Rav Sholom Rosenfeld Ohev Sholom (Cheshvan 20, 5612 / 1851 - 173rd Yahrzeit)
Rav Sholom Kaminker was named after his grandfather Rav Sholom HaLevi Rosenfeld son of Yechiel Eichel HaLevi whose yichus dated back to the Maharshal a descendant of Rashi, Rav Yochanan HaSandler and Dovid HaMelech. From a young age they recognized his greatness. He studied Shas and Poskim and excelled until he was known as the illui or genius of Rava. Once, the entire town of Rava went out to witness the field training and maneuvers of the local army. In their haste to watch the king himself preside his parents forgot him at him. When they returned they found the young lad crying. They soothed him and apologized that next time they would bring him along. He was confused and had no idea what they were talking about. So why are you crying they asked him. He pointed to the large volume of Choshen Mishpat in front of him at the commentary of the Shach and said, I am crying because I cannot understand the Shach, why can’t I understand it if he could? His own signature testified his greatness and his copy of mesechta Nida had his name signed, “Today I am age nine years old and have completed Shas.” This was followed by a deep Talmudic pilpul that he had himself written at such a young age. In Rava, he studied under such great luminaries as: Rav Tzvi Charif, Rav Shlomo Kulger, Rav Noson Shtern the Av Beis Din of Rava, Rav Avrohom Mordechai Turker of Dombromil, Rav Areyh Leibush the Aryeh Dvei Illay and Rav Shlomo Kashanover. When Rav Sholom was brought by his father to the Chozeh he asked the young lad, what parsha was this weeks. Kedoshim, answered Rav Sholom. Very good replied the Chozeh and Rashi says that “be Kedoshim” means that “you should be perushim – separated from all gashmiyus!” The Chozeh’s pronouncement made such an impression on the young lad that he began to tremble violently and shake like a leaf. His father took him quiclly to their hotel room so he could lie down and come back to his senses. At age thirteen he married Chana Golda the daughter of the wealthy Naphtali Noson Hirsch, nicknamed the Graf of Kreshuv who was a baal tzedaka and supported the chevraya of Chassidim and talmidim in Lublin at the Chozeh’s court. It is told that the Chozeh of Lublin promised the Graf of Kreshuv that he would merit having as a son in law the “one in a generation,” and when another wealthy graf from Zamotsh headed to Lublin to take the genius of Rava the graf of Kreshuv was troubled. He made his way to Lublin where the Chozeh promised him, “I promised you that the one in a generation shall be yours, if the graf of Zamotsh succeeds in taking the illuy of Rava it’s a sign that he isn’t the one. But the graf of Zamotsh left empty handed and the shidduch didn’t work out. In the end the graf of Kretshuv succeeded and his daughter married Rav Sholom. (Ohev Sholom)
