It is with deep regret that YWN informs you of the petirah of HaRav Daniel Lehrfield zt”l, Rosh Yeshivas Beis Yisroel in Neve Yaakov, Yerushalayim. He was 83 years old.

Rav Lehrfield zt”l was born in Chicago to his father HaRav Yehuda Leib Lehrfield zt”l, one of the founders of the local kehillah. At the young age of sixteen, he left his family and traveled to Eretz Yisroel to learn Torah. He grew in gadlus in the hallowed walls of Yeshivas Mir and Chevron, where he became beloved to all his Rabbeim.

When the time came, he married in America, to his rebbetzin, the daughter of HaRav Shlomo Yosef Chill zt”l — a veteran talmid of the Mir from before the war, a marbitz Torah in America, and a close talmid of the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l, and Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l. He was also active in Vaad Hatzalah after the war.

After his chasunah, Rav Daniel learned in Rav Hutner’s Kollel Gur Aryeh in Crown Heights. At the age of twenty-eight, he moved permanently to Eretz Yisroel, first learning in the Kollel of Rav Kreiswirth zt”l in Gilo. Later, he became a maggid shiur in Yeshivas HaNegev under the leadership of Harav Yissachar Meir zt”l. During those years, he would spend the entire week in the Yeshiva and only return to his family in Yerushalayim for Shabbos, staying in the Rosh Yeshiva’s home during the week.

In later years, Rav Doniel zt”l served as Rosh Yeshiva in several mosdos, and about forty years ago, he founded Yeshivas Beis Yisroel, originally in Beis Vagan, and later in Neve Yaakov. The yeshiva was known as a makom Torah especially for bochurim from Chutz La’aretz.

Rav Lehrfield zt”l was known as an outstanding talmid chochom and amkan, who raised thousands of talmidim in Torah and yiras Shamayim over the decades. His shiurim were deep, clear, and fiery, planting in his talmidim a lifelong love of Torah. He was admired for his anivus, yashrus, and ehrlichkeit.

He maintained close ties with Gedolei Yisroel from across the spectrum, among them Rav Shach zt”l, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, Rav Chaim Zimmerman zt”l, and Rav Berel Soloveitchik zt”l. In recent years, he was also close with Harav Shaul Alter shlit”a.

Rav Lehrfield zt”l was mechaber over forty seforim, including Binas Daniel on Shas and Chemdas Daniel on Aggadah.

He leaves behind sons who are marbitzei Torah — among them Rav Moshe, Rosh Yeshivas Beis Yisroel, Rav Yisroel, maggid shiur in Beis Yisroel, Rav Naftali, Rosh Kollel and Rav in Shaarei Chesed, Rav Shlomo, maggid shiur in Beis Yisroel, and Rav Yehuda, Rosh Kollel Hadar Yosef and R”M in Mishkan Yaakov — as well as sons-in-law who are prominent marbitzei Torah, including Rav Yisroel Landa, Rosh Yeshivas Heichal Yitzchak, Rav Akiva Aderet of Lakewood, Rav Aryeh Buxbaum of Machon Yerushalayim, and Rav Eliezer Grinsfeld of Yeshivas Heichal Yitzchak and Migdal Oz.

He is further survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are continuing in his derech of Torah and avodah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)