The condition of Hagaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein Zt””l was serious but stable, Tuesday morning. There were no notable signs that this would be the Ponavezh Rosh Yeshiva’s final few hours in this world.
Now, close Talmidim of the Rosh yeshiva are recounting the final few minutes of his life, describing his unwavering commitment to Limud Hatorah, and to delivering his daily Shiur – literally until the very last breath.
On Monday, the Rosh Yeshiva delivered his daily Shiur from his hospital bed. This was the daily Shuir that he had been giving for decades – even during Bain Hazmanim. His Shiur on Monday was given to a few close Talmidim, with a live hookup to the Yeshiva.
The Monday night Shiur lasted for 16.5 minutes and was delivered with complete dedication. Several devoted Talmidim, who made sure not to miss any of Shiurim for many years – even during Bais Hazmanin, participated in the Shiur. Among the participating students were Rav Shaya Ginsburg and Rav Ostron, who had served as “Chozrim” of the Shiur for years.
On Tuesday morning, the Rosh Yeshiva requested a pen and paper in order to prepare the Shiur he had planned to deliver from his hospital bed.
As he did ever Tuesday, in addition to the Shiur, the Rosh Yeshiva would add a weekly “Shmooze” to the Bochrim. His grandson, Moti Paley, asked him, “Sabba, would you like to prepare the weekly Shmooze as well?”
The Rosh Yeshiva Zt”l responded: “There will be no Shmooze today.”
The Rosh Yeshiva then began writing the Shiur he had planned to deliver, continuing for a few minutes, until suddenly his heart stopped beating as he prepared the Shiur, totally immersed in Torah. The Shiur that never ceased, not for weather, not for Bain Hazmanim, suddenly ended. Klal Yisroel was plunged into mourning, with the loss of the Gadol Hador, who lived and breathed Torah – literally – until his last breath- at the age of 100.
Below are the notes that the Rosh Yeshiva was writing when he was Niftar.
Yehi Zichro Boruch…
HaRav HaGaon Gershon Edelstein, zt’l, was the Nasi of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and the leader of Chareidi Jewry in Eretz Yisrael and throughout the world and served as the Rosh Yeshivah of Ponevezh Yeshivah for 80 years. After the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Leib Shteinman, z’tl, HaRav Edelstein and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, zt’l became the leader of the Olam HaTorah.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Seeing this paper it seems that it was not his first time with the malech hamaves looks like he fought with him before it is scary if you try and read his last words
What do you see on this last piece of paper it is very scary what he wrote there and has mystical meaning the great rabbis should see it
A Maloch Hashem Tzevokos! Astounding that such a person lived in our generation…unbelievable really….
Truly Outstanding!
sorry i meant that with an “a”
astounding
I just read that Harav Edelstein זצ”ל learned in Klimovich, the Chabad Town in Russia . He was a talmid of 3 famous Chabad Chasidim and he kept in touch with them
Harav Edelstein זצ”ל was born on 2 Iyar, 5683 in the Russian town of Shumyatch to Harav Tzvi Yehudah, the Rav of Shumyatch.
As a child, Rav Gershon’s mother obtained fake birth certificates for her sons with the wrong dates of birth to delay mandatory school attendance under the Communists. Instead, the young Gershon and his brothers learned Torah at home with Rabbi Zalman Leib Estulin, a Chabad chossid who was renown for his mesiras nefesh in Soviet Russia.
When Harav Gershon’s mother developed typhus, which she later passed away from, he was sent with his brother Yaakov to his aunt in the city of Klimavichy, a famous Chasidishe shtetl with Chasidei Chabad. There, they learned Torah with Hagaon HoRav Monyeh Shneur, another Chabad chossid who later became a magid shiur in Tochei Tmimim Kfar Chabad. Harav Edelstein kept a warm connection with his Lubavitcher teachers long after he arrived in Eretz Yisroel.
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.