Jerusalem – Tearful Farewell For Beloved Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Aryeh Finkel

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    Ultra-orthodox Jews carry the body of Rabbi Aryeh Finkel, head Yeshiva of the Brachfeld branch of the Mir Yeshiva during his funeral  in Jerusalem, on August 10, 2016. Flash90Jerusalem – Thousands turned out to pay their respects to Rav Aryeh Finkel, the devoted rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld who died Tuesday night at the age of 85.

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    Rabbi Finkel, who had undergone surgery followed by complex treatment a year and a half ago after breaking his leg, had taken ill over the past few months. In recent days his condition worsened and he collapsed near his home in Modiin Ilit close to the yeshiva on Tuesday night. Emergency medical personnel who were called to the scene were unable to resuscitate the rosh yeshiva.

    Rabbi Finkel was born in 1931 into an illustrious family. The son of Rabbi Chaim Zev Finkel, founder of Tel Aviv’s Yeshiva Heichal Hatorah and mashgiach at Mir Yerushalayim, grandson of Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, head of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Poland and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, Rabbi Finkel spent his formative years learning at the Slobodka and Ponovezh yeshivos, as reported by Israeli news site B’Chadrei Chareidim.

    After his marriage, Rabbi Finkel learned in Mir Yerushalayim, where he was eventually appointed to serve as rosh mesivta and mashgiach. He moved on to lead the Brachfeld branch of the yeshiva when it opened in 2000.

    Rabbi Finkel’s shiurim and discussions were legendary, inspiring thousands of talmidim, with two seforim compiled from his shiurim addressing the topics of mussar and Shabbos.

    A member of Vaad Hayeshivos and Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Degel Hatorah who also served on the presidium of Mifal Hashas, Rabbi Finkel was due to host a meeting for Mifal Hashas in his home on Friday.

    Rabbi Finkel’s levaya began at 11 AM Wednesday morning at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brachfeld, continuing on to the Jerusalem branch of the yeshiva before burial on Har Hamenuchos.

    Among those who eulogized Rabbi Finkel were several roshei yeshiva from Mir Brachfeld, Rabbi Meir Kessler, chief rabbi of Modiin Ilit, the Sanzer Rebbe, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, rosh yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim, Rabbi Boruch Dov Povarsky, rosh yeshiva of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, brother in law Rabbi Aharon Chadash, mashgiach at Mir Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yitzchak Ezrachi, rosh yeshiva at Mir Yerushalayim and Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Netiv Aryeh.

    The final speaker, Rabbi Binyomin Finkel, eulogized his father tearfully, as reported by Israeli news site Kikar HaShabat. Rabbi Finkel described his father as someone who was loved by all, who repaid those who wronged him with goodness and who served as a father figure to thousands of students.

    “He was an angel who nullified his own will before that of Hakadosh Baruch Hu,” said Rabbi Finkel. “We had a Jew who ate by us from Romania whose name was Moshe Yitzchak and he told us that one time they were going to turn off his electricity. My father went from house to house on Hoshana Raba to collect the money that was needed and from that time on R’ Moshe Yitzchak called my father ‘the angel of Hoshana Raba.’”

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