Rav Asher Zelig Rubenstein zt”l

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asher-zelig-rubensteinIt is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav Asher Zelig Rubenstein zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras Simcha in Yerushalayim. He was 71.

Rav Rubenstein, who resided on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim, was a well-known talmid chochom, a powerful maggid shiur and darshan, and was mashpia on many people.

Rav Rubenstein was born on 12 Elul 5702. He was a son of R’ Yirmiyahu Rubenstein z”l.

The American-born Rav Rubenstein learned at the famed Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak in the 1960s, joining the yeshiva as a young teenager.  He became extremely close with the rosh yeshiva, Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l; the Ponovezher Rov, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman zt”l; and the mashgiach, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein zt”l; and others.

Whether speaking in Yiddish, Hebrew or English, and whether delivering a shiur or a shmuess, Rav Rubenstein, in his charismatic style and with his breadth of knowledge, imparted wisdom and direction to his many listeners all over the globe. He was a profoundly caring rosh yeshiva and rebbi, who gave his heart and soul to his talmidim. His love for them knew no bounds. He literally transformed lives and took students under his wing like they were his own children.

He passed away Shabbos morning at Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim and the levaya was held at 11 p.m. at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim. Kevurah took place on Har Hamenuchos.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}


25 COMMENTS

  1. I am so saddened to learn of his petirah. I was a talmid of his many many years ago in a yeshiva called Mishkan Hatorah in Unsdorf. He gave such tremendous and powerful shmussen that till today have left an impression on me. He would always say in all his shmussen over from the Mashgiach, Rav Yechezkel zt”l and because of him I learn Rav Yechezkel’s seforim (Or Yechezkel) all the time(was learning it both on shabbos and last night) – that was how special Rav Rubenstein zt”l was. Yehi Zichro Boruch.

  2. A tremendous loss! This Gaon and Tzadik wil be sorely missed. He chose Olam Habah and guided his talmididm in doing the same. May he be a meilitz Yosher for all f us

  3. So sad! This happened so suddenly, he fell in the snow and was doing ok. I heard he even davened shacharis in the hospital of sharei tzedek shabbos morning.
    May he be a mailitz yosher for his family and all of Klal yisroel!

  4. Rav Rubenstein was an unbelievable person. He was multifaceted in many ways which was just one of the tools that enabled him to deliver and to communicate with a broad range of people.
    May his memory be a blessing.

  5. I attended some of his Shiurim, when he hosted them is his apt. in Itry, back in the late 80’s. He spoke a perfect English and it was a michaya to listen.

  6. Boruch Dayan Haemes. This is sad.

    I heard him speak several times in America. I truly enjoyed his speeches. He mentioned that he attended a “country club” yeshiva for elementary school.

  7. I only have a few memories of my great uncle. I remember when Uncle Asher once came to stay at my families house. I only saw him for about a minute or two in the morning because he came very late. In the time that I saw him he gave me a bracha and it was very meaningful to me.
    Yhei Zechroi Brocha

  8. I met R’ Asher in 1995 when he recruited me for his “soon to be opened” yeshiva, Toras Simcha. The Torah lessons he taught, the amazing life experiences he presented and the true joy he always exuded live on through the thousands of students he has influenced. This past summer I visited him upon my first trip to Israel in over 10 years. I had to take off my glasses in anticipation of the crushing bear hug I knew I was in for. He gave me commendations, encouragement and criticism all in the same conversation – all of which are still impacting my routine, months later across the world. That’s who he was and what he taught – the power to see your own potential and build. I will always be grateful to him.

  9. BD’H. He was a gadol not only in Torah, but in demanding everyone strive for gadlus – no matter their backround. His Shmuzen changed many people’s lives with their simple but powerful demands. You are B’nei Torah, and I don’t care where you came from – act like it! May he be a Melitz Yosher for the entire K’lal Yisrael.

  10. I unknowingly stumbled into this gaint’s apartment on Friday night during a Shabbaton I was attending about fourteen years ago. I was not prepared for the powerful shmooze he gave over to the olam about the importance of remaining in yeshiva.

    Most of the boys present at the shmooze, including myself, were slated to start college (in both Jewish or secular college institutions) after only one year of learning in Eretz Yisroel (i.e. their “gap year”).

    Rav Asher Zelig’s shmooze was very powerful as it provided incredible chizuk to many of us present:

    I remember it was P’ Chayei Sarah and he told us about the natural improbability of Eliezer finding the perfect mate for Yitzchok Avinu, but Hashem made everything work out for him in the most miraculous fashion – precisely because he put his fatih in the hands of Hashem, and Hashem will always help under such conditions.

    He gave us chizuk to hold out and continue our learning so that we could maximize our potential and that we should not be dissuaded by external or internal forces that would stop us in this regard. Many of us walked out of that shmooze in agreement that that was exactly what we needed to hear.

    Because of the Rav, I stood in yeshiva for many more years and kollel later on as well – something that nobody, including myself, would have predicted. Although though now a “professional” working a full-time “job”, I realize that this Gadol affected my whole life – who I married, they way we bring up our children, hashkafa, what my real “job” is in this world, etc.

    It would be truly amazing to affect even one person in such a way. But R’ Rubenstein did this for scores of people – many individuals who he did not even know!

  11. we have lost a great rosh yeshivah and manhig as well as a fatherly figure.
    we must redouble our efforts to do good things in his memory so that his memory should be for further blessing and we should live up to his ideals and messages

  12. i believe the niftar also learned in telshe before eretz yisroel and had a relationship with rav avrohom yoffen from novohrodok he should be meilitz yoisher for his chaveirim

  13. What a loss! When a “Friend” came knocking at your door in the dormitory, you knew who it was. Takeh a real friend. “Reb Asher was the best friend to a Chutznik who away from home, many of us for the first time, needed just that to succeed in Yeshiva. He always reminded us that the Jewish calendar was lunar based to teach us Hischadshus. Just like the moon that grows and then wanes and then grows again when you fall you can always revive yourself, renew yourself, come back with a fresh start. So many of us suffered with feelings of failure only to be revived by a wonderful Shmooze by a wonderful Mechanech. Yehi Zichroi Boruch

  14. I learnt in Eretz Yisroel about 22 years ago and was taken to his Thursday night Parsha shiur by a chavruso. There was a group of about 10 of us, who all went together and never missed a shiur.
    The roshem he had on me lasts until today. He will be sorely missed by thousands of talmidim and their families. Just to meet him and be greeted with one his big smiles was enough!
    Yehi Zichroi Boruch

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