HaRav Zalman Yosef Aloni Dubow, zt'l, rav and av
beis din of Dublin, Ireland, was brought to rest in
Jerusalem two weeks ago at the age of 88 following an
extended illness.
R' Zalman Yosef Aloni was born in 5665 (1915) in Riga,
capital of Latvia, to Rav Yitzchok Dubow, an outstanding
Torah scholar with yiras Shomayim and exceptional
knowledge of Shas who later taught at Yeshivas
Manchester for many years.
At a young age he and his brother (who was killed by the
Nazis in 5702 along with the other members of Yeshivas Telz)
went to Yeshivas Grodno to study under HaRav Shimon Shkop.
His friends included HaRav S. Rozovsky, HaRav B. Y. Levine
and HaRav Zaidel Epstein ylct'a the latter of whom
spent much time as his chavrusa. He had a special
attachment to his rebbe HaRav Shkop, and even went
with him to a dacha on several occasions. As a sign of
his esteem, he gave HaRav Zalman Yosef Aloni notebooks
containing his chidushim and shiurim before
leaving the yeshiva for Eretz Yisroel.
During his journey he spent a short period at Yeshivas Mir
and in 5695 (1935) arrived in Eretz Yisroel, where he went to
study at Yeshivas Chevron. He was soon given smicha by
HaRav I. Z. Meltzer, HaRav R. Katz and HaRav Y. Sarna. In
5699 (1939) he traveled to Dublin to marry the daughter of
Rav Michel Osher Matlin, one of the city's rabbonim who had
passed away a short time earlier.
After marrying Rebbetzin Soroh Leah, a'h, he replaced
her late father as rav of the city, a post he held for over
forty years. Later he was appointed av beis din of
Dublin and the surrounding area. For decades he gave
shiurim to baalei batim and carefully oversaw
all halachic matters.
Throughout this period he was intently engaged in his Torah
studies. In his haskomo to Rav Dubow's sefer, Degel
Yosef, one of the most distinguished of these guests,
HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky, wrote, "It is a great virtue to be
a rav with a heavy schedule of communal duties to attend to,
living in a place without a single house of study -- and
engaged in Torah with vigorous intensity."
Over the years he wrote ten works covering various areas of
halocho and machshovo, including Kosnos
Or, which deals with tanning leather to be used as
klaf, a booklet on Kiddushin and a booklet on
the Pesach Haggodoh.
Over the years most of the members of the chareidi community
moved to England or Eretz Hakodesh, but he remained at his
post as long as he felt his activities helped the community
members spiritually. Eventually he moved to London, where he
served as rav and av beis din. He continued to give
shiurim to his talmidim from Dublin.
Rav Dubow had a pleasant manner and received everyone,
including non-Jews, with a friendly countenance and respect
belying his stature as a great Torah scholar. Everywhere he
went he sanctified Sheim Shomayim with his words and
dignified appearance.
The levaya set out from Golders Green in London where
his son-in-law, HaRav Rafael Kahn, and HaRav Y. Lichtenstein,
Av Beis Din of London, delivered hespeidim.
In accordance with HaRav Dubow's will the coffin was
transported to Eretz Yisroel for burial. On Erev Shabbos
Vayeiro he was laid to rest at Har Hamenuchos in Jerusalem.
His grandson HaRav B. Shakovitzky, rosh kollel Yad
Mordechai in Bnei Brak, spoke.
Rav Dubow is survived by his son, Rav Michel Osher; three
daughters married to: HaRav Mordechai Shakovitzky z'l,
one of the pioneers of the Teshuvoh Movement, HaRav Rafael
Kahn, a well-known figure in the area of chinuch in
England and HaRav Chaim Weiner, who lives in Golders Green;
and grandchildren and great-grandchildren who cared for him
with mesirus nefesh during his final years, which were
filled with physical and mental suffering.
