Thousands of Bnei Brak residents took part in the
levaya on motzei Shabbos parshas
Nitzovim- Vayeilech 26 Elul, of HaRav Avrohom Halevi Horowitz
zt"l, a talmid of the Chazon Ish and the
talmid muvhok of the Steipler, a prominent member of
Kollel Chazon Ish and the author of Devar Halochoh on
the halochos of yichud and Iteir Yad, who
succumbed to illness at the age of 79.
HaRav Avrohom Halevi Horowitz was born in 5685 (1925) to
HaRav Yisroel Halevi. At the age of eight he moved to Eretz
Hakodesh with his parents, settling in Petach Tikva. By the
age of 12, he was already studying at Yeshivas Lomzha in
Petach Tikva and was close to HaRav Dushnitzer. At the
yeshiva he studied with HaRav Yitzchok Meir Pachiner (ben
Menachem), the son-in-law of HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer,
author of Even Ho'ezel. His chavrusa sent the
deceased with a warm letter of recommendation to his father-
in-law to accept him at Yeshivas Eitz Chaim. He transferred
there at the age of 14 and studied industriously for two
years until representatives of Yeshivas Beis Yosef asked him
to join their yeshiva in Bnei Brak under the Steipler.
Upon his arrival at Yeshivas Beis Yosef the young Avrohom
Horowitz cleaved to the rosh yeshiva. For years he learned
with him bechavrusa and attended his shiurim
regularly. He later recalled how once the Steipler summoned
him and asked him to gather together all of the
talmidim for the daily shiur which would be
held in his home that day. Asked whether he was feeling ill,
the Steipler explained that his one garment was torn and
since the Rebbetzin had not finished mending it he would have
to give the shiur at home.
R' Avrohom became renowned for his toil in Torah. He would
often study by moonlight after the candle he was given every
evening went out. Every evening the gabboim of the
yeshiva would dispatch the talmidim to different homes
for dinner, but R' Avrohom would forego dinner in exchange
for a second candle.
One day the Kehillos Yaakov sent a letter to his father
saying, "Due to his frail state of health he must discontinue
his hasmodoh to concentrate on his health." At the
beginning of the letter he wrote, "We have derived much
pleasure from him for he is blessed both in his studies and
comprehension and he [promises] . . . to rise up to join the
ranks of gedolei Yisroel." In the letter, the Steipler
also said that as his father he should ask him to stop
learning outside by moonlight, "for he won't listen to me."
His brothers recall that his father would turn off the light,
but a short time later he would resume his learning until his
father came again. Then he would take the light bulb out of
the socket and send him to sleep.
During this period, he was discovered by one of chachmei
Yerushalayim, who told the gaon and mekubol
HaRav Yehuda Leib Auerbach about him. HaRav Yehuda Leib, and
his son, spoke with R' Avrohom at length to assess his level
of Torah study and found him worthy of marrying his daughter.
HaRav Yehuda Leib also sent his son-in-law HaRav Simchah
Bunim Lazerson to assess the 18-year-old R' Avrohom, who he
found to be conversant with the entire Shas.
After marrying, HaRav Horowitz spent several years absorbed
in Torah study before accepting a rabbinical post. On the
advice of the Chazon Ish, he later abandoned the rabbinate
and began to learn bechavrusa with the Chazon Ish,
continuing for several years. He served as a ram and
mashgiach at Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion, together with
HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz ylct"a.
Following the petiroh of the Chazon Ish, he accepted
the Steipler as his teacher. For over 30 years, he served the
Kehillos Yaakov in every matter. At the Steipler's
instructions, at the age of 38 he published Devar
Halochoh on hilchos yichud, which received
approbations by the Tchebiner Rav, HaRav Y. Abramsky, the
Kehillos Yaakov and his own brother-in-law HaRav Shlomo
Zalman Auerbach.
HaRav Horowitz' grandson says he spent three weeks laboring
to understand a fundamental point in the writings of R' Akiva
Eiger, dozing in the beis medrash but not going to bed
until it became clear to him.
The Kehillos Yaakov also told HaRav Horowitz to publish
Iteir Yad on how left-handed people should lay
tefillin. After the petiroh of the Kehillos
Yaakov he published Orchos Rabbenu, a detailed book on
the practices followed by his rav muvhok, the
Steipler. HaRav Shach encouraged him to publish these
volumes, telling his son, HaRav Yeshayohu, to help assemble
the work since it contained important lessons to be
learned.
HaRav Horowitz maintained close ties with his brother-in-law,
HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, including extensive halachic
exchanges in letters and visits.
For 40 years, he labored in Torah at Kollel Chazon Ish. He
was very painstaking in fulfilling mitzvas. When he had
succeeded in selecting daled minim he would kiss them
fondly and would do the same with the matzos he baked. Last
Pesach, he went out to buy supplies to make charoses
and upon his return home said, "Boruch Hashem I was
able to do it alone. Boruch Hashem another Pesach I
had the merit of preparing the charoses just like the
Kehillos Yaakov." For the rest of the day he wore a broad
smile of simchah shel mitzvoh.
Recently his health deteriorated. He lost his eyesight and on
motzei Shabbos parshas Nitzovim-Vayeilech he
returned his soul, refined by yissurim, to his
Maker.
The levaya set out from Kollel Chazon Ish. The
participants included HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman, HaRav
Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, HaRav Nissim
Karelitz, HaRav Shmuel Auerbach and HaRav Meir Bergman,
shlita.
Eulogies were given by HaRav Karelitz, gavad of Ramat
Aharon and rosh kollel of Kollel Chazon Ish, HaRav
Auerbach, the deceased's son HaRav Shlomo Zalman, and his son-
in-law, HaRav Yisroel Weissfish, rov of Kiryat
Menachem in Jerusalem.
HaRav Avrohom Halevi Horowitz is survived by the Rebbetzin,
who stood by her late husband's side, his sons, HaRav Shlomo
Zalman, HaRav Yaakov Elimelech, HaRav Simchah Bunim, HaRav
Yeshayohu, his daughters, his brothers, HaRav Aryeh, HaRav
Yosef and HaRav Moshe, his sisters, grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, all following his path of Torah.
