It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rav Matis Blum zt”l, rov of Cong. Torah Lodaas in Queens, NY.
Rav Blum was an outstanding talmid chochom and mechaber seforim, whose many volumes of Torah Lodaas, containing his chiddushei Torah, can be found in botei medrash across the world.
Rav Blum was a talmid muvhak of Rav Avrohom Pam zt”l, under whom he learned at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. In many of Rav Blum’s writings, Rav Pam is quoted copiously, and Rav Blum was a virtual treasure trove of insights, divrei Torah and stories from his rebbi.
Many knew Rav Blum through his enlightening divrei Torah sheets, titled Torah Lodaas, that were distributed to shuls. Decades ago, before others began distributing such publications, Rav Blum’s distinctive Torah Lodaas sheets – front half in Lashon Kodesh, back half in English – provided many people with the chizuk, inspiration and divrei Torah to infuse their Shabbos with meaning. Rav Blum began distributing these sheets over 40 years ago.
Rav Blum, who was well-versed in halacha as well, was a popular halacha teacher at Machon Bais Yaakov, and was beloved and respected by everyone who came into contact with him.
Rav Blum’s middos were sterling, and he carried himself with exceptional humility. His simchas hachaim, his love of people, and his tangible ahavas haTorah and yiras Shomayim served as examples to others.
About 12 years ago, Rav Blum’s first wife, Mrs. Etti Blum a”h, passed away. He was zocheh to remarry and leaves behind his rebbetzin, who was supremely dedicated to him.
Rav Blum is survived by his 10 children: Bina Katz, Shoshana Purec, Baila Malka Elephant, Tzvi Blum, Yocheved Burztyn, Bracha Tova zukatinski, Henoch Blum, Mordechai Blum, Yaakov Blum, and Shulamis Blum.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
How Sad! I loved reading the weekly Torah Lo’daas issues and then the seforim that came after it.
A.B.
Yidden we have to do Teshuva. Hashem is taking away our best. I still have someplace the original Torah Loddas sheets Rav Blum started giving out in Mesivta Torah Vodaas in 1978. A tremendous loss. Bd”e.
BDE
What a loss for Klal Yisroel.
Over thirty years ago I was a seventh grader. My rebbe wanted to give us an example of what it means to make real kabolas that are within your reach but then never let go and only build on them, kabalos that will withstand life’s turns and tests weakening you, never to waver in shteiging etc.
He gave the example of the mechaber of the Torah Lodaas .He had learned in the Beis Medrash of Torah Vodaas at the same time as Rav Blum ztz’l. At the time there were bochurim who were in the Beis Medrash learning until 1:00 every day. The mechaber of the Torah Lodaas left at 11:20 (possibly 11:40) every night but… fast forward a few years . The other bochrim got older and weaker, their initial learning schedules weakend as well… the mechaber of the Torah Lodaas OTOH stayed strong and kept his Sedorim no matter what. ..
Some Torah journals come and go. The Torah Lodaas stayed strong through the years. Like the mechaber who never weakened in his quest for shtieging . No matter what went on his life
Every week when I read the Torah Lodaas not only did I gain from what was written , I gained from the unwritten message of that Rebbi “Look at how a person can stay strong and shteig for years on end, never lose his freshness alway be growing etc.”
May he be a Meiletz Yosher in Shomayim for Hashem to bring this terrible mageifeh to an end.
Now there are so many ‘parsha sheets’ out there, but years ago, way before, there was תורה לדעת, a pioneer of the genre.
זכרתי לך חסד נעוריך…לכתך אחרי במדבר בארץ לא זרועה
יהי זכרו ברוך
Oy! We lost a gadol biyisroel!
Yesoimim hayinu. What a fine, upstanding, understanding, unassuming, temimusdikke, baal chessed v’emes.
To his chashuveh family; haMakom yinacheim eschem bisoich sh’ar aveilei tzioin virushalayim.
Rebbi umoiri! Bet for unz alleh.
Please go to the kisei haKavod and beg for us.
What a loss! He was so special. Your description in the article is right on. Well said.
What a Tzadik! He was a Halacha Rebbe in Machon.
Did not know him personally, but I remember as a kid when the first edition of torah lodaas was distributed in shul. A novel concept at the time, a sheet with divrei torah put on tables in shuls for shabbos. His original 1 page(2 sides) grew into 4 sides and eventually into his first Sefer and from there to all the parshiyos and yomim tovim. He was a piece of my youth.
My daughters’ tell me that he was a model teacher/rebbe in PPY and there was alot to learn from him both academically and middos-wise.
Yehi zichro boruch.
Oy gevald, I knew him from before he was married. Was this from COVID-19?
Yes
He was such an exceptional Baal Midot, And such a pleasant person. I had the privilege of having him as a Halacha Rabbi in high school. We loved his upbeat attitude and the way he delivered his lessons with so much humor. I will never forget the strength he displayed when his Rebbitzin of Manhattan years passed away. He was a paradigm of Torah im Derech Eretz
This article doesn’t say if it’s because of Corona or not. Yidden!!!! Hashem is taking our best because of our stupidities!!! Ushmartom Meod Lenafshosaychem!!! I am crying here. I grew up with Rav Blum zts”l , went to school with his brothers, know his parents sister. I have no words. Before he published his sheets he would go over them with us in our private Bachuray Minyan. This loss is beyond words. All of the above about his Midos, Chesed, Torah knowledge are TRUE!! The Yiddishe Velt has lost a Tzadik. בציון תנחמו
Yes it was from coronavirus
A person is nifter when his time is up. Not because of a b or c. A person is allotted a certain amount of years on this earth. Sometimes, because the world needs a kapara or shmira, HKB”H takes the great ones that have the zechusim.
Oy vey!!!! What a Tzaddik and Talmid Chochom!!!!!! What a Anav!!! Just like his great Rebbi, Rav Pam!!!! What a terrible loss!!!! I loved his seforim.
i met him at Torah Educational Center of Swan Lake in 1974…an absolute Angel…
I have been to Rabbi Blum’s shul many times and have spoken to him and asked him many shaylos. Ive heard his drashot many times. He was such a sweet, nice, knowledgeable Rabbi and talmid chacham. He knew so much halacha and torah and was so kind and always with a smile. He will be very missed.
[email protected]
Someone from Prospect is compiling any letters, lessons or stories learned from rabbi Blum for the family to have
Our hearts are breaking from the tragic news of R’ Matis Blum’s petirah. We know his choshuve almana from here in Toronto who married him 10 years ago and took on the monumental job of standing at his side and helping him raise his yesomim together with hers and was successful in creating a beautiful blended home. May the ribono shel olam give her strength to continue being a mother to his children and may he be a meilitz yosher for the entire mishpacha.
Everything written above does not do justice. So much of his greatness he did not let others know of. One of the biggest anavim of our times. What he and his rebbitzin have done in raising their two beautiful families is something that has and does inspire us all. The Eibishter should bentch them with tremendous nechama and koach to continue giving us what to look up to.
Rabbosai, allow me to tell you all another, very special and perhaps unique aspect regarding Rav Matis Blum, z”l. Rav Blum started his chinuch at Hebrew Academy of Nassau County and had my Father, Rav Yaakov Aharon Heisler, z”l, as a mesivta Rebbi there. After going on to Mesivta Torah Voda’as, Rav Matis would call my Father EVERY Rosh Chodesh- even calling to Eretz Yisroel (for approx 23 years) until my Fathers petirah 11 years ago!! This is the Odom HaSholeim that has been lost! TNZBH.