HaGaon HaRav Chaim Yechiel Rothman ZT”L was niftar on Tuesday morning, 18 Cheshvan 5774 in Bnei Brak. The niftar was a prominent rav in the Belz community, a member of the Machzikei Hadas Beis Din and a prominent Moreh Tzedek in the chassidus. Reports state the niftar was not ill and his petira was “sudden”. The niftar was 66.

The niftar arrived with his family in Eretz Yisrael at the age of two and they settled in Bnei Brak. His father, who was an av beis din in Poland would visit with Rav Aaron of Belz ZT”L often and the niftar became a ben bayis in the Belz Court.

After his was married he lived in Switzerland for about a year and a half, then returning to Eretz Yisrael, settling in Haifa. It is there where he began his involvement in kashrus and shechita as well as serving as a Belz Rosh Kollel in the city. The niftar received his semicha from HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner Shlita and HaGaon HaTzaddik Rav Yehoshua Moshe Aaronson ZT”L from Petach Tikvah. He quickly became known for his expansive knowledge in Torah and Halacha.

In 5734 his was appointed to head a Belz beis medrash in Bnei Brak, compelling him to move to the Torah city. In 5740, the Belzer Rebbe Shlita appointed him to serve on the Belz Machzikei Hadas Beis Din.

The levaya began in Bnei Brak at 12:30 in front of the Belz Beis Medrash on Ben Yaakov Street. The levaya continues at 16:00 from the main Belz Beis Medrash in Kiryat Belz in Yerushalayim and Kvura in Har Menuchos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)