Baruch Dayan HeEmes💔
Daughter of Maran HaGaon Rav Elyashiv ZT”L: The Tzadeikes Rebbetzin Sarah Rochel Yisroelson Z”L has Passed Away
The tzadeikes Rebbetzin Sarah Rochel Yisroelson Z”L, daughter of Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ZT”L and almanah of HaGaon Rav Yosef Yisroel Yisroelson ZT”L, has returned her neshama at the age of 93 at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak.
Just last Wednesday, the Rebbetzin participated in the engagement celebration of her youngest grandchild. The following day, she collapsed, and her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to her hospitalization. Her mishpacha gathered near her room to recite Tehillim, and sadly overnight she was niftar.
The levayah will take place today (Wednesday) at 1:00 PM Local Time from her home at 5 Chazon Ish Street in Bnei Brak, proceeding to the Ponevezh Yeshiva Beis Hakvaros where she will be brought to kevura .
Rebbetzin Yisroelson Z”L was born in Yerushalayim on 3 Teves 5693 to her father, Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ZT”L, and her mother, Rebbetzin Sheina Chaya a”h, the daughter of the tzaddik and “Father of Prisoners” HaGaon Rav Aryeh Levin ZT”L.
She grew up under the direct guidance of her parents, witnessing firsthand an extraordinary dedication to Torah amidst hardship.
Upon reaching marriageable age, she married her husband, HaGaon Rav Yosef Yisroel Yisroelson zt”l, who served as rosh kollel of Kollel Bar Shaul in Rechovot and authored the sefer Kitzurei Halachos. He was known as an exceptional talmid chochom who lived quietly and avoided public recognition.
Together, the Rebbetzin and her husband built their home upon the foundations of Torah and yiras Shomayim, with her devoting herself entirely to supporting her husband so he could immerse himself in his learning.
For decades, they lived side-by-side as neighbors to Maran HaGaon Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l and HaGaon Rav Yitzchok Grodzensky zt”l at 5 Chazon Ish Street in Bnei Brak.
Rebbetzin Yisroelson Z”L regularly traveled from Bnei Brak to her father’s home twice a week to manage all his household needs, arriving at 11:30 a.m. and staying until 7:00 p.m. When her work was finished, she would approach her father before returning to Bnei Brak to wish him a “gute nacht.” Rav Elyashiv would respond warmly, thanking her for her efforts and giving her a bracha that she merit success, bracha, and nachas from all her descendants.
During his final years, her father’s hasmadah in Torah intensified even further beyond previous years, to the point that he was reluctant to interrupt his learning for anything. During that period, Rav Elyashiv guarded even those brief moments; when his daughter came to say goodbye and receive a Bracha, he would simply nod his head toward her in greeting rather than stop his learning.
When someone once asked the Rebbetzin if she felt hurt that her father merely nodded to her while he blessed everyone else who visited in wide-hearted warmth, Rebbetzin Yisroelson answered in these words:
“My father warmly blesses everyone who comes to his home because he knows that they need it. But he knows me and knows that I am happy with every second that he learns, and therefore I prefer to forgo his farewell blessing as long as I do not interrupt his learning or take away from his precious moments.”
During her lifetime, she sat shivah for her sisters: Rebbetzin Batsheva Esther Kanievsky a”h, Rebbetzin Leah Auerbach a”h, Rebbetzin Dina Ettel Berlin a”h, and Rebbetzin Shoshana Zilberstein a”h; as well as her brothers: HaGaon Rav Shlomo zt”l and HaGaon Rav Avrohom zt”l. She also endured the pain of losing her granddaughter, Rebbetzin Miriam Epstein a”h, during her lifetime.
She leaves behind her sons: HaGaon Rav Dov, a distinguished talmid chochom; HaGaon Rav Avrohom Tzvi, rov of Chanichei Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer; HaGaon Rav Shlomo, an educational supervisor at Talmud Torah Aviezri-Halichos Shmuel; and HaGaon Rav Lipa Yisroelson, publisher of the seforim of Rav Elyashiv, among others; and her son-in-law, HaGaon Rav Dovid Sofer, rov of the Alfei Menashe kehillah in Bnei Brak.
She is also survived by her brothers, HaGaon Rav Moshe Elyashiv Shlit”a and HaGaon Rav Binyomin Dovid Elyashiv Shlit”a, and her sister, Rebbetzin Rimer.
Besuros Tovos
