Rav Aryeh Leib (Label) Katz zt”l

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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Aryeh Leib (Label) Katz zt”l of Brooklyn. He was 77 years old.

Rav Katz was a renowned rov and posek, serving as the mara da’asra of Khal Zichron Yosef/Torah Vodaas Minyan on 56th Street in Boro Park and rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Chasdei Torah. For many years, he was also a beloved rebbi at Camp Ohr Shraga.

A musmach of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, Rav Label was a preeminent talmid chochom, with wide-ranging knowledge of Shas and halacha. He was also the consummate masmid, maintaining his remarkable hasmadah throughout his life, even after he had become a rabbinic figure and was spending large portions of his day answering shailos in person and on the phone.

His Sefer Ohel Aryeh is the authoritative volume used by young marrieds with respect to the halachos of family purity, and it is unrivaled in its clarity and ease of use. One of the best-known seforim on the halachos of taharas hamishpachah, it was subsequently translated into English to reach a wider audience.

He also authored Ohel Aryeh Al Hatorah and Shailos Uteshuvos Ohel Aryeh.

Rav Katz was supremely selfless, giving of his time, for decades, to one and all. With tremendous sensitivity and kindness, and true tzidkus, he guided individuals and was always available to answer shailos and provide hadracha.

His passing leaves a gaping void in the hearts of those he touched and influenced, who relied on him so significantly in many facets of their lives.

Rav Katz is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Raizy Katz; his siblings, R’ Chanina Katz, R’ Dovid Katz, R’ Aharon Katz, R’ Avi Katz, Rebbetzin Elky Korb, and Mrs. Chany Weinschneider; and his children, R’ Shmuli Katz, R’ Yanky Katz, R’ Shragie Katz, Mrs. Dassy Katz, Mrs. Shaindy Grunwald and Mrs. Tzippy Ridiker.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}


19 COMMENTS

  1. zichronos; one facet of many was being in camp ohr shraga w/ rav leibel zatz”l
    1. his hasmodoh from 6am to past midnight in his shiur room off the porch or walking the camp path with a teshuvo sefer.
    2 sounds odd – but in those days the rovs halacha phone was in the camp lobby “attached to the wall” & with the patience of hillel each time it rang rav leibel would get up walk out & across and answer the shallos
    3. the dvar halacha by the meals – 3x a day rav leibel would eat for a few min w/ his family and then pull over a chair and share with the bochurim divrei halacha
    4. the weekly halacha shiurim where thirsty bochurim would literally stand on the window sills to get a glimpse… the kibud av veim shmooze at the end of the summer oy …never asking for a kibud, money….

  2. He truly was great. He ran a yeshiva years ago and allowed kids from divorced homes in while others did not. A true tzaddik. BDE

  3. Boruch dayan emes.
    Rav Katz was a wonderful man who was my rebbe in Camp Ohr Shraga nearly forty years ago. Although it was a long time ago, I vividly remember him often and enthusiastically quoting the Shaagas Aryeh in his shiurim. Aside from his hasmoda, he was also kind and caring – when two frum, elderly kitchen workers were upset with each other, Rav Katz took the time to get involved and try to make peace between them. His sefer was a must-buy for all chassanim in my yeshiva, and later on we benefited from his yeshiva as well.
    Yehi zichroi boruch.

  4. תְּהֵא הַשָּׁעָה הַזֹּאת שְׁעַת רַחֲמִים וְעֵת רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ

    A Great loss for all of Klall yisroel

    ת.נ.צ.ב.ה

  5. B”DH

    I used to attend his Shabbos Hagadol Shiurim for ladies, for years.

    Then I moved further away and stopped going. But I still remember some of the Shiurim.

    What a great loss. May his family be comforted among avlei Tzion and Yerushalayim.

    We are loosing so many of our leaders R”L.
    We are orphaned and bereft.

    May Hashem stop this magefo now.

