Thousands Attend Levayah of Harav Shmuelevitz

YERUSHALAYIM - Many thousands gathered at Yeshivas Mir in Yerushalayim on Tuesday morning, to take part in the levayah of Hagaon Harav Refael Shmuelevitz, zt”l, who was niftar on Monday night. The paroches in the main beis medrash was drawn, as a sign of mourning.

The levayah began with the recital of Tehillim. The first maspid was Harav Aryeh Finkel, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Mir-Brachfeld, followed by Harav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Mir-Yerushalayim and Harav Baruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Ponevezh.

A brother-in-law of the niftar, Harav Yitzchak Ezrachi, who serves as a Rosh Yeshivah in Mir, bemoaned the profound loss that the yeshivah faces. “Now that he was niftar, Mir will no longer be the same yeshivah,” cried Rav Ezrachi.



Another brother-in-law, Harav Moshe Mordechai Farbstein, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Chevron, spoke of Reb Refael’s sheleimus, his perfection in mitzvos bein adam l’Makom and bein adam l’chaveiro. “He never took a vacation,” remarked Rav Farbstein with deep admiration, “because when it comes to Torah and avodas Hashem there is no such thing as time off.”

Reb Refael’s son, Harav Yaakov Shmuelevitz, and his son-in-law, Harav Avraham Segal, Ra”m, Yeshivas Mir-Brachfeld, spoke on behalf of the family.

Other maspidim included Harav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Chevron, who noted, as only a talmid can: “No matter which sugya we asked him about, he always knew it completely – with full clarity. Not only the mainstream masechtos, but every part of the Torah.”

The levayah then proceeded to Har Hamenuchos, where Harav Refael was buried next to his illustrious father, Hagaon Harav Chaim Shmuelevitz, zt”l.

Yehi zichro baruch.