HaRav Shlomoh Amram Korach zt"l
A crowd of many thousands, headed by Torah leaders, Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim, with a strong central core of the illustrious community of Yemenites in Eretz Yisroel, escorted this past Monday to his final rest, the remains of HaGaon R' Shlomo Amram Korach, Rav of Bnei Brak for the past decades and elder of Yemenite rabbonim. HaRav Korach, who led his flock in the tradition of his ancestors, passed away after an illness in the 84th year of his life.
HaRav Shlomo was born in Zana, Yemen, on the 28th of Teves, 5695 (1935). His father was R' Yichye and his mother, Naomi. In this great home, he was nurtured to Torah in the fine Yemenite tradition of past ages. In his youth, he studied under HaRav Chaim Tzalach and his grandfather, HaRav Amram Korach ztvk"l who served as the last Chief Rabbi of Yemenite Jewry in that homeland.
In Elul, 5709 (1949), he immigrated to Eretz Yisroel together with his parents and grandfather. They settled in Yerushalayim and he went to study in Yeshivat Mekor Chaim, where he began absorbing Torah and yiras Shomayim from his eminent teachers.
From there, he went on to study in Yeshivas Ohr Yisroel in Petach Tikva, where he became a favored student of HaRav Yaakov Neiman, HaRav Yosef Rozovsky and others, filling himself with Torah and wisdom.
His next stop was Yeshivas Ponovezh, where, as before, he was favored by the Roshei Yeshiva, acquiring new depths and a broad scope in Torah. For a short period, he also studied in Lakewood, USA and became close with HaRav Aharon Kotler, who showed him much affection and esteem.
When he reached marriageable age, he took Esther for a wife and went on to study in the Ponovezh kollel, broadening his knowledge in all areas of Torah and Halacha. He was appointed to membership in the Bnei Brak rabbinate and served as Chief Rabbi of Bnei Brak, a position which he bore devotedly and truthfully until his very last day. In this post, he was able to sanctify Hashem's Name through all of his ways while establishing firm Halacha for all of Bnei Brak.
At the same time, he was also the rav of the Yemenite community in all of Eretz Yisroel and being its elder, many esteemed him and flocked to hear his teachings and adhere to his customs and leadership. He was simultaneously the officiating rav of the Kehillas Chanichei Hayeshiva in Bnei Brak, leading this flock in sincere devotion and great conscientiousness, dedicating himself to the community's needs, both material and spiritual. Alongside of all of these activities, he also authored the work "Arichas Hashulchan" on Halacha, and many other works.
He was hailed for his pronounced yiras Shomayim which preceded his vast knowledge, and his manifold acts of chessed without fanfare, which were truly a marvel.
The funeral took place this past Monday afternoon, beginning at his beis medrash, Chanichei Hayeshivos on Rechov Maimon corner Rechov Yerushalayim in Bnei Brak, attended by a huge number of participants including Torah leaders and educators. He was eulogized by HaRav Shlomo Mahpoud, Yemenite rabbonim, the Yemenite community and his son and sons-in-law, who delineated his figure as a great leader of his flock with great sacrifice throughout his life. The funeral continued on to Yerushalayim where he was buried in the Sanhedria cemetery, to the vociferous weeping of his escorts who found it difficult to part with him.
The deceased left behind a blessed generation of descendants, the erudite rabbonim: his son, R' Amram shlita, Rav and Moreh Tzedek in Beitar and Rav of Kehillas Torah Chaim; and his sons-in-law: HaRav Yitzchak Tzadok shlita, HaRav Eliezer Gispan, HaRav Chizkiyahu Samin and grandsons and great-grandsons following his excellent tradition.