  6. לע”נ מורי ורבי ז”ל

    אמרו חז”ל (ברכות יג:) “רבי בשעה שמעביר ידיו על פניו מקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים”. ובטור אורח חיים (סימן ס”א) העתיק הגירסא, “מעביר ידיו על עיניו”, וכן איפסקא הלכתא בשולחן ערוך (או”ח סימן ס”א ס”ה) להעביר ידיו על עיניו בפסוק הראשון שבקריאת שמע. וטעמא בעי

    אך יובן הענין, כי דבר זה בא להורות שעיקר קבלת עול מלכות שמים תלוי “בשמירת העינים”, ובאם זוכה האדם להיות עוצם עיניו מראות ברע, אזי יוכל לקדש מוחו ולבו וכל רמ”ח איבריו ושס”ה גידיו לעבודתו ית”ש, ולזה תקנו חז”ל להעביר ידיו על עיניו בשעת קריאת שמע, כדי להזכירנו שקבלת עול מלכות שמים תלוי בשמירת העינים

    וידוע שחוסר “שמירת עיניים” ח”ו מביא צרות רבות ורעות על כלל ישראל רח”ל, וכל אחד ואחד צריך לעשות גדרים וסייגים על שמירת העינים וטהרת המחשבה והלב, כי העין רואה והלב חומד וכלי מעשה גומרין, [ח”ו] ובזמן שיוצאים לרחוב צריך סייעתא דשמיא מרובה לבלי להכשל בפגם חטא ועון ח”ו.

    חייבים לעורר לבבות ישראל על אזהרת ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם, כי עין רואה ולב חומד הן המה שורש פורה לכל דבר פשע אשר יעשה האדם לחטוא בהנה, ולכן יש התגברות היצר בענין שמירת העינים וטהרת הלב, וישראל קודשים צריכים להתאזר במסירות נפש להנצל ממצודתו

    אך שמא תאמר מאין יקח האדם כח וגבורה עד כדי מסירות נפש להתגבר על נסיונות היצר, לזה הביא את הכתב ‘תנה בני לבך לי ועיניך דרכי תצורנה’, והרמז בזה, תנה בני לב”ך לי, להקריב את הלב שהוא שורש חיותו של אדם במסירות נפש, ואיך יבא לידי מדה זו, על זה אמר ועיניך דרכי תצורנה, על דרך מאמרם ז”ל שהתורה נקרא דרך, והיינו ועיני”ך דרכ”י תצורנה, שיהיו העינים עוסקים בתורה בנידוד שינה שהוא מעין מסירות נפש, ובכח זה יהא נשרש בקרבו רוח עוז וגבורה להתגבר על נסיונות היצר במסירות נפש
    אמן ואמן

  7. watching the levayo at the beis olam now on zoom;
    watching ” yanky” i’ll share one more machshovo/ hergesh
    chinuch is about patience,its about planting seeds & stepping back ,its about being real & ven es geit nisht work on bettering yourself
    yanky as you spoke i was crying , but tatty was shepping nachas

  8. Remember going to his Shabbos Hagadol Drashos. Seemed like all the English speaking crowd in BP was there. Hundreds upon hundreds would pack the large Shul, with many people standing. The Rav ZT”L would speak on timely topics and would not hesitate from giving strong Mussar, yet in a pleasant manner with a smile. A portion of the Shiur would be practical Halacha Lmaaseh always on topic.יהי זכרו ברוך

  9. What a tragic loss for Klal Yisroel! I used to call him frequently with shailos in halacha. He always gave a clear and immediate p’sak. A tzaddik and tremendous Talmid Chochom! דּוֹדִי יָרַד לְגַנּוֹ לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם לִרְעוֹת בַּגַּנִּים וְלִלְקֹט שׁוֹשַׁנִּים. (שה”ש ו:ב)

  10. Wow I am stunned!!! One of the most special people I ever came across. He new everything but was so humble. He was so caring, there was no airs about him. He just made u proud to be a yid!!!!Ayin YESHAYAH 29:13-14! Frightening!

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