Chaim of Volozhin

Chaim of Volozhin, popularly known as Reb Chaim Volozhiner, was the foremost disciple of the Vilna Gaon and the founder of the Volozhin Yeshiva. The yeshiva taught the Gaon's study method of penetrating analysis of the Talmud, a unique style which was then copied by all of the great Lithuanian yeshivas. Reb Chaim himself was also considered one of the greatest Talmudic scholars of his age. His major work is Nefesh HaChaim, an explication of Jewish belief.