Yeshiva University

HARAV HAGAON R. SHALOM ELCHANAN HALEVI YAFFE ZT”L
1858-1923

Rabbi Yaffe was born in Vabolnik, Vilna. At age fourteen he arrived at the yeshiva in Volozhin to study. At 20 he received semikhah from Rabbi Yitzchok Elchanan zt”l, the Netziv zt”l, as well as many other gaonim. He authored the sefer Pri Eshel on Tractate Yevamot at age 21.

He served as a rabbi in various cities in Lithuania and, in 1890, arrived in America and served as a rabbi in St. Louis. He published the seforim Shoel Ke’inyan and Sicha Sblemah. Afterwards, he settled in New York and became rabbi of Beit Midrash Hagadol where he remained until his final days.

Rabbi Yaffe was among the founders of both the Agudath HaRabbonim of America and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He was among the great rabbanim of that time who monitored the well-being of the Yeshiva.