The Netziv

 B”H

The 28th of Menachem Av (Hod shebeHod of this cycle of Malchut), is the yahrzeit of the Netziv, HaRav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin of Volozhin. He was Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, the leadership initially shared with Rav Yoshe Baer Soloveitchik, and then later with his son, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik (who married the Netziv’s granddaughter, and who’se yahrzeit is exactly on week prior, on the 21st of Menachem Av). The Netziv was also the teacher of Rav Kook, and famously stated, “If the Volozhin Yeshiva had been founded just to educate Rav Kook, it would have been worthwhile.” Interestingly, his yahrzeit falls exactly in between that of the Steipler Gaon (23rd of Menachem Av) and that of Rav Kook (3rd of Elul).