(VIDEO & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
Tens of thousands of people gathered in the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where the Levaya was held for Hagaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach ZATZAL.
The funeral procession began at 10:20AM, when the Niftar was taken from his home at 3 Even Shaprut Street to the Gra Shul nearby, on Yeshayahu Bar Zakai Street.
The Hespedim began at 11:00AM until 1:00PM, when tens of thousands of people walked behind the Niftar from Shaare Chessed towards Har Menuchos.
Police issued the standard warnings, for drivers to distance themselves from the Levaya route with private vehicles, stating delays were likely on both Highways 1 and 443 and tens of thousands were making their way to the capital to participate in the levaya.
United Hatzalah highlighted its warning, to refrain from climbing on roofs and balconies – especially this time – because in Shaare Chessed neighborhood, there are many older structures with balconies and rooftops that cannot support the extreme loads.
At 10:45 The mita of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach was brought into the Gra Shul, to the sound of the students crying.
At 10:55 Tehillim was recited to the sound of weeping and the cries of the thousands gathered at the Levaya.
The Maspidim were:
* His brother Hagaon HaRav Avraham Dov Auerbach, Rav of Tiveria.
* HaRav Tzvi Friedman.
* His brother Hagaon HaRav Azriel Auerbach, the Rav of the Bayit Vegan neighborhood.
* HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Kalmanovitz is now maspid.
* His brother Hagaon HaRav Mordechai Auerbach, the Rov of the Abir Yaakov Shul in Tel Aviv.
* HaRav Baruch Shmuel Deutsch of the Kol Torah Yeshiva.
* Hagaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch.
* HaRav Tzvi Vidar, the Rov of Kiryat Yovel in Jerusalem.
* R’ Yosef Petrov.
At around 1:00PM Tehillim and slichos were recited before the Levaya procession departed from the Gra Shul towards Har Menuchos.
1:13PM: The levaya continued with the mita placed in the waiting chevra kadisha vehicle.
1:46PM: The procession headed to Betzalel Street.
1:59PM: The procession went to Ben-Tzvi Blvd, and from there, Binyanei Ha’uma towards the entrance to the city.
1:15PM: At the Cords Bridge
1:55PM Arrival in Har Menuchos.
The Niftar was buried alongside his wife, Rebitzen Rachel A”H.
Boruch Dayan HaEmmes…
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
Rav Aviner’s Eulogy for Ha-Rav Shmuel Auerbach ztz”l
Message Body: Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon Shmuel Auerbach ztz”l: Revealed Rebuke is Preferable to Hidden Love ]Eulogy given in the Yeshiva]
Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon Shmuel Auerbach ztz”l, the eldest son of Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ztz”l and Rosh Yeshivat Ma’alot Ha-Torah in Yerushalayim, has ascended on high. A person should not be judged by his media-promulgated persona, which displays his outer personality devoid of his inner world. One of the Gerrer Rebbes would explain our Sages’ teaching, “Judge all of the person favorably” (Pirkei Avot 1:6), in this way: At a time when you judge the entire person, when you observe a person from all of his sides – he will be “favorable,” and aspects of merit will be revealed before your eyes (Sichot Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah – Bereshit, p. 88). First and foremost, Ha-Rav Shmuel Auerbach was a great Torah scholar. In his youth, he learned in the famous Eitz Chaim Yeshiva and also with his father. He then served as Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshivat Shem Olam of the Amshinov Chasidim, and then as a Ra”m in Yeshivat Kol Torah in Bayit Ve-Gan in Yerushalayim. In the year 5742, he established Yeshivat Ma’alot Ha-Torah in the Sha’arei Chesed neighborhood of Yerushalayim and served as its Rosh Yeshiva until his passing. He wrote the book “Darchei Shmuel” on Masechet Ohalot, which included an approbation from Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon Eliezer Man Shach ztz”l. A student recorded many of his talks in the book “Ohel Rachel”. Rav Auerbach became very close to Rav Shach, and, like him, valued learning Torah constantly over all else, as explained in Nefesh Ha-Chaim (Chapter 4). Maran Ha-Rav Kook often mentioned that it is not only forbidden to speak Lashon Ha-Rav against any Torah scholar, but it is also forbidden to think it. We must judge all Torah scholars favorably. Even if we do not agree with him, we are forbidden to say that he does not bring benefit to Klal-Yisrael. Shaming Torah scholars is worse than any error they may make and leads to the destruction of the Oral Torah (Ma’amrei Ha-Re’eiyah p. 56). When the Prime Minister of Israel, Mrs. Golda Meir, traveled to America, the anti-Zionist Satmar Chasidim protested against her and against the State of Israel. Many were upset by this, and a student asked Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah about it. He responded: The Satmar Rebbe is a Torah scholar and it is forbidden to speak against him. Everyone knows we have diametrically opposed positions, but since he is a Torah scholar, we are obligated to protect his honor, even if we disagree with his positions (Mashimi’a Yeshu’a p. 191). And once someone said to Reb Aryeh Levin that the Satmar Rebbe speaks harshly against the State of Israel. Reb Aryeh Levin responded: I do not know him personally but I have heard that he has three great qualities: He loves Am Yisrael, he is a great Torah scholar and he does much Chesed (Ish Tzadik Haya pp.61-62). And the same is true regarding Ha-Rav Shmuel Auerbach: He loved Am Yisrael, he was a great Torah scholar and he did much Chesed, as many people have stated. Many great Torah scholars, however, have said that Rav Shmuel Auerbach’s harsh opposition to the State of Israel and the drafting of Yeshiva students into the army were too extreme and caused great damage to the Torah world. Who and what are we to place our heads between giant mountains, lest our skulls be crushed? We are obligated, however, to point out two things.
Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Kook taught us the meaning of the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (6:6): “One who carries the burden with his fellow” – Torah scholars are required to carry the burden together, even if there are differences of opinion between them, since the shared burden of Torah is greater than that which separates us. Torah Scholars all have the shared goal of declaring in this world: Hashem is One and His Name is One (classes on Kinyan Ha-Torah).
We must understand that Rav Shmuel Auerbach’s harsh rebuke was out of love, and at times had the value of protecting the Nation and State of Israel. His strong words were in the category of “revealed rebuke is preferable to hidden love” (Mishlei 27:5). And this is what Maran Ha-Rav Kook said to his student Ha-Rav Dr. Moshe Zeidel, who was upset with the Charedi criticism. He responded that the Charedim, who are opposed to Zionism from the depths of the purity of their spirit, aid in removing much of its negative tendency and will thus allow it to reach its royal potential (Igrot Re’eiyah 3:156).
And, indeed, it was Maran Ha-Rav Kook who served as the Cohain at the Pidyon Ha-Ben of Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon Shmuel Auerbach.
May his soul be bound up in the bonds of the living with all of the great Tzadikim and Geonim.
100s of thousands
i was there, i know what 100,000 people on the street looks like and it was way more than that
@MTAB Compared to Maran Rav Shteinman give us your estimate.
Oh right. You weren’t there.
Don’t even go down this road. You destroyed the legacy of a Gadol Hador. What a churban on so many levels.
BATM i have no idea what you are talking about and how my comment could even possibly lead to hostile comments. Everything in life doesn’t have to be an argument. I was there and can tell you that at a minimum it was 150,000 people. I went to a college that had a football stadium that held 100,000 people so i saw 100,000 people on the street many times. This was way, way more.
ISRAEL ARMY RADIO (always reports a fraction of what it realy is) IS SAYING 100,000 YWN PLEASE UPDATE SO IT WONT LOOK LIKE WERE WORSE THAN THEM
@BMG Amazing… you guys curse out the lying Zionists all day long and “mit amul” you decide to bring Ra’ayos from the Tziyoni Nazi Amelkis?
Batm,
Hmmm so Gadolim are measured by Levaya attendants? We have reached a new….
Say what you wish, Rav Shmuel was considered a true Gadol baTorah more than thirty years ago. And his shitah wasn’t a shitas Yachid as well, it is very likely that Rav Shach would have taken the same approach.
You guys seem to calibrate the gadlus of the Niftar by the number of mourners who show up for the Levayah? This is not some Trumpian circus where the issue turns on the number of attendees at his inaugeral . I very much doubt the Rav, ZL, would have wanted this kind of silly debate on numbers.
Look YWN, aka Zionist World News, is going to write what it wants to write. It’s clear to me that they have an agenda. And the result is a bizoyon, because like it or not Gadolhadorah these things matter to people. There were clearly more than 100,000. Truth is important in life. In Israel there’s no truth just points of view to which facts are secondary.
The only comment that makes sense is Gadolhadorah’s. Is it a contest – my levaya is bigger than yours? Do you realize how stupid and petty you all sound?
But I have a question. I see many bochurim tore kria on the left side – the side one cuts for c’vs a parent. What is the Halacha on this? Is it permissible for one with two living parents to do this? (I get that to many, Rav Auerbach was a father figure)
Thank you to whoever can enlighten me.
I wonder why there is no one dancing in the streets like there were when R’ Shteinman was niftar. Makes me wonder who are the ones that are arguing lshem shamaim
@GMB what would Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, who had a love for each and every Jew, say to your uncalled for comment about “tziyoni Nazl Amelkis?” You should be ashamed of yourself.
MTAB
February 25, 2018 11:31 am at 11:31 am
100s of thousands
i was there, i know what 100,000 people on the street looks like and it was way more than thath.
————–
Way more then 100.000. more 5.000.000
I went to bmg aand they taught us what numbers are. So dont tell me there were only 100-150 thousand. More like 5,000.000. if u dont belive me then start counting.
MTAB: “….because like it or not Gadolhadorah THESE THINGS (aka numbers) matter to people..”
I agree…they matter to “people”….but sadly just a small number of people, the mindliess Trumpkopfs to whom everything in life must be framed in supurlatives…largest, biggest, richest, most powerful..etc.
I have great respect for the lamdus of the niftar and the passsion of his talmidim, while simultaneously having great disagreemen with his politics. But in any case, I very much doubt the Rav would care about the numbers.. Indeed, I suspect he would have been incredibly pleased if only 36 mourners showed up for the levayah but those 36 just coincidently happened to be the lamid vav tzadikim of our generation
I can’t believe that torah jews are having this discussion about how many people were at the Levaya. It is not a competition one has more than the other. We should all be sadden by the demise of one of our great gedolim in klal Israel who did so much Chesed.