BARUCH DAYAN HA’EMES: HAGAON RAV ELYASHIV ZATZAL; Watch Levaya Live

BARUCAH DAYAN HA’EMES: [UPDATED] [WATCH LEVAYA LIVE BY CLICKING HERE] It is with great sadness that we report the Petirah of Hagaon Rav Elyashiv Zatzal.

The Gadol, who was 102 years old, was Niftar a short time ago at Shaarei Tzedek Hospital.

The following history of Rav Elyashiv Zatzal, is from YWN Israel.

During the day the tzibur began to understand the severity of the situation and yeshivos began reciting tehillim, leading to tefilos and tehillim as the Kosel and around the world. Nevertheless, the gadol hador has been summoned to the Olam HaEmmes.

Rav Elyashiv, the leader of Torah Jewry, upon whose frail shoulders rested the most intricate of Halachic decisions and rulings was niftar a short time ago in Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, surrounded by family members and rabbonim who were close to the posek hador.

Rav Elyashiv was born according to most records on April 10, 1910, a maternal grandson of Mekubal Rav Shlomo Elyashiv, known as the Leshem. His father was Rav Avraham Elyashiv, chief rabbi of Homel, and his mother was Chaya Musha. The posek hador was an only child, born to his parents after 17 years of marriage.

Interestingly, the shidduch for the rav was arranged by Israel’s first chief rabbi, HaRav Yitzchak HaCohen Kook zt”l, and the rav was married to the daughter of the Tzaddik of Yerushalayim, Sheina Chaya Levine, a daughter of Rav Aryeh Levine zt”l in 1929. They had five sons and seven daughters.

One son died of an illness at a young age. His daughters all married prominent Rabbinic scholars.

The eldest daughter, Bat Sheva ob”m was married to HaGaon HaRav Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.

The second, Sarah, is the wife of the late Rav Yisroel Yosef Yisroelson, head of the “Bar Shaul” Kollel in Rechovot.

The third, Ettil, is the wife of Rabbi Elchanan Berlin, Rabbi of the “Achvah” shul.

The fourth, Shoshana, is married to Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein, Chief Rabbi of Ramat Elchanan in Bnei Brak.

The fifth, Leah, is the wife of Rav Azriel Aurbach, the son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.

The sixth, Gitel, is married to Rabbi Binyamin Rimmer, Rosh yeshiva at the Tshebiner Yeshiva in Jerusalem and at the Kiryat Melech Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.

A seventh daughter, Rivkah, was tragically killed by Jordanian shelling in 1948.

As a young man, the rav served as a dayan on the Chief Rabbinate Supreme Court, resigning in 1972. That was his last position connected to a state institution.

After HaGaon HaRav Shach ZT”L was niftar, Rav Elyashiv assumed the mantle of leadership as the Manhig and Posek HaDador. The rav’s more popular seforim include “Kovetz Teshuvos” and “Divrei Aggadah”. His Halachic rulings have impacted the generation, and are the guiding light for many issues that were yet uncharted territory in a modern high tech world that presented questions demanding his unique expertise, his profound grasp and understanding of Torah and Halacha, the nigla and nistar, that only he possessed, along with the Siyata Dishmaya that enabled him to serve Am Yisrael for so many decades.

Those around the rav report that his rigorous daily schedule of davening and learning rarely changed, and this left a mere 4-6 hours daily for sleeping and other matters. Despite his advanced age and illness, the rav continued responding to Halachic inquiries from rabbonim around the world, even giving shiurim and maintaining his position as the leader of world Jewry. He never passed up the opportunity to be a sandek when conditions permitted, even in his last weeks, in a significantly weakened state, he would not pass up this cherished mitzvah.

As is the way of gedolim in Eretz Yisrael, the rav maintained a modest lifestyle to put it mildly, far removed from the comforts of this physical world. He lived in his humble home at 10 Chanan Street in Meah Shearim, and this is where he met with leading rabbonim from around the world who sought his advice on Halacha and hashkafa matters.

Am Yisrael is in mourning, a palpable numbness as the news of the petira of the manhig hador resonates around the globe.

Details surrounding the levaya will be announced as they become available.

UPDATE: The Levaya will be taking place at 10:00 PM this evening, Israel time. See more details here.

