During the week of Parshas Vayishlach, 5765, R' Refoel Posen,
zt"l, passed away at the age of 86.
He was born in Frankfurt to R' Eliezer Posen, from one of the
great families of German Jewry and a cornerstone of the
kehilloh led by HaRav Shamshon Rafael Hirsch
zt"l. At the age of 17 he left Germany due to the rise
of Nazism, moving in with his relatives from the illustrious
Sasson family in London.
Throughout his lifetime Refoel Posen thanked HaKodosh
Boruch Hu for sparing his life. As the sole survivor of
the famous Posen family, he ingrained his children with the
cherished values he received from his parents,
Hy"d.
In London he studied at Yeshivas HaRav Schneider for five
years before moving to Gateshead, where he learned
bechavrusa with HaRav Tuvioh Weiss, today gavad
of the Eida Chareidis, and also with HaRav Leib Lopian, the
son of the Mashgiach HaRav Eliyohu Lopian. He also
taught limudei kodesh at the local school.
He married Shoshanoh Reisel of the illustrious Eisemann
family whose father was among the heads of Agudas Yisroel in
Germany and was trusted by gedolei Yisroel. He had a
special bond with the Mashgiach HaRav Eliyohu Eliezer
Dessler zt"l, whom he consulted on every matter. Based
on his advice, HaRav Posen moved to Eretz Yisroel in 5710
(1950), settling in Bnei Brak a short time later.
He began to work for the municipality of Bnei Brak as a
construction engineer. For the next 36 years of his working
career he always prioritized his Torah study over his
livelihood. He even sought an early retirement in order to
devote all his time to Torah learning.
As a regular participant in HaRav Moshe Mordechai
Shulsinger's shiur, R' Refoel completed the Shas
several times. He also attended talks and shiurim
given by the Maran HaRav Yechezkel Levinstein and Maran
HaRosh Yeshiva HaRav Shach zt"l.
Although his will contained instructions not to eulogize him,
HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner ruled that divrei chizuk
vehisoreirus could be said. The speakers were HaRav
Yeshayohu Bornstein, his grandson, HaRav Avrohom Posen, and a
relative, HaRav Michoel Bodenheimer.
