Dov Berish Weidenfeld

Dov Berish was born in Hrimlov, Galicia (now Ukraine) on 5 January 1881 (5 Shvat 5641 in the Jewish calendar) to his father Jacob 'Yekele' Weidenfeld, rabbi of the town and author of the responsa Kochav MiYaakov.

Since he did not want any rabbinic post, his wife administered a modest coal business, while he continued his single-minded pursuit of Torah study, amassing knowledge of phenomenal breadth and scope.

Nonetheless, the avalanche of requests from varied kehillos that he lead them as their Rav continued, and his friend, Reb Meir Arik, prayed that his business fail so that Klal Yisrael not be deprived of his leadership.

The Tshebiner Rav's picture, along with those of the Rebbes of Ger and Belz, had appeared in the venomous tabloid Der Sturmer, his caption reading: "The world's greatest Talmudist."

He was soon recognized as one of the leaders of Chareidi Jewry in the Land of Israel and served as a leading member of the Council of Sages of Agudas Yisroel.