HaGaon HaRav Baruch Shmuel HaKohen Deutsch, z’tl, who served for 40 years as one of the Roshei Yeshivos of Kol Torah and in more recent years as the Rosh Yeshivah of Be’er Mordechai and one of the leaders of the Bnei Torah movement (Peleg Yerushalmi), was niftar on Monday at the age of 82.

The niftar was born in 1942 to his father, HaGaon HaRav Rabbi Binyamin Ze’ev HaCohen Deutsch, z’tl, who was a trusted member of the household of the Ponevezher Rav, HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, z’tl, during the establishment of Yeshivas Ponevezh and its institutions in Eretz Yisrael.

As a teen, he began learning in Ponevezh, where his name spread as a tremendous illui and masmid. For years, he learned continuously from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. without taking a break between the two sedarim, learning 11 consecutive hours day after day. During his time at the yeshivah, he developed a close relationship with HaGaon HaRav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, zt’l.

He later attended Yeshivas Brisk in Jerusalem, where he became a pillar of the yeshivah and was widely known as a baki in Gemara, both Bavli and Yerushalmi.

When he reached marriageable age, he married the daughter of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Kibelwitz, z’tl, and was appointed as a Rosh Mesivta at the Tchebin yeshivah.

In 1982, he was appointed as one of the Roshei Yeshivos of Kol Torah Yeshiva, a position he held with boundless dedication to his talmidim for nearly 40 years.

His name became widely known to the public when the Degel HaTorah movement was established, as HaGaon HaRav Shach, z’tl, relied on him implicitly to assist in leading the community. A source told B’Chadrei Chareidim: “The connection between HaRav Shach and HaRav Baruch Shmuel is something that cannot be described in words to those who did not see it. There was a feeling that HaRav Shach relied on his opinion as a pure and clear Daas Torah. HaRav Shach would call HaRav Baruch Shmuel on almost every public matter and clarify the issue with him before issuing a ruling to the public. Incidentally, it is also known that during HaGaon HaRav Elyashiv’s leadership, he would call HaRav Baruch Shmuel to hear his opinion on the matter before any significant public decision.”

Interestingly, after the petirah of HaRav Shach, z’tl, HaRav Deutsch sought to be less involved in leadership matters and even refused HaRav Elyashiv’s request to become a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel.

Following the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Elyashiv, z’tl, and the division in the Litvish community, HaRav Deutsch left Kol Torah and opened Yeshivas Be’er Mordechai and became one of the leaders of Peleg Yerushalmi.

Five years ago, HaRav Deutsch became seriously ill and never fully recovered. During this time, he moved back to Bnei Brak, and in the last month he was in and out of care at Mayanei Hayeshua Hospital.

His petirah comes less than a year after the petirah of his younger brother, the leader of Peleg Yerushalmi, HaGaon HaRav Asher Deutsch, z’tl.

The levaya is scheduled to leave from his home in Sanhedria Murchevet to his nearby Beis Medrash and then continue until Har HaMenuchos.

תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)