הגאון הרב חיים ישראל בעלסקי זצ”ל • עולם התורה באבל • נפלה עטרת ראשנו • BORUCH DAYAN EMES: Rav Chaim Yisroel Belsky zt”l

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[Levayah details below.] It is with hearts full of sadness and grief that Matzav.com reports the passing of Hagaon Rav Chaim Yisroel Belsky zt”lrosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Kensington, Brooklyn. He was 77 years old.

Rav Belsky passed away this evening after being hospitalized over the last few weeks.

Rav Belsky was one of the greatest Torah minds of his generation, a preeminent posek and rosh yeshiva whose guidance was sought by tens of thousands of Jews across the globe. His genius was unparalleled and his breadth of knowledge unsurpassed in his time.

Born on August 22, 1938, Rav Belsky was a son of Rabbi Berel and Chana Tzirel Belsky. His maternal grandfather was the legendary Torah pioneer, Rav Binyomin Wilhelm zt”l, founder of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas.

Rav Belsky learned at and received semichah from Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in 1962, and from Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l in 1965. He later studied at Bais Medrash Elyon in Monsey, NY, for a number of years, becoming one of its most prominent talmidim.

Rev Belsky served as the senior posek of the OU Kashrus Division, a position he held since 1987. He served as rov of Camp Agudah since 1967.

Rav Belsky’s chiddushei Torah have been printed in volumes titled Piskei Halachos, Einei Yisroel on Chumash, Sha’alos U’Teshuvos Shulchan Halevi, and other publications.

In addition to his gadlus in Torah, Rav Belsky possessed a heart that was open to all Jews, and he gave of his time, wisdom and abilities to help people from across the spectrum of Yiddishkeit. Despite the great burdens he carried on his shoulders, guiding so many Jews in so many different facets of life, Rav Belsky continued to extend himself on behalf of others, opening his home to people who came to him for help at all times of the day and night.

Those close to the rosh yeshiva attest to the fact that while all he wished to do was sit and learn the Torah that was so beloved to him, he sacrificed his time to pasken shailos and answer halachah queries on a continuous basis. From early morning until well past midnight, Rav Belsky was working on behalf of Klal Yisroel, serving as a shliach Hashem and imparting advice and guidance from his wellspring of Torah knowledge.

Rav Belsky was a fount of information and was a master of all subjects. His grasp of so many varied areas was mind-boggling, yet he was humble and approachable. Rav Belsky related to seasoned talmidei chachomim and young bochurim who looked up to him as a gadol baTorah. This was one of the remarkable traits of the rosh yeshiva, who, despite his genius, could explain the most complex topics in simple, clear terms.

Whether it was the writers of the ArtScroll Schottenstein Gemara or other talmidei chachomim seeking clarity in some of the most esoteric sugyos in Shas, Rav Belsky was the address. Those who spoke to him came away stunned by his brilliance and aptitude, and touched by the manner in which he articulated himself.

The Torah world is bereft. In many ways, Rav Belsky was a once-in-a-generation type of Torah giant whose passing has left a void that is gaping and painful.

As this is being written just minutes after his passing, it is difficult to proper express the greatness of Rav Belsky or the depth of pain and sadness.

The rosh yeshiva is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Miriam Belsky, and their children and grandchildren.

The levayah will be held at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, located at 425 East 9th Street, between Ditmas Avenue and Courtelyou Road, in Brooklyn, NY. Specific details will be provided once they are finalized.

Yehi zichro boruch.

UPDATE: The aron will be brought this evening to Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, located at 425 East 9th Street, between Ditmas Avenue and Courtelyou Road. The aron will remain there overnight, as talmidim and others maintain shemirah and recite Tehillim. The levayah will be held tomorrow morning, at a time still to be determined. The aron will be flown to Eretz Yisroel on Motzei Shabbos for kevurah in Yerushalayim. Additional details will be provided as they are finalized.

UPDATE: The levayah will take place tomorrow, Erev Shabbos, at 10 a.m. at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. There will be a designated ezras noshim available.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}

 


19 COMMENTS

  1. What an irreplaceable loss. Who will Pasken all our complicated shailus that keep coming up in todays world? There are no words. BD”E

  2. Who will Pasken all our complicated shailus that keep coming up in todays world? Rav Hershel Shachter shlita who is next in line on the OU, who is just 3 years younger, will IY’H rise to the occasion, despite the huge shoes he shall have to fill.

  3. I am a heartbroken talmid
    The rosh yeshiva was everythign to me, there was nothing he didn’t know. He was a boki, a lamdan, a tzaddik yesod olam.

  4. The world is now weaker and sadder. We have lost a giant,a Sefer torah,pure and holy. I never met him,but when I read about his gadlus I wept. May he be a malitz tov for all of us. BDE.

  5. We became mishpacha when his youngest son recently married my granddaughter. Despite ill health he was able to walk his son to the chuppah for which we are grateful to the Aybishter. May his family and Klal Yisroel be blessed with smachot from now on.

  6. We are just crying. There are no words. He did so much for our family. He was so smart, serious, great… He listened, he thought everything through… he talked “Chinese” to my little son when we came to ask him a shila… because he was a giant but he had time and caring for EVERY jew, even a four year old. And he was emesdik!!! Oy Hshem we are orphans!!!!!! Harav Hagaon, Hatzadik, Hakodosh ALL APPLY this time!! We have lost someone who was our advocate here, who told us the truth… but now we have an advocate for us in Shamaim!!!!! His life is so exemplary, so beautiful… the way yidden should be! He loved Jews…. oy I can write so much and what do I know of someone like him, how can I possibly talk about someone like him????! He was a true servant of Hshem and helped am Yisrael! He had no life of his own!! Please Hshem we should be zoiche to meet our dear Rebbi again at tehias hameisim… b’chessed u v’rachamim. We live in Yerushalaim because of him… He took the time, he had understanding, and a clear line to HKBH… the loss is too great to digest…The world is not the same without him in it!!!

    Hshem should send nechama to the rebbitzen, the heilege mishpacha, talmidim, and all of us who loved him.

  7. He was a mohel a schochet a Baal tefillah a Baal Korea a soiferetc. Etc. he not only knew the mitzvas he lived the mitzvas. Our family asked him about shaluach hakein he explained the mitzva then explained the type of birds to look for and if it was a certain type the different tendencies of the bird and the difference between male and female.

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