The Shliach of the Gedolei Hador: Rav Shlomo Lorincz zt”l

9:15 a.m. IL/2:15 a.m. EST: It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav Shlomo Lorincz zt”l, member of the Knesset for Agudas Yisroel for 33 years, from July 30, 1951, until July 23,1984, who forged close relationships with countless gedolei Yisroel during his lifetime, serving as the quintessential shliach of the manhigei hador for decades. Later, in 1989, he was from the founders of the Degel HaTorah party under the guidance of Maran Harav Elazar Shach zt”l. Rav Lorincz, who also served as a member of the hanhala of Chinuch Hatzmai, passed away last night at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center at the age of 92.

Born on 21 Adar/May 3, 1918, in Budapest, Hungary, Rav Lorincz made aliyah to Palestine in 1939, at the age of 21. In the years before World War II, he was active in the “Aliyah Beis” effort of Agudas Yisroel in Hungary, assisting Yidden from Hungary who wished to emigrate to Eretz Yisroel. In 1949, Rav Lorincz was amongst the founders of Moshav Komemiyut, and later he helped found two youth villages, Sdei Chemed and Chazon Yechezkel. In 1956, he helped found the Housing and Development Department of Agudas Yisroel.

Rav Lorincz was first elected to the Knesset in 1951 on the Agudas Yisroel list. He was re-elected in 1955 as part of the Religious Torah Front list, an alliance of Agudas Yisroel and Poalei Agudas Yisroel. He was re-elected again in 1959, 1961, 1965, 1969, 1973, 1977 and 1981. He served from the second Knesset through the tenth Knesset. Between 1974 and 1984, he chaired the Finance Committee of the Knesset. As Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Bank of Israel, he actually signed the currency in the country, and thus ten shekel notes bore his signature.

During his political activity in the Knesset, he also served as a member of the Knesset’s Defense and Foreign Affairs and other committees, and as a member of these committees worked to help mosdos haTorah and the chareidi community in general.  During his tenure in the Knesset, he garnered tremendous respect from fellow MKs, religious and non-religious alike, for his honesty, integrity, conviction and acumen.

In recent years, Rav Lorincz’s experiences with the gedolei hador of the previous generation were recorded in the best-selling volumes titled “Bemechitzasam,” which have since been translated into English as “In Their Shadows.” This fascinating multi-volume work offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the gedolei hador, through a wealth of stories and first-hand encounters with Rav Lorincz. Some of these gedolim include the Chazon Ish, the Brisker Rov, Rav Elazar Shach, Rav Yerucham Levovitz, Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz, Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rav Elya Meir Bloch, Rav Aharon Kotler, Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel, the Tschebiner Rov, the Ponovezher Rov, Rav Elya Lopian, the Steipler Gaon, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, the Satmar Rebbe, the Kapytshnitzer Rebbe, the Belzer Rebbe, the Sadigura Rebbe, the Puppah Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the Gerrer Rebbe, and the Klausenberger Rebbe. Few individuals of the last century had such a unique relationship with such a large number of Torah leaders and luminaries as Rav Lorincz did. He truly lived in the shadow of the gedolei hador.

A week ago, Rav Lorincz suffered a heart attack and was taken by ambulance from his home on Rechov Ponim Me’iros to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center. He underwent a catheterization, and his condition improved. According to reports, he even expected to be released from the hospital after feeling much better. Last night, however, he was having a conversation with his son about communal matters when he felt pain in his heart. He called a nurse and complained of pain but was told that it was normal pain, a side effect of having suffered a heart attack. Minutes later, he collapsed. Prolonged resuscitation efforts were to no avail, and he passed away at approximately 12: 30 a.m. The Israel Hebrew edition Yated Ne’eman, which had already released its Monday edition newspaper, reprinted the paper after learning of Rav Lorincz’s petirah shortly after midnight.

Rav Lorincz leaves behind several sons, including Rav Yitzchok Lorincz and Rav Yosef Lorincz, Ramim in Yeshiva Kol Torah.

The levaya will take place this afternoon, at 3 p.m. IL, from Rav Lorincz’s home at 17 Rechov Ponim Meiros in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

 {Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/Dovid Bernstein-Matzav.com Newscenter}