Kingdom of Torah mourns: Rabbi Refael Shmuelevitz zt"l

Mourning in the Mir Yeshiva and the Torah world: from Beis Yisrael neighborhood in Jerusalem comes the news of the death of Rabbi Raphael Shmuelevitz zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir in Jerusalem, at the age of 78.

In recent years he suffered of a rare muscular dystrophy and was admitted to hospital. In recent days his condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Shaarei Tzedek, where his condition worsened and he returned his soul to its Creator, while members of the family cried out the verses of viduy.

A few years ago Behadrey Haredim revealed the connection of the deceased z"l to a Brainstorm company which focuses on treating ALS terminal disease, which has gone through several major phases, over an innovative and first treatment of its kind, based on the use of stem cells.

During the current phase, the treatment was permitted to experiment on humans. The experiment was conducted in collaboration with Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital on about 24 patients, including Rabbi Refael Shmuelevitz zt"l - which saved his life at the time.

One of his talmidim told Behadrey Haredim at the time that "we do not have enough words and enough gratitude towards the company. They just gave us the Rosh Yeshiva as a gift again, in this generation which is so lacking in great figures, this is but a miracle."


History of the Rosh Yeshiva zt"l
Hagaon Rabbi Refael zt"l was born in the town of Mir in Poland on sixteenth Kislev 5698 to his father Maran Hagaon Rabbi Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir and his mother, Rebbetzin Chana Miriam a"h, the daughter of Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel zt"l Rosh Yeshiva of Mir.

Hagaon R' Refael zt"l was also the grandson of Rabbi Yosef Yuzel Horowitz – the Alter of Novardok zt"l, from his father's mother who was the daughter of the Alter, and his maternal side who was Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel of Slobodka zt"l.

At the outbreak of World War II, the Mir Yeshiva was exiled to Vilna and after two months to Keidan. After seven months they left the city by order of the Communist regime. The students were able to get a visa to Japan, where they stayed for about 6 months, and then moved to Shanghai.

When the yeshiva moved to Shanghai, for five and a half years Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz zt"l was responsible for the affairs of the yeshiva since his father in law was in Eretz Yisroel. He then travelled with the yeshiva to the United States, and half a year later went with his family to Eretz Yisroel and helped his father-in-law in founding the Mir Yeshiva.

During his learning at the Mir Yeshiva the deceased zt"l was a roommate of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt"l Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir. In 5722 (1964) when he came of age he married his wife, Rebbetzin Edna, daughter of Rabbi Avraham Farbstein zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Hevron and a member of the Council of Torah Sages.

Until his father's death on 3rd Teves in 5739, he served as Magid Shiur in the Hevron Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and then he served as Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

When the Mir Yeshiva in Brachfeld Modi'in Illit was opened, he began to give a shiur klali at the yeshiva once a month and would come stay at the yeshiva on Shabbos.

Together with his friend the Rosh Yeshiva of Kol Torah Hgrs"m Diskin zt"l he initiated the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo which became a success, as they stand guard to return all the money remaining in the fund to buyers.

His shiurim were renowned for their depth and recently his students published for his recovery shiurim in the book under the title "Shiurei Rabbi Raphael," on the tractates of the Talmud. As a rule, the deceased zt"l made sure to put all his chidushim in writing, leaving behind thousands of pages on each maseches of the Shas. He was also an editor of the Talmudic Encyclopedia.
He is survived dor yeshorim: during his lifetime he appointed his son Rabbi Ya'akov Shmuelevitz, to serve as Rosh Yeshiva of Mir and fill his father's place in delivering the shiur klali. So too his sons: Rabbi Benzion Yosef, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Nosson Zvi and Rabbi Yechezkel. His sons-in-law Rabbi Avraham Segal, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Brachfeld, Rabbi Yosef Pines, Rabbi Shmuel Wolf and Rabbi Avraham Shapiro.

His brothers are Hagaon Rabbi Avraham Zvi and Harav Meir Shmuelevitz of the Beis Din for Monetary Affairs, his brothers-in-law are Hagaon Rabbi Yitzhak Ezrahi and Rabbi Israel Meir Weiss Rosh Yeshiva of Nachalas Haleviim.

The funeral procession will leave from the Mir Yeshiva in Beit Israel, Jerusalem for Har Hamenuchos, we will continue and update.

May his soul be bound in the bond of life.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!