BDE: Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi Passes Away At Age 94

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Torah world was plunged into mourning with the passing of Hagaon Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Rosh Yeshiva of Ateres Yisrael and the senior member of the Council Of Torah Sages, at the age of 94.

Rabbi Ezrachi had been hospitalized due to respiratory issues in the summer and had been sedated and respirated. During the last four months his condition had fluctuated and at times had improved, but on Thursday morning he lost consciousness and passed away at Hadassah hospital in Ein Kerem.

Rabbi Ezrachi was born on Purim 5689 (1929) in Petach Tikva. In his youth he studied in Hevron yeshiva and later married the daughter of Rabbi Meir Chodosh, the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Hevron. Rabbi Ezrachi taught shiur in the yeshiva as well as in Kfar Chasidim.

Rabbi Ezrachi was deeply involved in encouraging high school and grade school graduates to enter the world of Torah. To achieve this goal he founded the Bnei Torah movement in 1964, which held special summer camps and other activities to attract more children to become Bnei Torah. Over the last 60 years, thousands of children were persuaded to go to yeshiva after participating in Bnei Torah’s activities.

In 1976 Rabbi Ezrachi left Hevron yeshiva and founded the Ateres Yisrael yeshiva in Bayit V’gan in memory of his father who had passed away just beforehand. Rabbi Meir Chodosh served as the Mashgiach in the yeshiva, which quickly gained prominence as Rabbi Ezrachi inspired a new generation of rabbis and Torah scholars. Some of his more famous disciples are Rabbi Dovid Cohen of Hevron yeshiva, Rav Yitzchak Peretz, rabbi of Raanana, Rav Yehuda Deri, rabbi of Beersheva and Rabbi Mordechai Toledano, Av Beis Din in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Ezrachi gave many shiurim as well as a famous chaburah on Friday nights attended by many. The yeshiva has moved in recent years from Bayit V’gan to Modiin Illit and Rabbi Ezrachi continued to head the yeshiva and commute there from his home until recently.

Many of his shiurim and talks were transcribed in his sets of Birkas Mordechai, including four volumes on Shas, five on the Torah and others on the festivals.

Rabbi Ezrachi served as a member of the Council of Torah Sages from 2012. He will be buried on Har Hazeisim next to his wife Shulamis, who passed away two years ago. The levaya is set to be postponed until Friday, as his only son is abroad and has not yet returned. Rabbi Ezrachi is also survived by his four daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

May his memory be blessed.