Hundreds of Jerusalemites, led by gedolei Torah, roshei yeshivos, admorim and rabbonim were on hand on Motzei Shabbos to lay to rest Rabbi Yisroel Spiegel zt"l, who handed down the untainted Torah hashkofoh he received from his rabbonim over the course of decades, from prominent Chortkov-Rozhin chassidim. He returned his soul to his Maker at the age of 77, following a difficult illness.
The deceased was born in Jerusalem in 5694 (1934) to Rav Dovid Moshe Spiegel, the chief gabbai of the Chortkov beis medrash in Meah Shearim, and Chaya Mattil, the daughter of HaRav Mordechai Dovid Weinstock, the son-in-law of HaRav Dovid Tzvi Shlomo, the Admor of Lelov.
As a child he studied at Talmud Torah Chayei Olam and Eitz Chaim in Jerusalem. He married Chaya tlct"a, the daughter of HaRav Yissochor Berrish Gefen, a respective figure in Bnei Brak and a descendant of the Admorim of Walbroz.
At a young age he was appointed an editor of Agudas Yisroel newspaper, Hamodia, a post he held for over 40 years, showing dedication, self-sacrifice. Over the years he published hundreds of opinion pieces on topical issues and battles the chareidi world had to confront.
He was able to discuss many issues at length with the gavad of Lutzk, HaRav Z. Sorotzkin and HaRav Binyomin Mendelson of Kommemiyus, who provided much of the content of the articles, which often focused on rebuilding the Torah world and Chassidus following the Holocaust. He also served as editor of Digleinu, the paper for Zeirei Agudas Yisroel.
For the past 15 years he wrote articles for Yated Ne'eman, placing Torah and hashkofoh issues in clear perspective. He commented on issues that affect the Torah world, after seeking guidance from maranan verabbonon.
As part of his dedication to Rozhin Chassidus he helped found Mesivta Tiferes Yisroel Rozhin of Jerusalem, where he served as a board member.
At the levaya were HaRav Shmuel Auerbach, many roshei yeshiva, admorim and rabbonim, including the Admor of Boyan, the Admor of Rachmastrivka, the Admor of Bohush, the Admor of Kapishnitz and the Admor of Sochotchov, shlita.
Eulogies were given by HaRav Shimon Asher Goldberg, a rov in Jerusalem's Bayit Vegan neighborhood and the rov of Beis Medrash Tiferes Tzvi, his good friend HaRav Avrohom Yosef Lazerson, one of the heads of Chinuch Atzmai, HaRav Eliezer Miller, a rov in Bayit Vegan, and the son of the niftar, HaRav Avrohom Chanoch Spiegel.
