Rabbi Yehoshua Liff
Mechanech · Rosh Yeshiva · Storyteller
Rabbi Yehoshua Liff was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where he merited to be influenced by gedolei Torah from a young age. His father was a well-known Rebbe in Yeshivas Ner Yisroel and a close talmid of Rav Yaakov Ruderman, and he grew up in the orbit of its Mashgiach, Rav Dovid Kronglas zt"l. He went on to study at Yeshiva of Staten Island, where he became a talmid of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l and, yblch"t, his son Rav Reuven Feinstein shlita.
In 1973 he came to learn in Eretz Yisrael at the Mir Yeshiva, where he studied under Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, Rav Beinish Finkel, and Rav Nochum Partzovitz. After his marriage he continued learning in the Mir kollel, and began a chinuch career spanning close to five decades. He founded Yeshivas Ner Yaakov, and he currently serves as Nasi of Yeshiva Ateres Yaakov in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Each week before Shabbos, Rabbi Liff records a shiur — parsha insights, stories from the gedolim, and chizuk for the times we are in. The shiur has reached over two hundred episodes, carried by listeners in Eretz Yisrael and around the world who look forward to hearing his voice before the holy day.
Litvishe in training and Chassidic in heart, he quotes the Vilna Gaon and the Baal HaTurim as readily as the Sfas Emes — and everything is seen through the lens of golus and geulah.
At His Rebbi's Side
Fifty years of Rabbi Liff's personal encounters with the Gedolei Yisrael — Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Shach, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, and so many others — gathered into one volume. The same warmth and detail that fill the weekly shiur, set down in print.
Written by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer · Shaar Press / ArtScroll.
Rabbi Liff is also a composer — niggunim true to the meaning of the words. His signature niggun, Malchuscha, and more, on the Rabbi Liff Music channel.
Chizuk for the times we are in
Beyond the weekly shiur, Rabbi Liff's talks and divrei chizuk are gathered on the JFoundations channel — including this message during the war in Eretz Yisrael.