HaRav Shmuel Gutfarb, zt"l, son of Rav Yosef, was born
in 5680 (1920) in the Old City of Jerusalem. A pure fire of
yiras Shomayim burned within him from his youth, as
did diligence in Torah study and zeal on behalf of kevod
Shomayim and education of our youth.
He married the daughter of HaRav Pinchos Saltzman of Korin,
and together they established an outstanding family whose
sons and sons-in-law are leading talmidei chachomim
and marbitzei Torah, active on behalf of the Torah
community, in the tradition of their parents. With the
petirah of HaRav Shmuel Gutfarb, an illustrious figure
who epitomized Yerushalayim shel ma'aloh in all of its
glory has left us.
As a youth, R' Shmuel studied in the Eitz Chaim yeshiva, then
located in the courtyard of the Churvah in the Old City. He
later merited to serve as a mechanech in that yeshiva
and talmud Torah (which, of course, relocated to
Jerusalem beyond the walls on Jaffa street right next to
Machane Yehuda, after the 1948 war). In Eitz Chaim, where he
taught for many, years, he served the godol hador,
HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer, and all of its other illustrious
roshei yeshiva.
As a young man he made tireless, courageous efforts to
counteract the influence of elements seeking to lure chareidi
youngsters into the net of the yetzer hora. Together
with the Maggid of Minsk, HaRav Tzvi Eliezer Yitzchok Berman,
he established Eshel Avrohom, a youth organization. He began
to teach in Eitz Chaim soon after his marriage, gaining fame
within a few years as an expert rebbe with a decisive
influence on his students. Until today, thousands of students
remember how he inculcated them with good character traits,
yiras Shomayim and scrupulousness in mitzvah
observance, along with the early study of gemora. He
produced thousands of students, many of whom became
gedolei Torah, rabbonim, dayanim and roshei
yeshiva who recall that their first introduction to
gemora had been acquired in the "cheder of Rebbe
Shmuel."
In addition to his efforts on behalf of chinuch and
Torah dissemination, he immersed himself in extensive
communal activity. For many years, he was a member of the
board of the Jerusalem branch of Agudas Yisroel,
participating in all of its struggles. From the time of his
youth until his final days he volunteered on a steady basis
with the chevra kadisha, performing chessed shel
emes.
HaRav Shmuel had his own special brand of chessed. He
would show non-religious Jews how to lay tefillin in
the Zoharei Chamah synagogue near Machaneh Yehuda as well as
in hospitals. This was a one-man campaign, which in time, was
taken over by his sons, who continue in his footsteps until
today.
He was outstanding in his hasmodoh and he never wasted
even a moment's time. When not involved in chinuch or
communal activities, he would pore over his studies. In the
mornings, the evenings, arvei Shabbos and yomim
tovim he could be found immersed in Torah learning. He
lived off the fruit of his own labor and was extremely
careful that his earnings come only from reliable sources. He
was completely honest.
HaRav Shmuel's son, HaRav Yechiel Michel, sheyibodel
lechayim ulirefuoh shleima, related: Reb Shmuel once
received a gift of a large sum of money which seemed to be
100% kosher. Reb Shmuel, however, refused to accept it. He
couldn't return, it, however, as not to offend the giver. As
a result, he dedicated it to a needy chosson. As HaRav
Yisroel Grossman said in his hesped, Reb Shmuel was
very meticulous about such issues throughout his life.
He was very sensitive to the needs of the poor, and
outstanding in the trait of hospitality. Many unfortunate,
depressed and homeless people found a place in his home,
sometimes for days or weeks.
He was one of the first activists in the Mazhirei Shabbos
organization, and when he moved to a home near the Machaneh
Yehuda market, he urged stall owners to close their stores
early erev Shabbos. His protests of Shabbos
desecration came from the depths of his heart and he was even
arrested a number of times for having participated in protest
rallies.
A few years ago his eldest daughter, Rebbetzin A. Hominer was
killed in a tragic traffic accident. That calamity adversely
affected his health. His family assisted him with great
mesiras nefesh, deeming it a great merit to fulfill
the mitzvah of kibbud av vo'eim as their father had
done, selflessly and genuinely.
On Lag BaOmer afternoon, after having suffered for a number
of years, he returned his pure soul to its Maker.
Hespedim were delivered by his brother-in-law, HaRav
Yisroel Grossman, as well as by HaRav Eliezer Waldenberg; his
son, HaRav Benzion Gutfarb, his nephew, HaRav Yitzchok Dovid
Gutfarb and grandsons, HaRav Shmuel Chechik and HaRav
Mordechai Hominer. He was buried near the graves of his
forebears on Har Hamenuchos.
