Alter of Slabodka - Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel (1849 - 1927), also known as the Alter of Slabodka, was orphaned at a very young age from both his parents and was raised by cousins in Vilna. He became well known as an "Illuy and a Gadol BaTorah" already at age 15. He eventually founded the famous Slabodka yeshiva, with many of his students becoming the leaders of the Litvishe community.

His motto was summed up in the words Gadlus HaAdam ("Greatness of Man"). He stressed the need for mussar, polishing the character traits of his students so that they would aspire to become gedolim - "great ones" in all areas of both scholarship and personal ethics. Rav Nosson Tzvi had a special talent for understanding the inner working of each student's individual mind and bringing out the best in him.