R’ Emanuel Yechiya Meshulam, z”l, a beloved mohel and tzaddik known throughout Israel for his decades of mesirus nefesh in performing brissim purely l’shem Shamayim was tragically niftar as he prepared to perform another one. He was 88.

The niftar collapsed suddenly in the middle of a bris milah on Wednesday afternoon at a simcha held in Bilu Junction, central Israel. Shocked onlookers watched as the joyous moment turned tragic in an instant. Emergency medical personnel were immediately called to the scene. The call was received by his very own grandson, Kfir Meshulam — a volunteer with Magen David Adom.

Kfir rushed over, only to discover that the patient was his beloved grandfather. Despite his frantic efforts and rushing R’ Emanuel to Kaplan Medical Center, doctors were tragically forced to declare his petirah shortly after arrival.

Footage of the mohel’s collapse and petirah has been shared across social media. As a matter of basic respect and sensitivity, YWN will not be doing so.

For over four decades, R’ Emanuel Meshulam performed tens of thousands of brissim throughout Eretz Yisrael and beyond, never once accepting payment. “I do it all l’shem shamayim,” he would often say. Any funds offered to him were redirected to support a beis knesses he built l’ilui nishmas his father.

His life’s mission was not only in milah but in avodas hakodesh and community service. A Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) in the IDF’s Military Police, he once served alongside Ariel Sharon. After his military service, he managed a branch of Bank Leumi in the Sh’arayim neighborhood of Rechovot, all while continuing his avodas hakodesh as a mohel.

Just this morning — in what now shows itself as open hashgachah pratis — R’ Emanuel officially certified a talmid who had trained under him for four years. After his petirah mid-bris, that very talmid stepped forward and completed the milah — his first, in place of his rebbi.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)