Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of Volozhin and Brisk (1853-1918). Son of the Beis Halevi, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Rav Chaim was born in Volozhin, but moved with his family to Slutzk while still quite young, when his father became Rav of the city. When Rav Chaim was 20, he married Lifsha, the daughter of Rav Raphael Shapira, the son-in-law of the Netziv. Since Rav Raphael was a rosh mesivta in Volozhin, Rav Chaim moved there. When Rav Raphael moved away, Rav Chaim took the post of rosh mesivta Volozhin in 1880. In 1892, following the closing of the Volozhin yeshivah, Rav Chaim moved to Brisk where he succeeded his father as the community Rav. Rav Chaim is buried next to the Netziv in the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw. His oldest son was Rav Moshe, who was the father of Rav Yosef Dov and Rav Ahron Soleveitchik. His other famous son was Rav Yitzchak Zev (the “GRIZ”), also known as Reb Velvel, the Brisker Rav of Yerushalayim.
HIS SEGULOS:
Ayn Od Milvado
See Appendix Below
Rav Shapira related how when the Griz HaLevi Soloveitchik came before the draft board and he was worried that he would be drafted into army service, his father Rav Chaim ordered him to use this segula from the Nefesh haChaim. He also told in the name of Brisker Rav that when he escaped from Warsaw during the second World War and the Nazis may their names be blotted had already conquered half Poland, and all the ways and roads were swarming with the Nazi murderers he constantly concentrated on this segula non stop. When for one moment he had a momentary lapse of concentration, a wicked Nazi attacked them, immediately he resumed his focus on the segula of the Nefesh HaChaim and they were saved. (Yalkut Lekach tov Devarim 4:35)
