Photograph of Rabbi Eliezer Greenwald, Av Beit Din of Satmar, Author of Keren L'David

Photograph of Rabbi Eliezer Greenwald, Av Beit Din of Satmar, Author of Keren L'David

Photograph of Rabbi Eliezer Greenwald, Av Beit Din and rosh yeshivah of Satmar, author of Keren L'David. Early photo.

Before us is the familiar picture of the author of Keren L'David, and possibly the only one. The name and title of Rabbi Eliezer David Greenwald appear at the bottom of the picture, and underneath, his date of death: Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 1928, interred 2 Sivan.

The gaon Rabbi Eliezer David Greenwald [1867-1928] was the Av Beit Din Satmar and led the  yeshivah there - the largest yeshivah in Transylvania. He was born in Cherna, Hungary, to his father Rabbi Amram Greenwald, son of Rabbi Yosef Greenwald, Av Beit Din of Chechowitz. In his youth, he studied with his brother, the author of Arugat HaBosem, and was considered his primary disciple. For a short time, he studied with Rabbi Shmuel Ehrenfeld, author of Chatan Sofer. He served as a rabbi and rosh yeshivah in: Tzehlim (today Deutschkreutz in Austria), Oiber-Vishova (Upper Vishova) and Satmar. He was one of the most well-known rabbinic leaders of his time, and had many disciples, among them well-known rabbis and rabbinic leaders of Transylvania and Hungary. He is known for his book series, Keren L'David.

The picture only is approximately 12x8 cm, and is placed in a passe-partout and a wooden frame. (Including, the frame, it is approximately 21x15 cm.)

The picture is in fine condition (it has not been examined outside the frame). There are aging stains in the passe-partout and minimal scrapes in the frame.