With Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s passing on Friday, the Jewish people lost a remarkable leader and teacher, a unique personality, and a man who touched the souls of tens of thousands of fellow Jews.
Who was Rav Steinsaltz? First and foremost, he was a Torah scholar, a teacher, and a prolific writer. He was a Chabad chassid who was thoroughly familiar with the depths of chassidic theology and was able to convey those depths to the uninitiated. He received the Israel Prize, the highest civilian honor in the state of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem named him a Yakir Yerushalayim, an especially cherished citizen of the Holy City.