On erev Shabbos parshas Shelach one of Yerushalayim's
finest, HaRav Shimon Porush, zt"l, was niftar
after considerable suffering. He was an outstanding
talmid chochom with remarkable middos, a
genuine oveid Hashem, beloved Above and beloved
below.
His levaya on erev Shabbos was attended by
hundreds of Yerushalayim's most prominent residents,
including his close childhood friend, HaRav Shmuel Auerbach,
as well as by rabbonim, dayanim, avreichim. Scores of
the illustrious niftar's students, also took part in
the levaya. Despite his tremendous physical
suffering, HaRav Porush had continued to pore over his Torah
studies without pause and to be a devoted father, a loyal
friend and neighbor and dedicated teacher in the ITRI Talmud
Torah.
HaRav Shimon Porush was born on 7 Sivan, 5697 (1937). His
father was HaRav Shlomo Zalman, son of HaRav Eliyahu Nochum,
and his mother was Chaya Rivka, daughter of HaRav Avrohom
Aibish Mordechai Halevi Eisen.
His prayers were emotion-filled. He was well known for his
many acts of chesed and for sharing the burdens of
his fellow. He participated in other's simchas and
sorrows: a genuine friend to everyone and someone upon whom
everyone could rely.
His remarkable talents and a phenomenal memory were evident
from an early age. He studied in Slobodka and then in
Ponovezh, where he was close to and much beloved by the
gedolei haTorah.
He married the daughter of HaRav Noach Papirna (Sofer)
zt"l, and together with his wife built an illustrious
Torah home. During the past thirty years, he taught in the
ITRI yeshiva, and had a tremendous impact on his many
students.
Hespedim were delivered by HaRav Shmuel Auerbach; HaRav
Yitzchok Ezrachi, one of the roshei yeshiva of the Mir;
HaRav Abish Eisen, a prominent rav in the Unsdorf
neighborhood; HaRav Zeev Getzel, one of the roshei yeshiva
of the ITRI yeshiva; Rabbi Menachem Porush; HaRav Yeshaya
Koenig, the niftar's mechuton; and the
niftar's son, HaRav Aibush, a prominent
avreich in Beit Shemesh. In recent years, HaRav
Shimon davened in the Halocho LiMoshe beis
medrash on Sorotzkin Street. HaRav Yosef Glick, one of
the members of the shul, also delivered a
hesped.
He is survived by his wife, who assisted him throughout his
entire life, and by a fine family, all of whom are following
in his footsteps and are continuing to stringently uphold
the Yerushalmi customs. Three of his children are still
unmarried.
