Sorotzkin was born on February 5, 1917 (13th of Shevat, 5739) in Zhetl, in the Grodno Governorate of the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus). His father, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin was the town"s rabbi. In 1940, Sorotzkin married Rochel Bloch, daughter of the Telzer Rav and Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch.
As a young man, Sorotzkin studied under Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman in Baranovich, and then under Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebovitz in Kamenitz.
In 1943 Sorotzkin began delivering classes in the yeshiva. In 1953 Sorotzkin was appointed associate dean of the yeshiva. In 1962 Sorotzkin became dangerously ill and the name Rephoel was added to his name.
In 1964, when the Telz Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz died, Sorotzkin together with Rabbi Mordechai Gifter assumed the leadership of the yeshiva.
In 1977, with the establishment of the Yeshiva in Israel, Mordechai Gifter left to head the Yeshiva in Israel. Sorotzkin died on Saturday, February 10, 1979.
The Hebrew date - 13 Shevat - was the same date as his birthday. He is buried on Har HaMenuchot
His sons-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Busel is dean of RJJ of Edison, New Jersey, Rabbi Aryeh Schulman is rabbi of Kiryat Telz-Stone, Israel, Rabbi Nosson Boruch Herzka is a Rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Yisroel Brog is dean of Tiferes Avigdor Wickliffe, Ohio.
Sorotzkin"s wife died in November 2006.
In the Telzer tradition, Rabbi Sorotzkin extended his sphere of activities to include even more areas of communal responsibility, such as working for Chinuch Atzmai, Torah Umesorah and Agudath Israel of America where he served as one of the youngest member of its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah - Council of Torah Sages.
