This past Tuesday, 28 Adar, was the levaya of the
pillar of tzedoko and chesed, HaRav Yedidia
Yechiel Michel Gutfarb zt'l. He was niftar after
years of suffering which he accepted with love.
The petiroh was on the 28th of Adar (Monday night)
after chatzos in the presence several minyanim,
and with the recitation of Shema Yisroel.
HaRav Yechiel Michel Gutfarb was born on the 28th of Adar,
5717 (1957). He studied in the Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah under
his father, the renowned mechanech HaRav Shmuel Gutfarb
who was niftar two years ago. Later he studied in the
Mirrer yeshiva, with much yegia.
Even when he was a bochur in the yeshiva, he was known
as an exceptional baal chesed with a compassionate
heart and unique he'oras ponim.
After he married he increased his chesed activities,
which he continued with great mesiras nefesh until his
final day. In one of his droshos, HaRav Chaim
Kreiswirth zt"l, the gaavad of Antwerp said that
Rav Yechiel Michel was his mentor in matters of
tzedokoh and chesed. Indeed the two worked side
by side and together supported and encouraged thousands of
widows and orphans for over twenty years.
HaRav Gutfarb suffered from excruciating pains for nearly
twenty-five years, accepting his lot with love. He pored over
his Torah studies his entire life, and knew by heart every
maamar chazal which pertained to the strengthening of
oneself. He himself strengthened and encouraged other people
in critical times.
Although he was very ill, he tried not to miss his steady
chavrusas or his shiurim in Zichron Moshe. His
entire aim in life was Torah study. Even though he was
occupied with the mitzvos of gemilus chassodim and
tzedokoh, they did not interfere with his steady
shiurim.
After the petiroh of his father, he felt that the finest
form of kibbud ov would be to found a special kollel for
the study of mishnayos be'iyun, so that his offspring
would study various sugyos in Zeroim, which are
rarely stressed.
Even though he was very weak this past year, he did not
forego his shiurim.
He was very beloved by former gedolei Yisroel zt"l,
such as HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, HaRav Yitzchok
Weiss, author of Minchas Yitzchok and HaRav Freund, who
would often inquire about his health. He was also beloved by
the current gedolim, yibodlu lechaim tovim ve'arukim,
among them Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, who visited him
a number of times and displayed constant interest in his
condition.
In recent years, HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher appointed him
gabbai of the Zichron Moshe shul. Since then, the
beis medrash flourished and the number of shiurim
held there, nearly 18 hours every day, expanded. The outer
appearance and the cleanliness of the beis medrash also
markedly improved, as a result of his efforts to show
kovod to beis Hashem.
At his levaya, a heart-rending hesped was
delivered by his brother, HaRav Ben Tzion Gutfarb, and by
his sister's son-in-law, HaRav Shmuel Chechik.
At the Mirrer yeshiva in the Beis Yisroel neighborhood,
hespedim were delivered by: HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel,
the rosh yeshiva of the Mir, who read parts of HaRav
Gutfarb's tzavo'oh and declared: Shema Yisroel and
"Hashiveini Hashem Eilecho venoshuvo" before thousands;
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach, the rosh yeshiva of Maalos HaTorah,
HaRav Yisroel Grossman, the rosh yeshiva of Pinsk-Karlin,
HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi, one of the roshei yeshiva of the Mir
and by the niftar's oldest son, the chosson
Yisroel Meir neiro yo'ir.
From the Mir the levaya continued to the Zichron Moshe
beis medrash where a hesped was delivered by
HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher.
He was buried on Har Hamenuchos beside his father. After the
grave was closed, a hesped was delivered by HaRav
Pinchos Zelivanksi, HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth's son-in-law.
HaRav Gutfarb is survived by two sons, the oldest of whom is
to be married right after the shiva, a daughter and his
widow, who assisted him with much mesiras nefesh.
