It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l, one of the ziknei roshei yeshivos, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Harama and author of Bais Av. He was 104 years old.

Rav Schlesinger was born on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (November 23, 1921) in Vienna to Rav Dovid Schlesinger and his mother, Baila. In 1931, as a young child, he moved with his family to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in Tel Aviv. His formative Torah education began under the guidance of Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, and he later continued his learning at Yeshivas Kaminetz and at Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah.

Rav Schlesinger married his wife, Dina Yehudis, daughter of Rav Moshe Blau. Following the passing of his father-in-law, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim, a mosad established in Rav Blau’s memory. At the recommendation of the Brisker Rov, Rav Schlesinger later relocated to Europe. He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in the city of Kapellen, Belgium, for two years, before moving to London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama. The yeshiva was named in honor of the Chasam Sofer’s son, the Kesav Sofer, and later also in recognition of the Daas Sofer, who had been one of Rav Schlesinger’s rabbeim.

Over the decades, Rav Schlesinger became one of the central figures of the chareidi community in England, maintaining close relationships with many of the gedolei Yisroel of his generation, including the Brisker Rov and the Chazon Ish. His personal recollections and insights into those figures were later recorded in his sefer Hador Vehatekufah, which offers a rare first-hand window into the Torah leadership of the previous generation.

Beyond his role as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger was deeply involved in communal matters. He was long active in the protection of kevorim across Europe and served as chairman of the committee dedicated to safeguarding Jewish cemeteries on the continent. His principled stance on a range of public issues, particularly matters affecting Torah education and religious autonomy, made him a prominent voice of daas Torah and the preservation of authentic Yiddishkeit.

Rav Schlesinger was the author of numerous Torah works, including multiple volumes of Bais Av on Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, as well as a Haggadah shel Pesach and other seforim that reflect his breadth in both learning and hashkafah.

He is survived by a family of noted rabbonim and marbitzei Torah.

Yehi zichro boruch. 

{Matzav.com}