Hamodia- Harav Moshe Rabinowitz, zt”l

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Hamodia  LAKEWOOD - By Mordechai Wincorn
The Lakewood community deeply mourned the petirah of Harav Moshe Rabinowitz, zt”l, who served as Mashgiach and Menahel of Mesivta Keren HaTorah and as Mara d’Asra of Bais Medrash Tiferes Shimon.

A talmid muvhak of Harav Chaim Shmuelevitz, zt”l, the niftar was known as a master mechanech and baal mussar, who was a source of guidance and inspiration to countless talmidim. He was niftar on Thursday afternoon, at 63, after fighting illness for several years. Rav Rabinowitz was born in 1954 to
Harav Yisrael, zt”l, and Rebbetzin Masha Rabinowitz, a”h. He spent his early years in the Bronx, where his father served as a Rav. He studied at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim of the West Side and the Mirrer Yeshivah of Flatbush, before traveling to Eretz Yisrael, where he attended both the Brisk and Mir yeshivos. It was during this period that he forged a deep connection to Harav Chaim Shmuelevitz, whose mussar discourses and divrei Torah were constantly on the niftar’s lips.

After his marriage to Tzipporah Rabinowitz, a”h, the couple moved to Eretz Yisrael, where Rav Rabinowitz continued his studies, eventually serving as a mashgiach and mentor for bachurim. After several years, the family moved to Toronto, where the niftar assumed the position of Maggid Shiur and Mashgiach of Toronto’s Yeshivas Ner Yisrael.

In 1998, he joined the staff of Mesivta Keren HaTorah of Lakewood where Rav Rabinowitz’s unique combination of genuine caring, discipline and impressive heights in his own personal avodah inspired hundreds of talmidim. He possessed a unique ability to evaluate and understand the needs of each individual bachur. Both through his mussar shmuessen as well as with his individualized guidance to generations of talmidim, the niftar was an instrumental part of developing true bnei Torah and yarei Shamayim.

His influence spread well beyond the yeshivah as well, not only in his own shul, Tiferes Shimon, but in Beth Medrash Govoha and Khal Zichron Shneur, where he regularly delivered mussar vaadim.

Over the past six years, Rav Rabinowitz suffered terribly from his own sickness as well as enduring the loss of his wife nearly three years ago. Through it all, those that knew him testified that his deep sense of emunah empowered him to remain the picture of simchas hachaim that he has always been and accepted even the most difficult challenges with palpable ahavah.

A levayah was held at JFK airport before the aron continued on to Eretz Yisrael for kevurah.

Rav Rabinowitz leaves behind a family of bnei Torah. A full tribute will, be”H, appear in a later edition.

Yehi zichro baruch.