Harav Chananya Yosef Eisenbach, a prominent talmid chacham, who served as Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Yerushalayim, and Buenos Aires, passed away on Friday, Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5781.
Harav Chananya Yosef Eisenbach, a prominent talmid chacham, who served as Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Yerushalayim, and Buenos Aires, passed away on Friday, Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5781.
He was 77 years old.
Rabbi Eisenbach was born on the 24th of Cheshvan, 5704 to his parents Rabbi Shimon Benzion and Chana Rechil Eisenbach. His mother was a descendant of Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe.
As a bochur, he studied in Ponevezh Yeshiva, Toras Emes Yeshiva, and Kfar Chabad. In 5725, he traveled to New York to study at Central Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim at 770.
In 5729, he married his wife Bracha Elka, daughter of Rabbi Aharon Berenshtein, a member of Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah, and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Chayei Olam in Yerushalayim.
In 5728, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim in Kiryat Gat, and in 5755 he became Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim in Bnei Brak. He also served for many years as the head of the Ohel Yosef Moshe kollel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rabbi Eisenbach was a prolific author who wrote on all areas of Torah. His many seforim include his multi-volume Machane Yosef on the Rambam and Shas and Likkutey Sichos.
He served as an editor of the Encyclopedia Talmudit, and founded the Halacha B’Taama Institute to encourage the writing of chiddushim on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch.
He is survived by his wife Bracha Elka and their children Mrs. Leah Belinow – Elad, Israel; Rabbi Shimon Eisenbach – Brunoy, France, and grandchildren.
He is also survived by his siblings Rabbi Sholom Leib Eisenbach – Montreal, Canada, and Rabbi Avrohom Eisenbach – Yerushalayim, EY, and Ahuva Rosenvasser.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
I was 13 years old bochur, learning in Lod in Eretz Yisrael, in 5759 (22 years ago), and was traveling, and I was in Yerushalayim walking to a bus stop.
I was carrying a very heavy duffel bag on my shoulder.
Some prefer duffel bags to suitcases, since the latter take up storage space, whereas the former are foldable.
However, that means that I was carrying on my back, what would otherwise be wheeled/schelpped on the floor.
Rabbi Eisnbach A”H (whom I recognized since my brother learned in his Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, but I never have anything with him, and doubtful if he could have known who I was), was walking in the opposite direction, and when he came towards me, he asked where I was going, which was of course the opposite way he was walking.
He took the heavy bag from me, and carried it to the bus stop where I was going.
The fact that he was close to 60, had a long white beard, what a Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, was wearing the whole levush that they wear in Eretz Yisroel (inlcuding the up hat) – he was happy to take a detour from his way, carry a heavy duffel bag (must have been at least 30lb), for a 13 year old boy, he didn’t even know.
Chaval al D’avdin…
He studied at the Torat Emet Chabad yeshiva in Jerusalem, with Rabbi Moshe Aryeh Leib Shapira, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Reichman, Rabbi Chaim Mendel Rosenberg and Rabbi Shmuel Elazar Heilperin. In 1955, he went to study at the Central Yeshiva of Tamimim Supporters at the World Chabad Center in New York. Rabbi Eisenbach did not study at Ponobiz, only at Chabad yeshivas