This past Thursday afternoon (8 Iyar), a vast throng, headed
by maranan verabonon, gedolei haTorah and roshei
yeshiva and led by Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv,
accompanied HaRav Refoel Levine zt"l on his last
earthly journey. Rav Refoel, who was the son of the
tzaddik, HaRav Aryeh Levine, passed away unexpectedly
Thursday morning in Bikur Cholim hospital. He was rushed to
the hospital early in the morning when, while davening
shacharis kevosikin in Beis Knesses Zoharei Chamoh, he
felt ill.
HaRav Refoel Levine was the son of the famous tzaddik,
HaRav Aryeh Levine and the righteous Moras Tzipora Channah,
the daughter of HaRav A. D. Shapira, av beis din of
Kovna. HaRav Levine was born on the 11th of Kislev, 5685
(1925) in Yerushalayim. The author of the Leshem was
the sandak at his bris.
HaRav Refoel studied in the Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah, and was
very close to its rosh yeshiva, HaRav Isser Zalman
Meltzer. From there, he continued his studies in the Chevron
yeshiva in Yerushalayim and the Lomza yeshiva in Petach
Tikvah, where he studied bechavrusa with HaRav Reuven
Katz zt"l, the rov of Petach Tikva, and was
meshamesh HaRav Eliyahu Dushnitzer zt"l.
He married the righteous Channah Liba she'tichye,
daughter of HaRav Chaim Shraga Feivel Frank, the rav of the
Yemin Moshe neighborhood in Yerushalayim and author of
Toldos Zeev. Rebbetzin Levine assisted her husband
with great mesiras nefesh throughout their
marriage.
After his marriage, he continued his studies in the Mirrer
yeshiva, and was one of the most outstanding students of
HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, who once said: "Rav Refoel is my
beloved talmid."
At the request of the Chazon Ish he served as a ram in
the Eitz Chaim yeshiva for ten years, producing numerous
students, many of whom are currently outstanding talmidei
chachomim and dayanim. It is known that the Chazon
Ish advised a number of students to pursue their studies
under HaRav Refoel.
When the Beis Aryeh yeshiva opened, HaRav Refoel's father,
HaRav Aryeh Levine asked him to serve as its menahel
ruchani, a position he occupied until his final day. He
was also a dayan in the beis din tzeddek of the
Ashkenaz-Perushim community founded by HaRav Shmuel
Salant.
He was famed for his unique avodas Hashem and his
daily schedule began three hours before the netz. He
would come to the Zoharei Chamoh shul where he was a rov,
very early. It is related that no one ever arrived in shul
before him. He enunciated each word of his
tefillos slowly and meticulously, like one counting
coins. One time, he told his grandson that he was very upset
by the fact that a certain person had approached him while he
was still in the middle of Oleinu. Regarding this, he
said: "In this tefillah we daven before
Melech Malchei Hamelochim and praise Him. That person
didn't let me recite that important prayer with the proper
intent."
For many years after his father's petiroh, he
continued to deliver his father's shiur in the Ohel
Rochel shul in the Knesset neighborhood, completing the
Shas a number of times. He presented these
shiurim in so enjoyable and arousing a manner, that
students would come from out-of- town to hear them. He also
left behind handwritten chiddushim on sheets of paper
which he attached to the masechtos of the Shas he
studied.
His tzidkus and humility were well known. He greeted
all with unusual simchah and with a warm and smiling
expression. He honored all, drawing people closer in a unique
manner which made everyone feel like a family member. Many
flocked to his home or to the Beis Aryeh yeshiva for counsel
and brochos which he would dispense with unusual
warmth, which stemmed from his deep ahavas Yisroel and
his concern for each and every Jew. He was pained by the
sorrow of his fellow, and would try to encourage the broken-
hearted and to help them in whatever way possible.
HaRav Avrohom Chaim Brim zt"l said of him: "No one in
the entire generation may be compared to him as far as giving
and foregoing are concerned. No one every managed to precede
him with a `sholom.' "
His nullification to talmidei chachomim, and the
gedolei hador in particular, was well-known. When he
encountered a talmid chochom, he would embrace and
kiss him. He would also visit his brother-in-law, the pillar
of halachic authority, Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv,
every motzei Shabbos on the way back from the Kosel.
On those occasions he would present the sfeikos and
shailos he had encountered throughout the week. When
he was young, he studied bechavrusa with Maran HaRav
Eliashiv for many years, and corresponded with him in Torah
and halochoh as a bochur.
At the levaya, which set out from his home, a
hesped was delivered by his mechuton HaRav
Mordechai Zuckerman, the rav of the Perushim shul in
Givat Shaul, who bitterly mourned the great loss, calling him
"a genuine ohev Yisroel."
In his hesped, HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu said: "With Rav
Refoel's petiroh, humility, chesed and
tzidkus have been canceled. Woe to Eretz Yisroel over
the loss of so great a man."
HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg called out: " `Hatzvi
Yisroel al bomosecho chalal'. Bomosecho is the
plural of bomoh. With Rav Refoel's petiroh, a
great void has been formed, one of many bomos."
His friend from youth, HaRav Yaakov Marcus, one of the most
prominent members of the Zoharei Chamoh shul weepingly
described the niftar's unique avodas Hashem and
outstanding piety.
The niftar's brother, HaRav Simcha Shlomo mentioned
that the Shaagas Aryeh had no time to say vidui before
his petiroh because he used every moment of his time
for Torah study. "The same may be said about Rav Refoel, who
used every moment for Torah and chesed," he
concluded.
The niftar's brother-in-law, HaRav M. M. Rosental, the
rov of Shikun HaRabbonim in Yerushalayim, cited the words of
the gemara in reference to HaRav Refoel: "A person
should always be soft as a reed, and not hard as a cedar. He
should greet every one pleasantly, and draw people closer to
Torah."
Words of parting were delivered by the niftar's oldest
son, HaRav Avrohom Dov, a ram in the Mishkan Aryeh yeshiva,
who cried out: " ` Dodi yorad legano,' " and described
the extent of his father's participation in the sorrow of
Yisroel.
The niftar's son-in-law, HaRav Nechemia Zuckerman
said: " `Chacahm leiv yikach mitzvos,' " describing
how Rav Refoel wisely engaged in the three aspects on which
the world stands and which average people regard lightly.
The niftar's son, Rav Yosef Eliyahu, rosh yeshiva of
the Parmishlan yeshiva, parted from him, stressing his trait
of emes.
He is survived by his wife, who throughout their marriage was
a full partner in all of his outstanding endeavors and in the
chinuch of their children. He is also survived by
sons, daughters and sons-in-law, all of whom are following
the path he charted for them.
