הרב אביגדֹר יחזקאל הלוי נֶבֶּנְצָל

Rav Avigdor Yechezkel HaLevi Nebenzahl (born 15 Nisan 5695/1935), whose name appears in English sources also as Neventsal, is among the senior poskim of Yerushalayim — rav of the Ramban shul, and for thirty-five years, from 5733/1973 to 5768/2008, the rav of the Old City of Yerushalayim, a partner in the renewal of Jewish life between the walls. He was born to Dr. Yitzchak Nebenzahl, later the State Comptroller of Israel, and learned in Yeshivat Chorev, in Yeshivat Kol Torah — where he became the foremost talmid of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and learned as well from the mashgiach Rav Gedalia Eisemann — and afterward in Ponovezh and in Mir. His bond with Rav Shlomo Zalman lasted a lifetime: for more than forty years they learned together, and in most matters of halachah he rules as he learned from his rebbi.

From the early years of Yeshivat HaKotel he has served there as a ram, and he serves as senior rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, where he gives his weekly shiurim; many of the talmidim are guests at his table for kiddush after davening on Shabbat morning. Following the minhag of the Gra, he wears tefillin through all the hours of the day.

His Torah fills many sefarim: the notes Biyitzchak Yikra on the Mishnah Berurah, first issued as kuntresim in honor of his father’s birthday; Teshuvot Avigdor HaLevi, some fifteen hundred short teshuvot on Orach Chaim; Teshuvah MeAhavah, his Torah correspondence with Rav Chaim Kanievsky; the Sichot on the parashah and the moadim, set down by his talmid Rav Yosef Eliyahu; and Yerushalayim BeMoadeha on the festivals, edited by his son Rav Chizkiyahu — who in 5768/2008 was crowned in his father’s place as rav of the Old City, where he serves to this day.