Baruch Dayan Emmes: The Jewish People Mourn the Death of HaGaon Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT”L, Rosh Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim

HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 12, 1943 to Eliyahu Meir Finkel. He married the daughter of Rabbi Beinish Finkel, who was the son of Rabbi Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, and Sara Greineman. Rav Finkel himself is a direct great-grandson of the Alter of Slabodka, whose name he bears. His wife is a second cousin of his. His brother is Rav Gedaliah Finkel, a Maggid Shiur in the yeshiva.

When once asked by a student why he never took drugs to calm the Parkinson’s disease he suffered from, he answered that when inquiring about the drugs, his doctor had told him that it would have an effect on his memory. “I’d rather be ill my whole life than to forget even one word of the holy Torah.”

Mir Rosh Yeshiva HaRav HaGaon Nosson Tzvi Finkel’s Zatzal petira was sudden, sending a shockwave through the international Torah community. The rosh yeshiva maintained his schedule until his petira. On Monday, 10 Cheshvan, he arrived in Bnei Brak to make a shiva visit to the family of Rav Yosef Aryeh Halperin ZT”L on HaRav Hirsch Street. From there the rav traveled to the home of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita but the Rav was at another event, a hesped for his rebitzen in Yeshivas Birkas Yosef. Rav Finkel then returned to Yerushalayim. Upon arriving in Beis Yisrael he delivered shiurim in English and Yiddish.

Family members report that at about 6:00am today, 11 Cheshvan, Rav Finkel zt”l said he did not feel well and lost consciousness shortly thereafter. Rebitzen Finkel called Magen David Adom and the dispatcher instructed her on CPR during the critical minutes until the first responder arrived at the door.

The last official Israel Police estimate regarding the number of participants in the levaya of Mir Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel at 4:00pm Israel time spoke of “tens of thousands”. Chareidi news services are reporting upwards of 100,000 people.

Words including “Like Mama Rochel, who sacrificed for others, for the Klal, for Klal Yisrael” were heard among the maspedim. Leading the procession in the name of Kovod HaTorah was Posek HaDor Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita and Maran HaRosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita.

Gedolei yisrael, roshei yeshiva and admorim were visibly moved at the levaya, painfully aware of the great loss to Klal Yisrael. Beginning with the early morning hours, after the news of the rosh yeshiva’s petira spread, people began making their way to the Beis Yisrael neighborhood of Yerushalayim, heading to the Mir, wishing to be close by, to share in the pain, to recite tehillim, to be part of this event as the klal attempted to comprehend the magnitude of the numbing announcement, that HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT”L is no longer among us.

The first hesped was given by HaGaon HaRav Shteinman Shlita, who announced the that the Rosh Yeshiva’s son; HaRav Lazer Yehuda would fill in as the new rosh yeshiva.

There was tehillim which were recited in pained choked voices, including that of the rav’s longtime chavrusa, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Bornstein, Rosh Yeshiva Kiryat Melech.

HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva Mir Brechfeld spoke in a broken voice of how his father molded his ruchniyus and his mother concerned herself with the gashmiyus. “The Aron Kodesh has been broken, one that was large and full of a love of Torah”.

HaGaon HaRav Rafael Shmulevitz, one of the roshei yeshiva was also maspid the rosh yeshiva, speaking of the loss of the Prince of Torah, asking mechila on behalf of all the bnei yeshiva that failed to accord the proper respect.

HaGaon HaRav Gedalia Finkel, a brother, spoke with a broken heart – having merited such a brother in his lifetime.

The eldest son, the new rosh yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda added “you were an abba of thousands. You were a strength and force that transcends the natural. You did not have a body, not a image of a body, all was holy.

“He was a model the epitome of modesty and everything he gave to others. Once I was asked to speak at a kenos addressing loshon hora and Abba told me ‘just three words – Love your neighbor as yourself (‘ואהבת לרעך כמוך’). How could one speak about another? This was his life’s mission. “He dwelled in Torah his entire life and learned how to demand from us, to compel us to reach greater heights. “May Hashem grant strength to great ima, a majestic ima, to grandmother, the mother of the Rosh Yeshiva, the wife of HaGaon Reb Beinish zt”l.

“Oy Tata ascend to the Holy Throne – tear through the Heavenly Gate that Hashem will finally say enough tzoros for us and may he rebuild the Beis HaMikdosh speedily in our days. “In the name of the family and the kollel, with such traits as yours, you undoubtedly forgive us and will act as advocate (meilitz yosher) for us all”.

A son, Rav Shmuel was maspid saying “You were an abba of the entire Torah world. Abba was rosh yeshiva of 3,000 talmidim. Who loved everyone of them and knew each by name. “Your mesirus nefesh in disseminating Torah and love of Torah all the time – this was indeed a rarity. He was closed in the room learning and relearning and continuing until 2:00am. At 4:00am he would also learn with the young bochrim. On erev Shabbos until candle lighting he sat and learned. May each of us take something from his example and strengthen ourselves, and may you be an advocate (meilitz yosher) for us all”.

His son-in-law HaGaon Rav Noam Alon, a rosh yeshiva in Mir Brechfeld closed the hespeidim. After the mourners recited Kaddish the levaya began making its way to Har Menuchos via Meah Shearim Street to Sarei Yisrael Street.