Letter legendary Gadol & author Ravcho Shmaitso Rabbi Chaim Samuel Lopian London for Sale

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Letter legendary Gadol & author Ravcho Shmaitso Rabbi Chaim Samuel Lopian London For Sale

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Letter legendary Gadol & author Ravcho Shmaitso Rabbi Chaim Samuel Lopian London:
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Letter from legendary Gadol & author Rabbi Chaim Samuel Lopian London author of Ravcho ShmaitsoHaRav Chaim Shmuel Lopian zt\'l
by Betzalel Kahn Special to Yated Ne\'eman

On Sunday afternoon, the 10th of Kislev, a pained and saddened throng accompanied HaRav Chaim Shmuel Lopianzt\'l, son of themashgiach, HaRav Eliyahu Lopian,ztvk\'l, on his last earthly journey.

HaRav Chaim Shmuel, who was ninety years old at the time of hispetirahwas therosh kollelof Aliyos Eliyahu -- Tiferes Yitzchok in Yerushalayim, and the author ofRavcho Shmaitso, a commentary on theShev Shmaitso.

HaRav Chaim Shmuel Lopian was born in the Torah andmussarcenter of Kelm. As a youth, he studied in the Or Torah yeshiva, whose students his father, HaRav Eliyahu Lopian, trained to acquire good character traits, and with fiery words ofmussarinspired to grow inahavas Torahandyiras Shomayim.

As a child, he studied for an entire year in Or Yisroel in Slobodke, under his teacher and mentor, HaRav Yechezkel Burstein, theDivrei Yechezkel. Afterward, he went to study in theyeshiva gedolaof Telz, under HaRav Yosef Leib Bloch, HaRav Chaim Rabinowitz and HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch. Regarding himself, HaRav Chaim Shmuel once said: \"I used to study 40 consecutive hours, and then sleep for 8 hours, in line with the custom of the Chasam Sofer, who did so in order to fulfill the words of the verse, \"Oz yonu\'ach li-- Then I shall rest,\" thegematriaofozbeing 8, and that ofli40.

In 5689 he arrived in England, where he studied for a while in the Eitz Chaim yeshiva of London, where his father wasrosh hayeshiva. In 5696, while in London, he married Lieba,o\'h, the daughter of thetzaddik, HaRav Ephraim Tzvi Bloch of Gateshead, son of HaRav Shmaryahu Bloch,gaavadof Sunderland and Birmingham.

In 5699, he published hiskuntres,Shmaitso Alefwhich was graced by the recommendations of the greatestroshei yeshivaof his time: HaRav Shimon Shkop, HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer, HaRav Boruch Dov Levovitz and HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch.

After his marriage, he and his wife settled in Gateshead. In 5702, HaRav Eliyohu Dessler founded the famouskollelof Gateshead. In the beginning, thekollelfunctioned in HaRav Chaim Shmuel\'s home, and it was in this illustrious kollel that he studied until 5708. In the summer of that year, he was appointed to the position oframin the Eitz Chaim yeshiva in Montreux, Switzerland, and afterward asramin the Netzach Yisroel yeshiva in Sunderland, which is near Gateshead.

He spearheaded the founding of all of the Torah institutions in Gateshead. During the years of his residence in that city, he became acquainted with HaRav Naftoli Shakovitzky of Lithuania, who later on officiated as Gateshead\'sav beis din. His brother-in-law, HaRav Arye Leib Grosnas assembled students from Morocco, and founded ayeshiva gedolaand many Torah institutions for them. These students grew up HaRav Chaim Shmuel\'s home, and he treated them like sons.

In 5739, he went up to Eretz Yisroel, where he assumed the position ofrosh kollelof Aliyos Eliyahu -- Tiferes Yitzchok, which was first situated in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood, and later moved to the Unsdorf neighborhood. Its name commemorates his father, themashgiachHaRav Eliyahu Lopian, as well as HaRav Yitzchok Orlanski whose son, HaRav Yisroel,yibodel lechayim, bore the burden of the support of thekollelalong with HaRav Chaim Shmuel. The uniqueness of thiskollellies in itsmussarstudy program.

HaRav Chaim Shmuel studied in thiskollelwith great diligence until very recently. In the past two years, his strength waned. Nonetheless, he would continue to travel to thekollelevery day, with greatmesiras nefesh. At home, he also continued to maintain his set study schedules, and hischavrusaswould arrive there to study with him despite his great weakness.

He studied Torah under duress, under all circumstances and at all times. He explained his Torah thoughts in a simple, unassuming manner. He participated in all of thesimchasin Gateshead and Yerushalayim, taking special care to gladden the hosts of thesimchaand those in attendance.

His knowledge ofShasandposkimwas astounding, and whenever a question was posed to him, he would respond quickly and with utmost precision. Despite his feeble physical condition, he traveled to the Aliyos Eliyahu -- Tiferes Yitzchokkollelevery single day, until this past Tammuz. In recent weeks he grew even weaker, and on Sunday, the 10th of Kislev, he returned his pure soul to its Maker.

Hislevaya, which proceeded from the Be\'er Shmuel synagogue the central synagogue of the Unsdorf neighborhood, was attended by thousands of his students and admirers.Hespedimwere delivered by: HaRav Yitzchok Sheiner, therosh yeshivaof Kaminetz, who had been with him in Switzerland, HaRav Boruch Dov Povarski, one of theroshei yeshivaof Ponovezh; HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, therosh yeshivaof Mir; his sister\'s son-in-law, HaRav Tzvi Kushelevski , therosh yeshivaof Heichal HaTorah- - Pressburg; HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi, one of theroshei yeshivaof Mir; HaRav Moshe Horowitz, theravof the Be\'er Shmuel synagogue; HaRav Yisroel Orlanski, who bore the burden of thekollel,Aliyos Eliyahu, along with him. The lasthespedwas delivered by his son-in-law, HaRav Tzvi Kramer.

Toward sunset, he was buried in the cemetery on Har Hazeisim, near the graves of his father, his mother and his wife, as well as those of his grandparents, HaRav Yisroel Dovid Rotman and his wife.

He is survived by his son, HaRav Arye, from the United States, by his daughters, who are married to HaRav Binyomin Tzeilinger of the United States, HaRav Eliyahu Stefanski, HaRav Tzvi Kramer, aramin the Lakewood yeshiva of Yerushalayim, and HaRav Moshe Shapiro of the United States.