YWN regrets to inform you of the sudden Petira of Hagaon HaRav Yechezkel Roth ZATZAL, the leading Posek in Boro Park. He was 85.

Rav Roth suffered a massive heart attack at around 8:00AM Sunday morning. Boro Park Hatzolah rushed to the scene and did all they could to save his life. Unfortunately, he was Niftar at around 8:30AM.

Rav Roth was known as the Karlsburger Rov. He lead a venerated beis hora’ah in Boro Park, and was one of leading Poskim in the world today. He served as the Posek for many organizations such as Misaskim. He was a Mechaber of many Seforim, including Emek HaTeshuvah (nine volumes), Chezkas Taharah Hilchos Niddah, Emek Shmaatsa Gemara, Chazon Yechezkel on Drush, Mishpat Ha’aretz on Shmittah, Keren HaTorah Ribbis, Mai Chanukah on Hilchos Chanukah and other works.

Rav Roth suffered a massive heart attack in 2016, and had been placed on a respirator. Miraculously, he recovered at the time.

LEVAYA DETAILS: The Levaya will be held on Sunday afternoon at 2:00PM at his Bais Medrash located at 1558 53 Street near 15th Avenue. The Niftar will then be flown to Eretz Yisroel via private jet. The Kevurah will be in Meron, next to his wife. A Levaya may be held in Yerushalayim. Details are still not finalized and will be updated when they become available to us.

After many years of living in Eretz Yisroel, the Karlsburger Rav took leave of the holy soil to settle in the US, where he eventually became recognized as one of the great Diaspora poskim. Years later, he began dividing his time between New York and Eretz Yisrael, where he was known to seclude himself for weeks on end in Meron in the spiritual shadow of Rabi Shimon in Meron.

In 1972, the Satmar Rebbe ztz”l sought a posek with uncompromising spiritual standards to serve on the Satmar beis din in Boro Park. The Rebbe’s spiritual requirements were daunting. The Karlsburger Rav, whose brilliance in Torah is surpassed only by his staunch principles and hashkafos that closely match those of Satmar, was immediately approved by Reb Yoelish. He dispatched messengers to the Karlsburger Rav’s home in Eretz Yisrael requesting that Rav Roth relocate to Boro Park to disseminate Torah, and the Rav assented. Since then, he has lived in New York, and although he was not officially affiliated with any group, he retained close ties with the Satmar community.

The Karlsburger Rav soon acquired a reputation as one of the most eminent poskim of the generation. He accepted the most complex sh’eilos from all sections of the Shulchan Aruch, responding in lucid, understandable terms. His piskei halachah are studied and analyzed in batei medrash l’hora’ah throughout the world, and some of his responsa to personal status and family issues have ended months and even years of halachic debate where other dayanim were unwilling to take responsibility for such sensitive rulings.

PHOTOS BELOW VIA JDN

(Dov Gefen – YWN)