Mourning: Hgry"y Neuwirth zt"l • Author of 'Shmiras Shabbas Kehilchasa'

Mourning in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem and the halachic world: This morning (Tuesday) Rabbi Yehoshua Yeshaya Neuwirth zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Chachmas Shlomo, passed away at the Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He is known to the general public primarily through his book Shmiras Shabbas Kehilchasa – a common rule book, which deals with the laws of Shabbos and Yom Tov and includes problems arising in the modern age.

Early this morning he was taken to the hospital and suddenly he returned his soul to its Creator, at the age of 86.

Hgry"y Neuwirth passed away on the day of two family events: this morning he was to serve as sandek at his great grandsons Bris. The Bris will be postponed until after the funeral. This evening was supposed to take place the Bar Mitzvah of his grandson in the Zichron Moshe hall in Modi'in Illit, his son's son Rabbi Yaakov Neuwirth, but the event will be postponed.

Hgry"y was born in Germany on 14th Adar תרפ"ז to his father Rabbi Aharon zt"l, who served as rabbi and Dayan of the communities in Mainz, Halberstadt, Berlin and Amsterdam, and his mother Mrs Zipporah a"h.
Hagaon Neuwirth later wrote in his famous book Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa, which is on the bookshelf of every Jewish home that his father grew up in the lap of the Torah and guided him to the truth, and in his merit was able to sit in peace in the tent of Torah.

During the war he fled with his parents, two brothers and sister to Holland, where they hid for three years in one room. In the year תש"ו they immigrated to Israel – on a ship which sailed from Marseilles.

During his youth he studied and was educated at Yeshiva Kol Torah, and was a prominent student to his teacher and mentor, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, with whom he consulted when writing the Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa book, the first two editions in the book was written only by the rulings.
In תשע"א Hgry"y issued and expanded a third edition, in which he put hundreds of halachic issues germane to our times.

Every morning he would pray at Yeshivat Kol Torah. After davening there were people standing in line to borrow money from the Gemach established and managed by him. The rules were clear to him and he could not be moved.

Over the years, he founded the yeshiva in Bayit Vegan for youth, Pnei Shmuel, and yeshiva gedola Chachmas Shlomo. Several years ago he founded the Yeshiva Netivas Chchma with Rabbi Daniel Wolfson, where he gave lessons in halacha.

He also served as a posek for the Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center. Even before he passed away he made sure only observant doctors will treat him.
He served as rabbi of the Chovesh Har Nof, for more than 15 years. Several times during the year, Hgry"y came to give lessons in laws of Shabbos and instituted the topic of Shabbos Goy. He was proud that the organization actually performs the practice and published it at every opportunity. The organization also helped raise money so they can fund the Shabbos goy.

Apart from his book Shmiras Shabbos dealing with halachos of Shabbos and Yom Tov, he authored the books "Kitzur Dinei Shmitas Karkaos", "Ohel Sarah - family purity laws", "Chanoch Habanim Lemitzvos Vedinei katan" and Directory for nurses in hospitals for Shabbos and Yom Tov.
He won the approval of Hagaon Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Hgr"y Abramvsky.

He is survived by a beautiful generation of ten children and dozens of grandchildren. His brother is Rabbi Yosef Neuwirth, a famous gamach owner.

The funeral will leave this morning at 11:30 from 10 Rabbi Bergman Street, Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem to Har Hazesim where he will be laid to rest.
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!