Harav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi, a scholar and authority on Jewish law who served as Chief Rabbi of Kfar Chabad for 40 years, has passed away suddenly on Wednesday, 23 Teves, 5775.
He was 71.
Rabbi Ashkenazi had been traveling to Teverya, Israel to visit the gravesite of his father on his Yahrtzeit, when he suffered a heart attack. He was transported to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer, where he was passed away.
Rabbi Ashkenazi was born into a prominent Rabbinical family, his grandfather Rabbi Eliezer Karasik served as the Rav of the Chabad community of Tel Aviv.
Rabbi Ashkenazi attended the Chabad Yeshiva of Tel Aviv and then in Lod, Israel. When he was 20 he traveled to learn in 770 Eastern Parkway, in New York.
After his marriage to Rebbetzin Sima , daughter of Rabbi Yitzchok Volpo of Jerusalem, he received Smicha from the first Rabbi of Kfar Chabad.
A few years later, at the age of 31, he was appointed as Chief Rabbi of Kfar Chabad, after the passing of Rabbi Schneur Zalman Garelik obm in a car accident.
Rabbi Ashkenazi was also a member of the Chabad Beis Din – Vaad Rabonei Chabad in Israel.
In the 1970’s he began writing books on hilchos Talmud Torah based on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, and only a few years later had already published 6 volumes. He received recognition from Harav Kuk’s organization for Torah publishers, and received the title “Gadol BaTorah” from Israel’s Rabanut Harashit.
In the last few years he started a project to explore Jewish and Chabad minhagim, and every week he published an article in the Kfar Chabad magazine about a different custom. The first book of this set, titled Shaarei Tefillah Uminhag, was published a year ago.
This Thursday Rabbi Ashekenazi would have been marking 40 years as Chief Rabbi of Kfar Chabad, and his family had been planning an event to mark the occasion.
He is survived by his wife Sima, and children: Gitah Brod; Rivkah Kaplan – Sitriyah, Israel; Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi – Tzfas, Israel; Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Ashkenazi – Montreal, Canada; Rabbi Zelig Ashkenazi – Yekaterinburg, Russia; Mrs. Chaya Feigel Wilhelm – Detroit, MI; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Ashkenazi; Rabbi Schneur Zalman Ashkenazi; Rabbi Sholem Ber Ashkenazi; Rabbi Yossi Ashkenazi; Rabbi Yisrolik Ashkenazi and Yehuda Ashkenazi – all of Israel; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his siblings Mrs. Malka Wilshansky – Tzfas, Israel and Mrs. Esther Twersky – Brooklyn, NY.
The Levaya will take place tomorrow, Thursday at 10 am in Kfar Chabad and will continue to Teverya for burial.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
Moshiach now!!!
the rav ashknazi was a very special was the rav of kfar chasbad for almost 40 years ,was very invalve in the kehilah and biclal ,all the rabonim in israel was came to him ,in evey event in kfar chabad he was first welcoming ans speaking torah ,was a gahon, yere shamim,and a lamandn ,was only 71 years old did so many mitzvos was such a good wonderfull yid ,we need moshiach now ,eibeshter send moshiach now enaght already for this golus we want moshiach now.
The world is darker. A great light has been extinguished.
“Groaning by itself won’t do a bit of good. A groan is only a key to open the heart and eyes, so as not to sit there with folded arms, but to plan orderly work and activity, each person wherever he can be effective, to campaign for bolstering Torah, spreading Torah and the observance of Mitzvot. One person might do this through his writing, another with his oratory, another with his wealth.” The Rav bolstered Torah and mitzvos. Boruch dayan emes.
Rav Ashkenazi we must u now with Melech Hamoshiah!!!
עד מתי?? משיח יעצטט !
דיי לגלותת!!!
What a great loss!! 🙁
We are in shock. What can you say? He was the glue that held us together.
What a shock. I remember a beautiful Shiur he gave on why we don’t wash for for שלש סעודות. Baruch Dayen emes.
He was one of the greatest authorities in chabad, how can we fill such a void?!!!!!!!
bd”e.
“Chaval al d’avdin v’loh mishtakchin”
Baruch Dayan Haemet.
Wow! Cant believe this ;(
But I was always in awe of this one
BDE
Tragic!!
kal vchomer his family
may Hashem give them strength and comfort
Ad mosai? Ad mosai? Ad mosai?
We want MOshiach NNNNNOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!
Please Hashem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We lost our twin towers today.
A revealed gadol hatorah , Rabbi Ashkenazi and a nistar Rabbi Rones
Great, rightous, good, pious man!
This is very big loss for chabad comunity and jewish world.
We will miss him…. so special person
He suffered the heart attack 10 minutes away from Kfar Chabad, ON his way to Tiberias.
Rav Ashkenazi successes Rabbi Nochum Trebnik the last Rav of Kfar Chabad. Rabbi Trebnik served for around a decade. He was the son in law of Rabbi Gorelik.
machiach now
BDE
SO YOUNG
On his father ‘s yortziet
Crazy how he passed away on his fathers yarzteit
עד מתי? אנחנו רוצים משיח אחשב!
Rebbe!!! WE NEED YOU! Where is all this taking us to? we need a LEADER!
what a lose
a giant of a man!
What a terrible loss!
we want moshiach NOW
Im sure he will be begging for all of us
A big loss for Chabad. He gave me Smicha. He will be a strong advocate on high for Moshiach. May we share only Good news.
A big lost.
ממש חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין משיח נאו והקימו ואינו שוכני עפר והוא בתוכם