Rabbi Chananya Yosef Eisenbach, 77, OBM

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Chananya Yosef Eisenbach, who has educated thousands in the Yeshivos that he led and through the many seforim he wrote, passed away on Friday, 30 Shvat 5781.

He was 77 and has been battling cancer in recent years.

Rabbi Eisenbach was born on 24 Cheshvan 5704 (1943) in the religious Beis Yisroel neighborhood in Jerusalem to his parents R’ Shimon Benzion and Chana Rechyl Eisenbach.

In his youth, he learned in the Ponevezh Yeshiva and later in the Yeahiva Toras Emes Chabad, before traveling to New York and learning in the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch at 770 Eastern Parkway, allowing him to closely follow and learn from the Rebbe.

Gifted with a brilliant mind and outstanding memory, he spent his days diligently studying all parts of Torah and Chassidus. He was deeply influenced by Rabbi Shmuel Elazar Halperin of Jerusalem and the famed Kfar Chabad Mashpia Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman.

In 5729, he married his wife Bracha Elka, daughter of Rabbi Aharon Berenshtein, Rosh Yeshivas Chayei Olam in Jerusalem.

Over the years, he stood at the helm of several Torah institutions, including Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Kiryat Gat, Beis Medrash Gavoa in Jerusalem, Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Bnei Brak, Machon L’limudei Horah in Brussels and Kollel Ohel Yosef Moshe in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He was a charismatic teacher who devoted many hours to his students and even showed personal care for their well-being, breaking the common barrier between the scholarly Rosh Yeshiva and the fledgling bochur.

With an insatiable drive, he took an active role in other endeavors such joining the esteemed editorial team of the Talmudic Encyclopedia, founding the institute Machon B’taama for publishing essays on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch and regularly writing in the Kfar Chabad Magazine.

He became known as a prolific author for his series of seforim titled Machne Yosef which contained his chidushim and pilpulim on Gemara, Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, the Rebbe’s Sichos and more.

He served as an ambassador of sorts by developing close relationships with leading rabbonim, admurim and Rosh Yeshivos from various streams using the connection to defend the ways of Chassidus and promulgate the Rebbe’s teachings and directives.

He is survived by his wife, their children Mrs. Leah Belinow – wife of Rabbi Asher Belinow, Rosh Yeshiva Chabad in Elad, Israel; Rabbi Shimon Eisenbach, Maggid Shiur in Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in Brunoy, France; grandchildren.

He is also survived by his brothers Rabbi Sholom Leib Eisenbach – Montreal and Rabbi Avrohom Eisenbach – Jerusalem and sister Ahuva Rosenvasser – Bnei Brak.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes: Chananya Yosef ben Shimon Benzion