Thousands took part in the levaya of HaRav Avrohom
Blumenkrantz zt"l, a prominent posek and
educator in the US who passed away on Erev Shabbos Parshas
Terumoh (5 Adar) and was laid to rest two days later in Eretz
Hakodesh.
Avrohom Blumenkrantz was born in Jerusalem in 5705 (1945) to
HaRav Chaim Menachem Ben Tzion. As a young boy his parents
moved to the US and later to Bogota, Colombia, where his
father served as rov of the local Jewish community. While he
was still a boy his parents returned to the US, where his
father served as rov of a prominent shul in Far Rockaway.
As a young man he studied at Yeshiva Mesivta Tiferes
Yerushalayim under Maran HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt"l.
After marrying Sheindel Bournstein tlc"a he continued
his intensive Torah study at Tiferes Yerushalayim, stressing
halochoh and horo'oh. He cleaved to his rebbe,
Reb Moshe, later doing shimush in his beis
horo'oh and receiving semichoh from him.
Eventually he was asked to serve as rov of Beis Medrash
Ateres Yisroel in Far Rockaway, where he taught Torah,
yiroh, halochoh and Mussar. In response to various
breaches in kashrus in the US, especially regarding Pesach
products, he issued a kashrus guide that eventually became a
standard item in every religious home and a vital source for
matters related to hilchos Pesach. Tens of thousands
of copies were sold and the book was considered authoritative
on the topics of food kashrus, making the home kosher for
Pesach, hotel kashrus, cosmetics, medicine, household items,
the minimal amounts needed for matzoh and the Four Cups, and
more. The book also demonstrated HaRav Blumenkrantz' mastery
of the entire Shulchan Oruch.
He also published an English-language classic on family
purity called Gefen Poriyoh and gave many
shiurim on the subject, helping to buttress the walls
of kedushoh and taharoh in the US. He even gave
out his phone number and beeper number, saying he was
available 24 hours a day for questions on family purity.
Over the years he published numerous booklets on halochoh and
hashkofoh topics, including booklets for the Yomim
Noraim, Succos and Bircas Hachamoh, and left behind extensive
writings that have yet to be published.
He worked hard to restore peace among Jews separated by
dispute and had great siyata deShmaya in restoring
sholom bayis between man and wife.
He gave shiurim in halochoh, hashkofoh and
mussar to thousands of Jewish girls over the years,
instilling in them the importance of building Torah homes and
avoiding material excess. His teaching colleagues described
him as a model of middos tovos, gadlus and sagacity in
teaching yaldei Yisroel the tradition handed down from
generation to generation.
He had to be hospitalized recently for heart problems. When
the staff brought him several pills to take he examined the
medications and said he did not want to take one of them
because it contained a combination of meat-based and milk-
based ingredients, asking them to provide him the same
medication manufactured by a different company.
Two weeks ago he underwent a ten-hour heart surgery
procedure, followed by another operation the next day, but he
never regained consciousness and later returned his soul to
his Maker.
The levaya set out from his shul, Beis Medrash Ateres
Yisroel in Far Rockaway. Thousands of people from throughout
Brooklyn came to join the deceased's family and
kehilloh members. Before the procession began he was
eulogized by his brother, HaRav Shlomo Blumenkrantz, HaRav
Shlomo Feivel Shustel, a ram at Yeshivas Torah
Temimoh, HaRav Bressler, his friend and the nosi of
the kehilloh R' Y. Rozovsky, his sons, HaRav Yitzchok
Yaakov, HaRav Alexander and the young R' Kasriel, as well as
his son-in-law HaRav Kasriel Bloom.
The aron arrived in Eretz Yisroel on the Sunday night.
Before the levaya set out he was eulogized by HaRav N.
Jeigher, HaRav Y. Weinberg, his son-in-law HaRav Y. Lehrer,
HaRav Finkel, his sons HaRav Tuvioh and HaRav Alexander, and
his brother-in-law, HaRav Yosef Bagad.
HaRav Avrohom zt"l is survived by his wife, his 15
children, including two not yet married, and grandchildren
carrying on the fabulous spiritual legacy he passed on to
them during his lifetime.
