שלמה נתן קוטלר

Rav Shlomo Nosson Kotler (5626/1865–25 Shevat 5705/1945), whose full name was Shlomo Natan Neta, was a Lithuanian rosh yeshiva and rav who held positions in Lita, in the United States and in Yerushalayim. He was born in Kovno, and in his youth drew close to Rav Yaakov Yosef Charif, then in Kovno and later the Chief Rabbi of New York. He married Chaya Tova, and at twenty-one received his first appointment as a maggid shiur in the yeshiva of Lomza. He went on to teach for years in Slobodka and served as rav and maggid shiur in Birzh, and when the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary opened its doors in New York he was its first maggid shiur in Gemara. His name carried far in the yeshivot of Lita: Rav Eliezer Gordon, rav of Telz and rosh yeshiva there, called him the Ketzot HaChoshen of the generation.

He was a rav of kehillot for fifty years. His first kehillah was Uzvent in Lita. When Rav Yaakov Yosef was chosen chief rabbi of New York — the first and only man to hold that post — Rav Kotler joined him as his assistant in every matter of the rabbanut, and through his illness filled his place. Returning to Europe, he was appointed rav of Kurshan in the Shavel district and afterward of Luknik. Luknik lay near Telz, and bachurim from Telz and Slobodka would come to his house to speak with him in learning; the semichah of Telz talmidim rested with him as well, the roshei yeshiva adding their signatures only once he had agreed.

Resolving to settle in Eretz Yisrael, he traveled once more to America to take leave of the children who lived there. His rebbetzin fell ill and was nifteret in Detroit, and he remained in that city some seven years, printing his Beit Shlomo — derashot and pilpulim for the openings and the siyumim of the six sedarim of Mishnah and the masechtot of the Bavli — while he was there. After a further year’s delay in Lita he reached Eretz Yisrael in 5693/1933 and settled in Yerushalayim. Besides his responsa Kerem Shlomo, in three parts, he edited the sefarim of Rav Yitzchak Isaac Rabinowitz of Shavel and of his son Rav Chaim, seeding them with many additions of his own. His daughter Rivka Ida was the wife of Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap, who named his Yerushalayim yeshiva for him. He was niftar on 25 Shevat 5705 and was buried on Har HaZeitim, Jerusalem.