led Eastern European Jewry until World War II. Amongst them was Rabbi Shimon Shkop. In 1892, the Volozhin yeshiva shut down. Russian authorities (influenced by Haskalah elements) sought to introduce secular studies into the yeshiva. Berlin did initially accept some secular studies rather than shut down the Yeshiva completely. However, the requirements became more and more onerous with the government eventually stipulating that: "All teachers of all subjects must have college diplomas ... no Judaic subjects may be taught between 9 AM and 3 PM ... no night classes are allowed ... total hours of study per day may not exceed ten." Faced with these restrictions, Berlin chose to close the Yeshiva. Final months After the closure, Berlin traveled to Vilna and other cities, trying to clear the yeshiva's debt. In the last few months of Berlin's life he suffered from diabetes and the consequences of a stroke. He spent his last weeks in Warsaw, and died there on August 10, 1893. He was buried in the Jewish Cemetery of Warsaw. Views and influence Berlin had a traditionalist approach to Torah study that was at odds with the highly analytical style of lomdus ("learned intellectual analysis") that was pioneered by Soloveitchik known as the brisker method. Instead he viewed the Torah as something that should be read as poetry, carrying much unspoken meaning. Politically, the Netziv favored Jewish settlement of the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), then under the control of the Ottoman Empire, he was initially a member of the Chovevei Tzion movement. He would later distance himself from the movement. He was considered a member of the Misnagdim, Jewish leaders who opposed Chassidism. Bibliography Ha'amek She'eila ("Delve into the Question", the title playing on a verse in the Book of Isaiah that hortatively reads, "Delve, question"), a commentary on the She'iltoth, a geonic work of halakha by Achai Gaon; Meishiv Davar ("Response [in] Kind"), a collection of his responsa. Ha'amek Davar ("Delve into the matter"), a Torah commentary, the title resonating off his previously published commentary on the She'iltoth (listed above). See Oral Torah#In rabbinic literature and commentary for context. Rinah shel Torah, a commentary on the Song of Songs. Meromei Sadeh ("Heights [of the] Field", used as a reference to the tribe of Naphtali by Deborah in the Book of Judges), comments and insights on selected volumes of the Talmud. Dvar Ha'emek commentary on Nevi'im and Ketuvim.