Thousands of bnei Torah turned out on Tisha B'Av to
lay to rest Pessioh Gershonowitz o"h the widow of
HaRav Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz. A tzadekes and an
eishes chover, she passed away at the age of 77.
Rebbetzin Gershonowitz was born in Tammuz 5687 (1927) in
Shomiel, Lithuania to the moro de'asra, HaRav Tzvi
Yehuda Edelstein, and to Miriam, the daughter of HaRav
Mordechai Shlomo Mowshowitz, rov of Malstovka and one of the
leading rabbonim of Russia. As a girl she lost her mother and
in 5694 (1934) she moved with her father and brothers
ylct"a, to Eretz Hakodesh where her father was
appointed rov of Ramat Hasharon. She dedicated herself to
running the family home to spare him from daily household
affairs, allowing him and her brothers to engage in Torah
night and day.
As a young lady she was among the first students at the Bais
Yaakov seminary in Tel Aviv. Upon graduating she began to
teach at a Beis Yaakov school in Herzliya, where she placed
special emphasis on instilling her students with the
ahavas haTorah she imbibed in her father's home.
During Chol Hamoed Pesach 5706 (1946) she was engaged to
HaRav Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz, the son of HaRav Avrohom
Yitzchok Gershonowitz, the av beis din of Zhavinka,
one of the prominent talmidim at Yeshivas Kamenitz and
a talmid muvhok of HaRav Boruch Ber. Among the guests
at the vort held in Ramat Hasharon was the Chazon
Ish.
Upon marrying in 5707 (1947) she devoted herself to the task
of allowing her husband to pursue his Torah learning
undisturbed. Throughout her lifetime she put all of her wants
aside to accommodate her husband's every wish. He would spend
all week at the yeshiva, first at Yeshivas Lomzha as a
maggid shiurim and later as rosh yeshiva at Yeshivas
Chemdas Shmuel at Moshav Chemed. The Rebbetzin would remain
at home alone, caring for the children devotedly.
When her father-in-law, rosh yeshiva at Yeshivas Tiferes
Tzion, passed away her mother-in-law moved into their home
and Rebbetzin Gershonowitz put the main room at her
disposal.
In 5736 (1976) her husband was appointed rosh yeshiva of
Yeshivas HaNegev and once all of her children had married she
moved to Netivot to join her husband. Whenever bnei
Torah would arrive at their home to seek the Rav's
guidance and counsel she would receive them graciously,
trying to allay their concerns and put them at ease.
Even after her husband's petiroh in Nisan 5755 (1995)
she would continue to help the brokenhearted souls who were
regular visitors at the home, empathizing with their troubles
and sharing their joys. She always knew how to find the right
words to say and many sought her wisdom and
resourcefulness.
Turning her home into a Beis Mikdosh me'at she opened
a morning and evening kollel, attending to the needs
of the lomdim. Regular tefillos were held in
her home by the bnei Torah of Netivot, headed by one
of the roshei yeshivos of Yeshivas Hanegev, HaRav Aryeh
Levy.
Even when her health fell into a state of decline recently
she would overcome her suffering to receive all comers
graciously. When her condition deteriorated dramatically
after Tisha B'Av her family members were summoned to her
bedside. Her brother, HaRav Gershon Edelstein, along with her
sons, sons-in-law and grandchildren accepted ol Malchus
Shomayim as her soul departed.
Before the Levayah set out from Yeshivas Beis Medrash
Elyon, eulogies were delivered by HaRav Edelstein, HaRav
Yissochor Meir, HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, her brother,
HaRav Yaakov Edelstein, HaRav Aryeh Levy, her son-in-law,
HaRav Yerachmiel Ungarisher, and her son HaRav Tzvi Yehuda.
She was buried alongside her husband's grave at the Yeshivas
Ponovezh Cemetery.
Rebbetzin Pessioh Gershonowitz o"h is survived by her
brothers, HaRav Gershon Edelstein, HaRav Yaakov Edelstein and
HaRav Shlomo Edelstein, her sister, Rebbetzin Breitstein, her
sons HaRav Tzvi Yehuda, a ram at Yeshivas Bircas
Ephraim, and HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok, and her sons-in-law,
HaRav Yerachmiel Ungarisher, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Beis
Medrash Elyon, and HaRav Ephraim Ze'ev Garboz, a ram
at Yeshivas Meor HaTorah-Jerusalem, grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, all dedicated to Torah and mitzvas in
accordance with her pure aspirations.
