Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (known affectionately as Reb Laizer Yudel Finkel) (1879-1965) was the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir yeshiva in both its Polish and Jerusalemic incarnates.

Early life

Reb Laizer Yudel was the son of the celebrated Mussar leader, the Alter of Slabodka. He studied under the famed Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik in Brisk (see Brisk yeshiva), where he developed a friendship with Rabbi Shlomo Polachek whom he later met on a fundraising trip in America in 1926. He also studied in Raduń Yeshiva were he was reputed to have mastered the entire Talmud at the tender age of 17.

In 1903, Reb Laizer Yudel married Malka, the daughter of Rabbi Eliyahu Boruch Kamai who was the Rosh Yeshiva of the yeshiva in Mir, Belarus. Three years later, Reb Laizer Yudel joined the staff of the Mir Yeshiva, and in 1917 became its Rosh Yeshiva upon the death of his father-in-law.

During Interbellum period, the Mir Yeshiva flourished under Reb Laizer Yudel's leadership to the point were its enrollment grew close to 500 students from all over the world. It was during this time when Reb Laizer Yudel enlisted the services of Rabbi Yeruchom Levovitz to serve as the Mashgiach. Also during this time, Reb Leizer Yudel chose one of his prime students, Rabbi Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz as a son-in-law and eventually successor.

World War II and the re-establishment of the Yeshiva

With the outbreak of World War II, the Yeshiva was forced into exile and eventually it found refuge in Kobe, Japan and Shanghai, China. While the student body, led by Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz eventually relocated to America (see Mir yeshiva ), Reb Laizer Yudel established a new branch of the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem with a handful of advanced Talmudic students from Etz Chaim Yeshiva.

Eventually Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz came to Jerusalem to serve as Rosh Yeshiva under his father-in-law. Reb Laizer Yudel's son Moshe Finkel was the main fundraiser for the newly established Yeshiva and helped the Yeshiva financial support its great numbers. Another son, Rabbi Chaim Zev Finkel became the Mashgiach of the Yeshiva. Yet another son, RabbiBeinish Finkel succeeded his brother-in-law Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz as Rosh Yeshiva upon the latter's death in the 1970s.

Lover of Torah

Sometimes considered the grandfather of the Kiruv movement, it was Reb Laizer Yudel who approved of Rabbi Noach Weinberg's plan to open a Yeshiva like Aish HaTorah. It is related that Reb Laizer Yudel's love of Torah was so great that he is reputed to have offered money for a Chiddush. Many of his own novel interpretations have been printed under the title "Yad Eliezer" (יד אליעזר).

References

1. http://media.www.yucommentator.com/media/storage/paper652/news/2004/09/20/Yudaica/Rabbi.Shlomo.Polachek.The.Unassuming.Iluy.Of.Maichat-713976.shtml
2. http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5763/vayeishev.html
3. http://www.dafdigest.org/Yevamos/Yevamos%20030.pdf