Watch: Funeral of Hagaon R' Dov Tzvi Karelnstein zt"l

Thousands escorted in Ashdod Hagaon Rabbi Dov Zvi Karelnstein zt"l Rosh Yeshiva of Grodno on his last journey.

In the yeshiva hall, the paroches was removed and dozens of books of the Rosh Yeshiva were placed on his seat.

Already a long time before the start of the funeral procession, many thousands gathered at the yeshiva square - according to the will of the deceased zt"l not to bring the bed into the Beis Midrash, it was placed in the square.

In his will, the Rosh Yeshiva asked not to eulogize him and wrote "they should not dare to change my mind."

In Ashdod bitul melacha was declared by the Badatz Rabbanei Hakrayot. Mayor Yechiel Lassry canceled a board meeting and arrived to monitor closely, along with dozens of police officers of the municipal policing, over the largest funeral procession.

The journey began with Tehillim said with tremendous awakening by thousands of sobbing students.
After Tehillim Hagaon R' Shmuel Auerbach spoke several words of encouragement, burst into tears recalling the will of the Rav not to be maspid. "Klal Yisroel needs so much mercy from inside and out, we need salvation. And now that a great person has fallen in Israel, the pillar of fire that goes before the camp is gone, "m'ken nisht mer" (we cannot go on).

At the end of his words, he crowned the son-in-law Rabbi Moshe Shmide as the Rav' successor as Rosh Yeshiva. After him Hagaon Rabbi Moshe Shmide read the will written from 2nd Shvat 5761, a year before the death of Rav Schach zt"l.

In his will he wrote: "I very much ask not to be maspid me and no newspaper articles. For chizuk say some Tehillim, if anyone owed me anything I forgive, if there is anyone I offended I ask him for forgiveness and he should say by mouth that he forgives. If anyone thinks he has gratitude towards me, he should learn for my soul two mishnayos every day during the first year, he will probably not come out an Am Ha'aretz by that."

"If anyone wants to write Divrei Torah for my iluy neshoma, it is very important to the boys, I would like them to fix a kevius learning Mishna Berurah and Shmiras Halashon".

"Gratitude for Rabbi Henfilg and Rabbi Spiegel and special gratitude to Rabbi Shlomo Leff who was a messenger for publishing the books and if I can help in the World to Come, I will do so."

The funeral procession left Kiryat Ponivezh through Chafetz Chaim Street corner the Rebbe of Pittsburgh- Hannah Senesh, through the central synagogue Avi Ezri -up to Victory Square, where dozens of buses were awaiting the crowd.

The funeral procession will begin in Jerusalem at the Zupnik shull in Givat Shaul to the Mount of Rest - where he will be buried.

Photography: Eyal Levy

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!