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46 COMMENTS

  1. ONCE AGAIN TRAGEDY STRIKES AGAIN BY HASHEM

    are we going to EVER get hashems wake-up call for teshuva? or will we just let it pass & think we can fool Hashem like we don’t know why such tragic events happen R”L?
    TZAROS in klal yisroel is getting worse & worse by the day ALL due to one reason
    HASHEM IS WAITING FOR US TO RETURN TO HIM & DO TESHUVA SO HE CAN BRING MASHIACH & RETURN TO US.
    HOW much more tzaros will need to happen C”V before we do teshuva? that is up to us. it can all end today.

    MAY HIS NESHAMA HAVE AN ALIYA & may we all do teshuva so these tragedies never happen again C”V

  2. One of the most learned Torah scholars and sages in the world. This is a sad day for the world.

    Orthodox Jews believe that the merit of the world’s greatest Torah sages protects the world.

    In 1939, right before the outbreak of WW2, the world’s three greatest Torah sages died.

    May G-d protect us all.

  3. Chaim. with al do respect to this GREAT GADOL he was 102 yrs old. yes we should all do teshuva but since you can not see what hashem has planed for us dont blame his niftar tzaros as you clame.

    BD”E

  4. #3 very tragic indeed a big loss for us, but i wouldnt call this a “wake up call” he was 102 years old, we should just thank hashem for leaving him with us for so long

  5. He was 102 kh.. Whilst it is always a sorrow to lose a gadol hador I wouldn’t get carried away Chaim… tragedy? At 102 we have to expect that vezorach hashemesh uvo hashemesh.. I know of many wonderful upcoming gedolim who are no doubt around due to the good that Klal Yisroel do.

  6. OY!!

    BDE!!!

    Let us all daven and beg the RBS”A that the histalkus of our Gadol Hador should be a Kaparah to protect klal yisroel from impending evils and not ch”v a kiyum of the pasuk…. כִּי-מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה נֶאֱסַף הַצַּדִּיק

    Please Hashem! We need your rachmanus!!

  7. This isn’t normal we cannot go through another summer of our gedolim dying we need to do something about this as a klal a worldwide kaballah!!!!

  8. Dexter – they tried doing a worldwide kaballag by having everyone stop using the internet. (remember citifield asifah??) It didn’t work, and you definitely didn’t join the worldwide kaballah, and the proof is that you are still on the internet. Why do you think any other worldwide kaballah will work any differently.

  9. Chaim, just curious if you’re one of those who just give mussar, or if you actually took something on yourself as a result of this tragedy. And yes, it is a tragedy! Regardless of his age, we just lost a tremendous tzaddik!

  10. TO #S 7, 9, 10 & 13 & everyone else that feels this way
    perhaps this message will help you.

    all the tzaros happening now is going on ONE AFTER THE NEXT daily or weekly (nt one in a while)

    which brings us to the #1 question WHY DONT WE LEARN FROM THE PAST & FROM MISTAKES? there’s only 1 answer.
    all these tragedies going on have one thing in common. -a major issue & problem applying to everyone (yidden & not)-
    FACING REALITY i.e. seeing these tragedies happen & not doing anything about it i.e. teshuva, achdus etc… thus we leave hashem no choice but to bring us more tzaros R”L

    HOW MUCH MORE TZAROS DOES KLAL YISROEL NEED?
    why doesn’t klal yisroel get the wake-up message for teshuva from hashem?

    whenever tragedy strikes or there’s a big issue, the person blocks it from his face & convinces himself not to apply the message to him,so that we can just continue our fancy & happy lavish life.
    first WE ALL need to admit to ourselves that i have a issue/problem here, then we need to work on solving it. BUT %80 of solving it, is each person admitting to the problems he has.

    may we all start doing teshuva ASAP & return to hashem so the word tzaros can be removed from the world

  11. Correction to YWN Israel’s report:

    R’ Elyashiv’s fourth daughter, Shoshana, WAS married to R. Zilberstein Shlita. She passed away several years ago. Her choshuve husband wrote a sefer (among his many) called “Shoshanas Ha’amakim” to honor her memory.

  12. To yid
    I wasn’t specifying the Internet maybe something more like Brachos which wouldn’t be considered a big nisayon But still can be considered a kaballah.
    And don’t criticize me for my flaws when you haven’t recognized yours yet;)

  13. If you want to fight, kindly form your own blog and fight over there. This is the post mourning the gadol hador, and all you can think of to do here is argue??

