We regret to inform you of the Petirah of Harav Yoel Yaakov Sperka Zatzal, who served as a Rav in Detroit for over half a century.
Rav Sperka Zatzal was the Rav of Congregation B’nai Israel-Beth Yehudah in Detroit for over 50 years, before moving to Lakewood in 2013. He was also the Mechaber of Toras Hashem Temimah LehaRamban.
The Levaya is scheduled to take place at 10:15 AM tomorrow, Monday at the Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue, in Lakewood. Kevurah will take place in Eretz Yisroel.
Those wishing to participate in the Levaya via Zoom can do so here.
Shiva details will be published when available.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
What a heilege person. Davened vasikin every day for zillions of years and learned toras hanistar and wrote on it. Also did many chasodim that people didn’t know about. I know because I was a recipient.
He published several seforim of the Ramban, with an excellent commentary.
Wrote the definitive Sefer on Shaar Hagemul of the Ramban.
BTW he was rav in Bnai Israel maybe tops 30 years. He was a Mechanech in LA in the early 70s. Then did a stint as a high school rebbi in Denver Yeshiva in the later 70s. Moved back to Detroit around 1980. Sat and learned for a while before the position in Bnai Israel opened up maybe mid 80s
Rav Sperka zt”l was a very special person I will miss his cheerful personality! He lived in Passaic by his children the past few years and frequently davened at Yeshiva Ner Boruch-PTI and learned there sometimes. He will be greatly missed!
Rav Sperka zt”l lived by his children in Passaic the past few years, and frequently davened at Yeshiva Ner Boruch-PTI. Besides being a great Rov and huge Talmid Chacham, the main thing I personally witnessed was his cheerful and upbeat personality . Something I will deeply miss! Yehi Zichro Baruch!
Can you publicize the time and place of the kevurah in Eretz Yisroel please?
Rav Sperka was a talmid muvhak of Rav Leib Bakst zt’l, one of the first. And when in LA he sent bachurim to learn by Rav Bakst in Detroit. All became accomplished talmedei chachamim.
He lived in Passaic by his children the last few years
inccorect. He lived in Lakewood
few have contributed as much as the niftar zt”l towards the collective effort of building Torah and correct haskafah in the US. many of the previous generation rallied, spoke, and warned, but the Rav zt”l sat and taught talmidim, and many of them absorbed the message and totally changed themselves, dedicating their lives to Torah, and spreading it to their talmidim.
the impact that the Rav zt”l had across the US Orthodox and Torah world cannot be fully assessed because his work spanned several locales, and that caused a ripple effect in other communities, but it is certain that his legacy is already going on it’s third generation in every place that he was Mekadesh Shem Shomayim.