Chaim Volozhin
Chaim Volozhin was a prominent 18th-century Jewish scholar and the founder of the Volozhin Yeshiva, one of the first formal institutions of Jewish learning in modern times. Born in 1749 in what is now Belarus, he played a crucial role in the development of Lithuanian Judaism and the Mitnagdim movement, which opposed the teachings of Hasidism.
Volozhin's most significant work, the Nefesh HaChaim, emphasizes the importance of Torah study and the spiritual connection between God and the Jewish people. His teachings have had a lasting impact on Jewish education and continue to influence yeshivas around the world today.