A heavy pall has descended upon Yeshivas Kol Torah L’Tze’irim in Yerushalayim and upon the broader Torah world with the petirah of Rav Aviezer Asher Zelig Shapira zt”l, longtime mashgiach of the yeshiva. Rav Shapira was niftar in the early morning hours at the age of 81.

In recent months, his health had fluctuated. The mashgiach was hospitalized for a period and experienced improvement and was able to return to the yeshiva. In recent days, however, his condition deteriorated once again, and before dawn he was niftar.

Rav Aviezer was born in Kfar Chassidim on 5 Adar 5704 to his father, Rav Shlomo Aharon Shapira zt”l, and his mother, Rachel a”h.

In his youth, he learned in Yeshivas Kol Torah and later continued his studies in Yeshivas Chevron, where he absorbed the teachings of his revered rabbeim and developed into a distinguished talmid chacham.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he wed the daughter of Rav Meir Ephraim Winkler zt”l, who served as rav of the Machzikei HaDas kehillah in Copenhagen and later as a R”M at Yeshivas Torah Ore in Yerushalayim. His father-in-law was a son of Rav Michael Shalom Winkler zt”l, rav of Machzikei HaDas in Copenhagen and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in Europe.

In 5730, Rav Shapira was appointed rav of the Ohr HaChaim beis haknesses in the Geulah neighborhood of Yerushalayim. The shul had been established in 5690 by a cousin of his grandfather, Rav Avraham Yaakov Shapira zt”l. From that time, he also served as the Rebbe of the Drohobycz chassidus, continuing the legacy of its founder, Rav Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira zt”l.

His grandfather, Rav Aviezri Zelig Shapira zt”l, was a son of the Gavadzitzer Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Mordechai Shapira zt”l, and the son-in-law of his uncle, the founder of the Drohobycz dynasty, Rav Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira. Rav Shapira was a descendant of the Kozhnitzer dynasty on his great-grandfather’s side and of the Ruzhiner dynasty through his grandmother.

In 5738, he was appointed mashgiach of Yeshivas Kol Torah L’Tze’irim. For decades thereafter, he became the central spiritual figure of what is widely regarded as the premier mesivta in Yerushalayim, guiding and nurturing thousands of talmidim.

Rav Aviezer was the living spirit of the yeshiva, deeply involved both in the acceptance of new talmidim and in shaping the ruchniyus of the beis medrash. The talmidim loved him dearly, and he returned that ahavah in kind, embodying “k’mayim panim el panim.”

Every night, he would make his way to the Kosel HaMa’aravi. Over the years, he was among those who established the custom of reciting Nishmas at the Kosel at chatzos, a practice that became widely known and regarded as a powerful segulah.

Rav Shapira also served as chairman of the executive committee of Chevra Kadisha Chassidim in Yerushalayim and was a member of the board of Kollel Chibas Yerushalayim.

He merited to see doros yesharim u’mevorachim, sons and daughters and many descendants following in the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim. One of his sons, Reb Menachem Shapira, serves as deputy mayor of Bnei Brak and was especially devoted to his father.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}