From his formative years in Volozhin and Slabodka through his decades of leadership in Slutzk, to his commanding presence in his later years in Yerushalayim, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer was one of the greatest architects of Torah of the 20th century. In honor of his 70th yahrtzeit on the 10th of Kislev, we present a glimpse behind the veneer of this noble sage, who guided generations of talmidim at each stage of his storied career. Rav Isser Zalman’s legacy of Torah aristocracy, communal leadership, along with his boundless kindness for others, remains with us until this very day.
In a nondescript apartment across the street from Mir Yerushalayim lived Rav Nota Freund, a tzaddik who graced the Holy City with his presence until his passing in 2013. A group of Mirrer talmidim would customarily attend Shalosh Seudos at his home, where he’d regale them with stories of Yerushalayim of yore. One of his favorite topics was his rebbi muvhak in Yeshivah Eitz Chaim, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer.
Rav Isser Zalman was renowned for — among other things — his magnum opus Even Ha’ezel. Rav Nota related that the printer found it a challenge to decipher Rav Isser Zalman’s penmanship, so Rebbetzin Baila Hinda would transcribe her husband’s exact words. When the Rebbetzin was busy, Rav Nota would often fill that role himself.
Following his immigration to Yerushalayim in 1925, Rav Isser Zalman settled in the Batei Rand neighborhood at the edge of Nachlaot. Rav Isser Zalman was the quintessential Litvak. Having grown up in Mir, studied in Volozhin, served as rosh yeshivah in Slabodka, then rosh yeshivah and rabbi in Slutzk, he seldom encountered chassidim for the duration of his storied career. Living in the predominantly Galician neighborhood of Batei Rand in his golden years brought the venerated sage an abundance of chassidic neighbors.
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