<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>I think you're wrong about that. I beleive Rav Aviner is clsoer to the truth. It's all about 'whose' Gadol HaDor. There is no question in my mind that while in his prime (and of course still alive) Rav Aharon Kotler was 'THE' Gadol Hador in the world of Lithuanian Yeshivos. Certainly in America. There is no question in my mind that the Chazon Ish was 'THE' Gadol Hador in his lifetime, certainly in Eretz Yisroel. Same thing Rav Moshe. Recently Rav Shach had that title. And now most of the Yeshiva world considers Rav Elyashiv the Gadol HaDor.</DIV>
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<DIV>In Modern Orthodoxy there is no question that RYBS had that title.</DIV>
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<DIV>In the Chasidic world there is also no question in my mind that the Satmar Rebbe was 'THE' Gadol HaDor to Satmar Chasidim... and the Gerer Rebbe to Ger Chasidim... and so on.</DIV>
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<DIV>To Chabad, the late L Rebbe was beyond just the Gadol HaDor. He was the Nasi Hador.</DIV>
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<DIV>But... looking forward... ??????????????? </DIV>
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<DIV>HM</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Want Emes and Emunah in your life? <BR><BR>Try this: http://haemtza.blogspot.com/<BR><BR>--- On <B>Tue, 12/2/08, T613K@aol.com <I><T613K@aol.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From: T613K@aol.com <T613K@aol.com>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>From: "Rich, Joel" <A href="mailto:JRich@sibson.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow>JRich@sibson.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>>>One person says that this rabbi is the "Gadol Ha-Dor," while another<BR>says that another rabbi is the "Gadol Ha-Dor." <<</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>><BR>While a number of rabbanim in any given generation attain renown and respect for their Torah learning and authority, the title of "THE godol hador" can only be given posthumously, often many years after the demise of "the" godol hador. Looking back now, for example, I think everybody would agree that the Rambam was "the" godol hador of his dor, and the Vilna Gaon was "the" godol hador of his dor, but in their lifetimes I don't think their status was uncontested.</FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></td></tr></table><br>