Rav Aryeh Levine zt"l
הרב אריה בן בנימין ביינוש לוין זצ"ל
Nissan 9 , 5729
Rav Aryeh Levine zt"l
Rav Aryeh Levine was born on the 6th of Nissan 5645, and passed away on the 9th of Nissan 5729 (March 22, 1885 – March 28, 1969). He was known by one and all as “The Father of the Prisoners”.
Rav Levine was born in Urla, near Bialistock, Poland, to his father R’ Binyamin Beinush and his mother Ettel. He learned at the Slutzk & Slonim Yeshivoth, and was considered an outstanding, diligent talmid and an illuy (a genius). In spite of his youth, he was accepted at the Volozhin Yeshiva, where he became very close to his rebbe, Rav Chaim Berlin, who was later nominated as Av Beis Din (Rabbinical Court Chief Judge) of Moscow and Yerushalayim. In Adar 5765 (March 1095), he came to live in Eretz Yisrael, where he learned at the Yeshivas Toras Chaim. He was ordained by Rav Chaim Berlin, Rav Shmuel Selant and Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook. Rav Aryeh married the daughter of Rav David Shapira; his brother-in-law was Rav Zvi Pesach Frank, the Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim. Rav Aryeh Levine’s daughter married Rav Shlomo Eliyashiv’s grandson, Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv ztz'l.
For many decades he served as Mashgiach at the Yeshivas Etz Chaim in Yerushalayim, where thousands of boys were nurtured and educated by him like a loving father. His modest ways and magnificent personality are etched in their minds and in their hearts for life. Rav Aryeh was renowned for his wondrous acts of chessed; all his actions were done purely for the sake of Heaven, with extreme humility and great respect for his fellowman. He was known as “The Father of the Prisoners”, having regularly visited Prisoners of Zion imprisoned during the time of the British Mandate. In his visits, he would encourage them, bringing them letters and greetings from home. He was especially renowned for visiting the underground movement prisoners, and those who were condemned to hanging. Rav Aryeh also made regular visits to the unfortunate patients at the Lepers’ Hospital.
After the War of Independence, the bodies of members of the “convoy of 35” were returned to Eretz Yisrael, 18 months after being killed in action. The Military Rabbinate was unable to identify for certain 12 of the bodies, and after consulting with Rav Zvi Pesach Frank, the Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim, Rav Levine was given the task of drawing “The Gra’s Lot” in order to identify them. This lot is done using a special Tanach, ascribed to the Vilna Gaon. The fascinating results were received as conclusive evidence by the bereaved families, the IDF, and the Ministry of Defense.
After the State of Israel was established, Rav Levine founded the Yeshiva that is named after him – Beis Aryeh – and designated his son-in-law, Rabbi Eliezer Platinsky, Rav Noson Zvi Finkel – the Alter of Slabodka’s grandson – as Rosh Yeshiva. Today, the Yeshiva numbers a few dozen talmidim, among them renowned rabbanim and poskim.
Rav Levine passed away on the eve of Shabbos Hagadol 5729 (1969), at the Hadassah Ein Karem Medical Center, Yerushalayim, and was buried after chatzos (noon). Thus, his last will and testament, that he should not be eulogized at the funeral, was fulfilled (both due to the sanctity of the approaching Shabbos, and since no hespedim are said during the month of Nissan).
For many years, Rav Levine lived on Har G’rizim Street in the neighborhood of Mishkanot, Yerushalayim. Following his death, the street was re-named after him. The Yeshiva that he founded – Yeshivas Beis Aryeh – still stands there, at the courtyard of his home, drawing both scholars and tourists, as a fascinating site among Yerushalayim's narrow alleyways.