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NEWS
Rav Yitzchok Mattisyahu Weinberg zt"l and His Son
Yechezkel Moshe zt"l
by Betzalel Kahn
On motzei Shabbos 11 Shevat, a shocked, bereaved throng of
thousands, headed by the Admor of Slonim and other Slonim
chassidim accompanied the outstanding young
avreich, Rav Yitzchok Mattisyahu Weinberg,
zt"l, and his son, beloved Yechezkel Moshe,
z"l, on their last earthy journey. Reb Yitzchok
Mattisyahu was thirty years old at the time of his tragic
death, and Yechezkel Moshe was only seven. They were killed
in a horrifying car accident, in which the rest of the
family suffered injury.
The niftar was born in Jerusalem and is the son of
yibodel lechayim tovim ve'arukim, Rav Noach Weinberg,
one of Jerusalem's finest. Reb Yitzchok Mattisyahu studied
in the Slonim Beis Avrohom Yeshiva under the guidance of his
mentor, the Nesivos Sholom, zt"l. After his marriage
to the daughter of Reb Shimon Suraski, he moved to Bnei
Brak, where he studied in the kollel of HaRav Michel
Feinstein.
He later moved to Beitar, where he was appointed to the
position of ram in the town's Chassidic yeshiva.
There he taught Torah to scores of students with great
clarity and depth. Every student studying under felt his
affection and concern. He invested all of energy in the
education and spiritual progress of his students.
Rav Mattisyahu was a spearhead of every dovor
bikedusho, and would plunge himself into every worthy
public activity needing his help. With his characteristic
enthusiasm, he was able to involve many wealthy donors, thus
raising large sums for broken families and other important
causes. All this was accomplished with modestly, simplicity
and in an unassuming manner. He helped everyone in need,
from all circles and sects. Sometime he made
shidduchim between impoverished families, taking the
majority of the expenses upon himself.
"Beloved and pleasing in their lives, and in their deaths
they did not part." His oldest son, Yechezkel Moshe, with
whom his father loved to study Torah, would delight everyone
in shul and at home with his Shabbos tefillos.
His rebbeim were amazed by his remarkable talents.
On erev Shabbos 9 Shevat, the family left Beitar in order to
attend a sheva brochos in Bnei Brak. Close to the
Tsur Hadassah, a cement mixer driven by an Arab crashed into
the Weinberg's car with tremendous impact. Rav Yitzchok
Mattisyahu was killed instantly, and his beloved son
Yechezkel was niftar on the operating table in
Hadassah Hospital at the onset of Shabbos.
Reb Mattisyahu is survived by parents and a large family, as
well as by his wife and three children, all of whom are in
need of rachmei Shomayim. The public is asked to
daven for the full recovery of the mother, Leah bas Chaya,
and her sons Avrohom, Boruch Chanoch, and Shmuel.
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