Rav Shimon Yehuda Hakohen Shkop (1860–1939) was born in Torez, Ukraine. At the age of twelve he went to study in the Mir Yeshiva and at fifteen he attended the Volozhin Yeshiva. His teachers were the Netziv, Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin and Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, with whom he had a close relationship. A renowned Talmudic scholar, Rav Shkop served as Rosh Yeshiva of the Shaar Hatorah Yeshiva, the Telshe Yeshiva and, briefly, the Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan (RIETS) Yeshiva in New York (1928-29). A member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of the Agudas Yisroel, his students attained distinction, among them Rav Elchonon Wasserman of Baronovitch, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman of Ponevezh and Rav Isser Yehuda Unterman, a future Chief Rabbi of Israel. His major works include Sha’arei Yosher, an essay on the intellectual principles of the law, and commentaries on the Bava Kama, Bava Matzia and Bava Basra tractates of the Talmud, which were published after his death.