Ephraim Greenblatt
Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt (1932-2014) was a halachic authority in the United States, and at the end of his life in Jerusalem. He was famous for his many halachic answers.[1]
Biography
Greenblatt was born in 1932[2][3] to Rabbi Avraham Baruch and Aliza[4] Greenblatt, the oldest of eleven children.[5] His grandfathers were Yitzchak Greenblatt and Chanoch Birenstock. The former was from Brisk and the latter from Lodz.
Poverty, being the oldest of 11 children, and a suggestion from his father's father[4] brought him to America and Rav Feinstein's Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem (MTJ);[6] he also concurrently served as rabbi of a small congregation.[2]
In 1952, when Rav Moshe Feinstein was asked by the Memphis community to provide someone to help strengthen their community, Greenblatt was sent. He served there for 58 years as a local rabbi, Av Beit Din, Rosh Yeshiva, Rosh Kollel, educator, shochet and mohel,[7][8] at which point he returned to Israel, three years before his death.
Family
His wife Miriam died in 2002. They are survived by two sons, both rabbis, and three daughters.[6] He saw grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[2]
Works
- Shailos Uteshuvos Rivevos Ephraim (10 volumes, on Halacha)[6][2]
- Rivevos Ephraim Al Hatorah (2 volumes)
- Revivos V’Yovlos (also 2 volumes)
- and numerous teshuvos[2] and articles published in Torah journals and other publications[6]
References
- Shlomo Aviner. "Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon R' Ephraim Greenblatt from Yerushalayim ztz"l".
- "Harav Ephraim Greenblatt, zt"l - Longtime Rav of Memphis, Tennessee". January 5, 2014.
- Sivan 5692
- Noam Amdurski (January 3, 2014). "The Rivevos Ephraim, Rav Ephraim Greenblatt zt"l". matzav.com.
- C.B. Gavant (February 5, 2014). "In a Class of his Own".
- "Ephraim Greenblatt ZT"L". TheYeshivaWorld.com.
- see how Rabbi Greenblatt, who had been the mohel for a baby, now, 25 years later, helped facilitate the wedding of this not-yet-fully-religious former U.S. Marine
- "A Prayer Is Answered". aish.com.