HaRav Shabsai Frankel, zt"l, went to his final resting
place on Rosh Hashonoh. Replete with good deeds, he was 91
years old at the time of his petirah.
HaRav Frankel, son of the chossid and noggid
HaRav Yosef, was born on the 26th of Av, 5669 (1909). R'
Yosef was one of the most prominent Gerrer chassidim
of Poland, a mechutan of the Imrei Emmes, and one of
the eminent members of the chareidi community of Bilitz.
HaRav Shabsai married the daughter of Reb Yosef Nechemia
Kornitzer, grandson of the Chasam Sofer and the av beis
din of Cracow.
Reb Shabsai was raised along the path of Torah and yiras
Shomayim in this eminent home, becoming known as an
outstanding avreich with unique qualities. With the
outbreak of the World War, Reb Shabsai, his brother-in-law,
HaRav Eisenstat and HaRav Shlomo Shapiro fled to Vilna. From
there Reb Shabsai managed to reach the United States.
As soon as he arrived in America he became active in the Vaad
Hatzoloh, becoming one of its main activists. He played a
tremendous role in saving tens of thousands of bnei
yeshiva and talmidei chachomim.
In 5730 (1970), after becoming successful in business, he
decided to consolidate his financial affairs and to move to
Eretz Yisroel. There he began to realize his dream of many
years: to publish a new, corrected edition of the Rambam's
Yad Hachazoko.. The gedolei hador of the time
encouraged him in this monumental enterprise.
HaRav Shabsai established a kollel of select talmidei
chachomim who would be responsible for this eminent
effort, and he supported the kollel with his own funds.
Throughout his life, he continually thanked Hashem
Yisborach for having granted him the zechus to
implement his plan, and would repeatedly say that this was
the best "business" he had ever done in his life.
HaRav Shabsai felt richly rewarded for his efforts, when in
5733 (1973), the volumes of Yad Hachazoko began to be
published, exciting the Torah world. Wherever he went, people
would express appreciation for this monumental undertaking.
The Frankel edition of the Rambam has become part of the
standard Torah library.
A few years ago he began to work on a new edition of the
Talmud Bavli. He only merited to see the only the
first volume -- on Bovo Kama -- in print. His
petirah is a great loss to the entire Torah world.
