Davening with the Rav

Davening with the Rav
My Rabbi and My Rebbe
Rabbi Mendi Gopin
This volume is a history of a relationship between Rabbi Soloveitchik and his student, the author. The relationship began with
the author's berit, with the Rav holding him as the author entered
the covenant of Abraham, and continued until the Rav's
passing. Rabbi Gopin, a son of the Rav's outstanding student
Rabbi Solomon Gopin, ז״ל , served as the Rav's Torah reader
for several years and received semikhah (rabbinic ordination)
from the Rav.

The opening section is a series of first hand memories
from the author's many interactions with the Rav - as a child,
a student and later as a pulpit Rabbi. The second section is a
synopsis of the Rav's changes in the text of the High Holy Day
machzor and the reasons for each change. Lastly, is a compilation
of customs the author observed the Rav practice during
those years.

The relationship is warm, respectful and replete with Torah
insights. It above all manifests some facets of the Rav's
unique personality that not many of his students merited
seeing.