  14. there are just no words…baruch dayan emesMay this tisha b’av be with tichiyas hameisim and beis hamikdash.As the mishna says at the end of sotah:”yiras cheit brings chasidus, chasidus brings ruach hakodesh, ruach hakodesh brings tichiyas hameisim sh’ba al yidei eliyahu zachur latov-amen” R’ Elyashiv definitely had chasidus and probably also ruach hakodesh which should now let us continue to techiyas hameisim-amem.

  15. to Anonymous 11:29
    at 1:00 am its time to say tikkun chatzos on behalf of gantz klal yisroel,
    then comes vosikin Shachris with fasting based on teshuva on behalf of klal yisroel

    i.e. if you knew what the future holds for klal yisroel ahead R”L you too would be fasting & probably crying begging Hashem to forgive klal yisroel-myself included.
    Hashem is waiting for klal yisroel AS A NATION TO return to him, as rochel eimainu cries daily on our behalf
    this is just a small example of 2 of the things done R”L …

    ALL FOR ONE REASON cause noone will confess & do teshuva, so other shiluchim of Hashem need to weep on their behalf, cause of their love for klal yisroel (just like moshe Rabeinu, yirmiyahu Hanavi & many other neviyim did, as leaders of klal yisroel)

    MAY KLAL YISROEL RETURN TO HASHEM WITH TESHUVA ASAP SO MASHIACH CAN COME

  16. As has been aptly pointed out, as terrible as this is, this does not need to be a gizeirah rah against us. I am sure you know that after Adam ate from the tree of knowledge Hashem decreed death on people.

    So obviously Rav Elyashiv ztl was bound to die as will you and me eventually, it is just very sad when it does happen – especially to someone as great as Rav Elyashiv ztl. And it is a great mitzva to shed tears on an adam kasher kal vichomer for Rav Elyashiv.

    Obviously premature death could very well be a gizeirah but he lived a very long life. It is sad but he now has moved on to his reward and he certainly is very happy.

  17. Dexter – I wasn’t criticizing your flaws. You totally misunderstood my copmment, which is a shame.

    I was pointing out that “worldwide kaballahs” is unrealistic. Klal Yisroel tried worldwide kabalahs, and they just don’t work in today’s day and age. For example: you and me.

    Why try another worldwide kabalah which also won’t work.

    If you feel that there is room for improvement, IMPROVE!!! Leave everyone else out of it, because it won’t work.

    No one else is joining you. And that was the point of my comment.

  18. i am planning on leaving work early to make it to the hook up in bmg,

    however i saw reported on other wesites that there will be no HESPADIM

    can anyone confim that for me please,

    thank you

    only simahot in klall Yisrael

  19. chaim,
    im the 11:29 poster
    so sorry if you took it as an offense, i just meant to say i hope you are taking something upon yourself rather than just giving mussar that everyone should, and forgetting about yourself.
    i dont know you, and therefore dont know if you meant it seriously or just want to cry “IM A TZADDIK, I THINK ABT DOING TESHUVA”
    im really sorry!

  20. To 36; YWN is reporting that per the Tzava’ah no Hespedim will take place. I don’t know if that means that noone will deliver some sort of divrei his’orerus.

  21. bde- I will beh try to work on my bein adom lichaveiro and judging everyone favorably. I find this to be a very big challenge but will put forth much effort in these areas.

  22. Yes our Chacham was 102 years old however why now why today ? One can always learn from an incident that took place unless of course if one refuses to.

  23. To yid
    Thanks for the clarification:) and I will take a private kaballah upon myself and whoever wants is more then welcome to join me!

  24. to #37
    no need to be sorry it was never taken as personal, kol yisroel areivim (we are all attached & resposibly for one aother)

    to #39
    if a person works on bitachon & emunah then working on Bein adam L’chaveiro won’t be hard to handle-Due to trusting Hashem no matter who the person dealing wth or what the situation is…. HATZLACHA

  25. Correction: Shoshana (wife of Rabbi Yitzchok Zilbersteiwas niftar 13 years ago in year 1999.
    Leah the wife of Rabbi Ezriel Auerbac was nifteres over 2 years ago in 2010.
    Also everyone should please be mispalel for the son of R’ Elyashiv ztvkllh”h, R’ Shlomo: Rav Shlomo ben Sheina Chaya Elyashiv.

  26. To # 7 And on : Though he died at a old age, nevertheless he still died. Just like if you have a candle in a dark room and it burns out , its out and still dark even though the candle was a 1 hour candle !!!!!

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