[1] He was the eldest son of the Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin.

[4] His connection to the House of David as a descendant of Rabbi Meir Katzenellenbogen, the Maharam of Padua, is detailed in The Unbroken Chain.

There was controversy regarding this appointment as many students felt that Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik was more deserving to head the yeshiva.

[4] He served as Chief Rabbi of:[1] Berlin left Russia in 1906 and settled in Jerusalem.

[7][8] He died at age 81 on 13 Tishrei 5663 (September 24, 1912) and was buried in the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery in East Jerusalem.