Rav Yehuda Jacobs zt”l

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yehuda Jacobs zt”l, longtime beloved mashgiach at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood, NJ.

Rav Jacobs was a remarkable mashpiah, guiding and providing hadracha to families, yungeleit and bochurim for decades.

Born circa 1940, Rav Jacobs was a son of R’ Asher and Esther Jacobs. Rav Yehuda learned in Lakewood during the early days of Bais Medrash Govoah, when Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l was at the helm. Settling in Lakewood with his wife, Mrs. Ruthie Jacobs, he grew along with the yeshiva, eventually being instated as one of the mashgichim.

After the petirah of Ruthie 35 years ago, Rav Jacobs married his second rebbetzin, Mrs. Ester Jacobs, who for over three decades was deeply dedicated to the mashgiach.

In an era of constant uncertainty, with new problems and crises develop with each passing year, at times replacing old ones and sometimes joining them, the path to the future seems to be cloaked in a perpetual fog. Standing tall, lighting the road for so many, was Rav Jacobs. His tender tutelage and acute insight accompanied thousands of Yidden along the pathways of life, coaching them and guiding them along the way.

Rav Jacobs maintained a rigorous schedule of meetings with talmidei hayeshiva who needed advice or direction. Growing bochurim, disillusioned couples and struggling parents entered his study unsure, yet left with a clear course chartered ahead.

His bi-annual shidduchim shmuess became a fixture at Bais Medrash Govoah and an informal marking of the “opening of the freezer.” Thousands of young men approached the world of shidduchim with his wisdom to guide them through the intricacies involved. Rav Jacobs discussed important issues relating to the parsha of shidduchim, providing practical advice and guidance to the bochurim who are entering the parsha of shidduchim for the first time. his inimitable manner, Rav Jacobs, with forthrightness and clarity, would convey the hashkafic aspects of shidduchim, and the proper hanhaga to be followed at this important juncture of a bochur’s life. Rav Jacobs would discuss numerous issues, including how a bochur should look into a shidduch, the proper hanhaga on a date, a girl being close in age or older than a boy, dealing with shadchanim, financial support, having the proper focus prior to entering the parsha of shidduchim and more.

In 2010, Rav Jacobs took a hiatus from Lakewood and moved to Eretz Yisroel. He continued to tread the halls of Bais Medrash Govoah during his frequent visits, and upheld his schedule of meetings abroad via live hookup. He eventually returned and settled again in Lakewood.

In 2015, Rav Yehuda founded the Regesh Network. The idea was to give any teen struggling through a difficult period access to a caring professional. The network’s goal was to prevent small issues from evolving into big problems. Since its inception, the Regesh Network has fielded thousands of phone calls.

Rav Jacobs was always humble. He would say, “Please don’t overestimate me. What I’m going to say is not Toras Moshe. I am not above making a mistake, and I am not above not knowing.”

But people asked. And he answered. His calm, decisive words carried a level of authority, attesting to his keen understanding.

His petirah leaves a gaping void in Lakewood and beyond. Rav Jacobs’ brilliance, kindness, insight and leadership will be sorely missed by thousands.

Yehi zichro boruch.

The levayah will be held at 12 noon. To watch via Zoom, click here and enter password 676992. To listen via teleconference, call 646.558.8656 and enter password 676992.

PHOTOS:

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