Family
He is survived by three sons and three daughters.His daughter Rebetzin Rassia Busel died in March 1998.
His sons: Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin
Yitzchok Sorotzkin
Avrohom Yitzchok Sorotzkin is a prolific writer and former Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe yeshiva. He currently delivers the most advanced Talmudic lecture at the Mesivta of Lakewood. Rabbi Sorotzkin is widely recognized as a Gadol and leader of American Orthodox Jewry....
serves as dean of the Telz Yeshiva and Mesivta of Lakewood, New Jersey; Rabbi Binyomin Sorotzkin is dean of Ateres Shlomo in Israel; Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Sorotzkin is dean of Yeshiva Tiferes Boruch Of North Plainfield, New Jersey
North Plainfield, New Jersey
North Plainfield is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 21,936....
. His sons-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Busel is dean of RJJ of Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
, Rabbi Aryeh Schulman is rabbi of Kiryat Telz-Stone, Israel, Rabbi Nosson Boruch Herzka is a Rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Yisroel Brog is dean of Tiferes Avigdor Wickliffe, Ohio
Wickliffe, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there are 13,484 people, 5,604 households, 3,754 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,898.2 people per square mile . There are 5,787 housing units at an average density of 1,243.8 per square mile...
.
Many of his lectures on Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
have been posthumously published by his children. Sorotzkin's wife died in November 2006.