The Olam HaTorah is reeling from the news of the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Mendel Schneur Zalman Atik, z’tl,  a close talmid of the Brisker Rav, z’tl and the Chazon Ish, z’tl, and one of the greatest Gaonim of the generation.

The niftar, z’tl, who ceaselessly toiled in Torah for decades, passed away on his 94th birthday, on Shabbos Chanukah, at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

HaRav Atik, z’tl was born in the Old City of Jerusalem and learned in his youth in the Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah and yeshivah under HaGaon HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer, z’tl, and later at Yeshivas Mir under HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, zt’l, where he continued to learn after he married. He also became very close to the Brisker Rav, z’tl, attending his shiurim every week, as well as the Chazon Ish, ztl, whom he often spoke to in learning.

HaRav Atik, z’tl, later opened Yeshivas Eretz Tzvi in the Bucharim neighborhood of Jerusalem – a yeshivah for bochurim from chutz l’Eretz who were interested in learning b’iyun – a derech limud that combined that of the Mir and the Chazon Ish.

Among the niftar’s many talmidim were HaGaon HaRav Dovid Miller,  one of the Roshei Yeshivos of Yeshivas Ponevezh, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Min-Hahar, a Rosh Yeshivah in Beitar Illit, HaGaon HaRav Yehoshua Ehrenberg, Rosh Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchak in Hadera, HaGaon HaRav Chizkiyahu Yosef Schreiber, Rosh Yeshivas Maharil, and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Eisenberg, a Rosh Kollel in Arzei HaBirah.

The levaya, which took place on Motzei Shabbos, began at HaRav Atik’s home on Rechov Pri Chadash and continued to Har HaMenuchos.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)