Rabbi Rephoel Boruch Sorotzkin (February 5, 1917 – February 10, 1979) was an illustrious 20th-century Haredi rabbinic authority, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages), and the revered Rosh Yeshiva of the Telshe (Telz) Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio.

A link in a massive chain of dynastic rabbinic royalty, Rav Boruch was unique in how he perfectly blended the sharp, uncompromising intellectualism of the Polish/Lithuanian yeshiva world with a dynamic, highly active leadership role in American Orthodox public affairs.

A Dynastic Lineage and European Foundations

• Born to Greatness: Born in Zhetl, Lithuania (now Belarus), his father was the world-famous Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin (the Lutzker Rav), who later chaired the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in Israel and led Chinuch Atzmai. His mother was the daughter of Rabbi Eliezer Gordon, the foundational pioneer and creator of the Telshe Yeshiva in Europe.

• Elite Discipleship: Blessed with a razor-sharp mind, he spent his youth studying under the premier Torah giants of the interwar era. He studied under Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman at the Baranovich Yeshiva and later became a primary student of Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz at the Kamenitz Yeshiva, thoroughly absorbing their legendary analytical approaches to Talmudic study.

Escaping the Flames and Coming to Cleveland

When World War II tore Europe apart, Rav Boruch found himself in the crosshairs of history.

• The Telshe Connection: In 1940, while a refugee, he married Rochel Bloch—the daughter of the martyred Telshe Rav and Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch.

• The Miraculous Escape: Along with his new bride, he was forced to flee the Nazi onslaught. They traveled via the Trans-Siberian railroad to Japan, settled temporarily within the refugee community in Shanghai, China, and eventually made their way safely to the United States.

• Rebuilding the Castle: Upon arriving in the United States, he joined his wife's uncles, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch and Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz, who had miraculously re-established the decimated Telshe Yeshiva in the quiet midwestern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.

Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe Cleveland

Rav Boruch began delivering advanced lectures at the yeshiva in 1943. Following the passing of Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz in 1964, Rav Boruch assumed the supreme leadership mantle of the institution alongside Rabbi Mordechai Gifter.

• The Telshe Style: He was a master of the analytical Telshe approach to Talmudic text. His methodology was systematic, built on uncovering the root definitions (gedarim) of legal principles. His lectures were famously lively and interactive, demanding that his students challenge his assertions with rigorous logic.

• Adding "Rephoel": In 1962, he fell dangerously ill. Following Jewish tradition to alter a person's spiritual fortune during sickness, the name Rephoel (meaning "God has healed") was added to his name. He recovered and lived to lead the American Jewish community for nearly two more decades.

National and Communal Statesman

While many Roshei Yeshiva of his era focused purely on their own institutions, Rav Boruch believed that a Torah leader must carry the weight of the entire generation. He became an irreplaceable leader on the American stage:

• Agudath Israel & The Moetzes: Despite being younger than many of his peers, his sweeping grasp of communal realities earned him a seat on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America, where he helped guide the political, religious, and social policies of Orthodox Jewry.

• Champion of Education: He worked tirelessly on behalf of Torah Umesorah (The National Society for Hebrew Day Schools) and Chinuch Atzmai, traveling across the country to ensure that every Jewish child had access to a high-quality religious day-school education.

Passing and Legacy

Rav Boruch passed away on Shabbat, February 10, 1979 (the 13th of Shevat, 5739) at the age of 62. Poignantly, he passed away on the exact same Jewish calendar date as his Hebrew birthday. His passing was viewed as a catastrophic blow to the American Torah world. Following massive funerals in Brooklyn and Cleveland, his body was flown to Israel, and he was laid to rest on Har HaMenuchot in Jerusalem.

His profound Talmudic lectures were meticulously collected and published posthumously by his children under the multi-volume title Sefer Habinah V'habrachah (The Book of Understanding and Blessing).

His children have continued his proud rabbinic legacy, most notably his son, Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin, who serves as a premier, world-class Rosh Yeshiva and senior Talmudic lecturer at the Mesivta of Lakewood in New Jersey.