ר׳ יחזקאל אברמסקי

ר׳ יחזקאל אברמסקי (1886–1976) was a leading twentieth-century Talmudist, communal rabbi and halakhic judge. Born at Dashkovichy in the Grodno region, he studied in the Lithuanian yeshiva world, notably at Telz, Slabodka and Brisk under ר׳ חיים הלוי סולובייצ׳יק, and was closely associated with ר׳ חיים עוזר גרודזינסקי. After rabbinates in Smolyan and Smalyavichy, he became rabbi of Slutsk in 1923. He resisted the Soviet destruction of Jewish religious life, helped publish the Torah journal Yagdil Torah, and was arrested and sent to forced labour before international intervention secured his release in 1931. In London he served Machzike Hadath and then, from 1934 to 1951, as senior dayan and head of the London Beth Din, greatly strengthening its standing. He settled in Jerusalem in 1951, taught and supported the yeshiva world, and received the 1956 Israel Prize for rabbinic literature. His multi-volume חזון יחזקאל combines textual comparison, explanation and novellae on the Tosefta.