Rabbi Menachem Meir Blau, a passionate Lubavitcher chossid devoted to the Rebbe and his instructions, passed away on Monday, 21 Sivan 5776.
He was 70.
Rabbi Blau was born in Shanghai to Rabbi Moshe Yehuda and Chaya Hena Blau. His father served as a Rav in Boro Park and was most famous for his magnum opus the 40-volume Shitas Hakadmonim. His mother was a daughter of Reb Meir Shmaryahu Schochet.
Rabbi Menachem M. Blau invested himself for nearly 50 years in spreading the Rebbe’s teachings beyond Lubavitch. To this end he spared no effort including endeavors such as the weekly Torah Gedanken column which he prepared for the Algemeiner.
In addition, he publicized and brought people to the Rebbe’s farbrengens. He also distributed “thought for the week” to thousands of homes weekly to ensure the Rebbe’s message reached the masses.
In 1988, he started the Crown Heights Newsline to further spread the Rebbe’s teachings and farbrengens. He facilitated weekly Chazara of Farbrengen review for Anash and Shluchim worldwide each Motzoei Shabbos.
Rabbi Blau served as principal of Hadar Hatorah for several years and inspired many to become Baalei Teshuva, several of whom have kept in touch with him through the years.
In recent years, he said selected excerpts from the Rebbe on inyonei moshiach ugeulah connected to the specific time. He hardly missed a day of sharing these messages in 770 to inspire others to await for and take action to bring Moshiach. He yearned for and lived to bring Moshiach every day.
Together with his wife, Esther, they established a warm and open home built on strong Chassidishe values and selflessly dedicated to so many causes.
He was a strong source of encouragement and support to his wife’s involvement in many community projects and was extremely proud of his children’s devotion to Chinuch and Shlichus.
He is survived by his wife, Esther Blau, and children: Devorah Layeh Kosofsky (Crown Heights), Chanie Brand (Montreal), Sternie Mellul (Montreal), Rochie Storfer (Miami, FL), Rivkie Blau (Los Angeles, CA), Aidel Zaklos (Vacaville, CA), Shainy Edelman (Crown Heights), Rabbi Mendy Blau (Crown Heights), Rabbi Dovber Blau (Crown Heights), Rabbi Yosef Levi Blau (Toronto), Chyena Yusewitz (Crown Heights), and Yisroel Blau (Crown Heights) and many grandchildren.
He is also survived by his brother Rooven Blau and sisters Nechama Kastel and Rochel Elishevitz.
The Levaya will take place Tomorrow, Tuesday, leaving Shomrei Hadas 9:30 am and passing by 770 at 10:45 am.
Shiva will take place at 852 Eastern Parkway
SHIVA HOURS
11am – 4pm
7pm – 10:30 pm
Please respect family time
for the aveilim only:
4-7 PM ••• 10:30–11:30 PM
MINYANIM HOURS
Shachris:
7am, 8am, 9am, 10am
Mincha:
1:35pm (x2) • 8pm (x2)
Maariv:
b’zmana (4 minyanim)
Nechama Kastel will be sitting at 424 Sterling St. from 8-10pm. Rochel Elishevitz will be sitting with the Blau Family on Eastern Parkway during the day and on Sterling St. in the evening. Reuven Blau will be sitting on Eastern Parkway.
Baruch dayan haemes.
aveyde gedoile lechul eychud she hikir oisoi. gam chutz la chabad i will miss him
Sincerely lived and breathed Geula and Moshiach every day of his life. There was not a day where it was not at the forefront of his mind. I remember listening to him comment at his son’s chassuna how he was extremely disappointed that the wedding was where it was and not in Eretz Yisroel with Moshiach. He truly lived the possuk “im lo aleh yerushalaim al rosh simchasi”, and he most definately will be a ‘meilitz yosher’ that he come speedily!
It is not up to little people like us to describe the qualities of a true ChossidThose qualities are clearly described in the Rebbe’s Sichos etc. It is clear from the Rebbe’s words,that Rabbi Blau was a true Chossid,in which case it is fitting to say אבד חסיד מארץ.
We have indeed all suffered a great loss of a proof that in our day and age,It IS POSSIBLE to be a Chossid like it was in the “good Old Days”
Your yeshiva borchrim are very grateful for all you have done for us . For taking us into your yeshiva and feeding us every Shabbos and much more. It is no doubt that you and your husband have and will continue to bring much nachas to your father
May we have the ultimate revelation of Melech Hamoshiach. And we hear your father once again delivering his daily word about moshiach in the 3rd Beis hamikdash Now!!!!
-Yeshiva Torah Ohr
Our thoughts are with you
May you be reunited with your father -neshama bguf
With the coming of moshiach – now
On behalf of the entire eighth grade -Bais Rivka
A true chosid of the rebbe, he was too young to be taken from us, but I am positive that he will push for the immediate hisgalus.
Hamakom yenacem eschem besoch shaarei tzion veyerushalyim!
Moshiach now
The good news is that he will surely storm the heavens and demand Moshiach.. That’s what he lived for.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… You can see his eidelkeit and true chassidshkeit in every one of his children.
Sending love from Australia
Where the rebbe openly expressed his appreciation and satisfaction for the TORAH gedanken
Does anyone know where that sicha is from ?
I also once heard that when rabbi Blau was struggling to continue paying for the torah gedanken around the time of the rebbes heart attack…. The mazkirus told him that he cannot stop since the rebbe asks for a copy of the torah gedanken every week, and they were afraid the rebbe should see it’s not printed – instead the mazkirus offered to give him some money towards the project
May his memory be blessed
a dugmah in the shechunah for us all.
he was a person that was constantly aware and always reminding those around him to put in daily thought and action what the rebbe is expecting from us
special person
The years that the farbrengens were broacast over the radio he would send a car to drive thruout Boro park; and as all remember his voice on the mike on the car saying : “Tonite will be a very very special farbrengen from The Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlito @ 9:30 pm and will be broacast live on radio station WEVD”.
baruch dayan haemet!
AMEN to #3!
When I was a bochur, I would listen to his inyanei Moshiach Geulah section in 770. His message I took loud and clear.
May we see that all the Nshomos higher up, descend back in a guf. This is the highest and greatest aliya.
So sorry to hear. His wife esther is a true tzadaikes.
ברוך דיין האמת
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון ויושביה
Beautiful sincere chassidishe family.
Bd’e
Such an amazing person, chossid, husband, father, zaide. In the more the 30 years I’ve known rabbi blau and his family I never heard him raise his voice in anger. Always a kind word for everyone no matter you were.
My heart goes out to his family, May his neshama always have aliyahs
Aibershter! Please bring Moshiach! NOW! Yidden! We need to work on our achdus!! The Rebbe writes that sinas chinam had no basis. And to rectify this we need ahavas chinam! This means, that loving another yid, even where we have no basis to! Even if we think we have valid reasons to hate them/slander them, etc. And yet, we must still love them and respect them! Thats the kind of ahavas chinam that we need to bring Moshiach! (Think… Bad-mouthing our rabbanim in public, anonymous forums, even if we THINK we have a right to. If even one person would… Read more »
Baruch Dayan Haemes
A wonderful man filled with energy doing the Rebbe’s work.