רשומות
Rav Hayyim Ben Yitzhak of Volozhin was considered to be the Vilna Gaon’s most important student.
The Volozhin Yeshiva which he founded in 1802 (later called the Eitz Hayyim Yeshiva in his memory), became the prototype for all Lithuanian yeshivot and later for all yeshivot until today.
His attitude to the Land of Israel (see https://www.jpost.com/judaism/ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-hayyim-of-volozhin-on-his-200th-yahrzeit-669218 ):
- He was personally in charge of the funds raised in Volozhin for those living in the Land of Israel.
- He was personally involved in supporting the Gaon’s students’ aliya to Israel in 1808.
- He taught the spiritual level of the Land of Israel: “We know for sure from the Gaon, and Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin concerning money sent for holy purposes here [in Israel, that] he said, The Torah and [Divine] service done [in the land of Israel] even for a quarter of an hour, is more dear to God than the study of your yeshivot every day in the impure lands.”
