Harav Asher Tennenbaum, zt”l

Rav of Givat Shaul and director of the Vaad Hayeshivos

A large crowd, headed by Roshei Yeshivah and Rebbes, shlita, accompanied Harav Asher Tennenbaum, zt”l, the Rav of the Givat Shaul neighborhood in Yerushalayim and the director of the Vaad Hayeshivos in Eretz Yisrael, on his final journey on Sunday.

Harav Asher Tennenbaum was born in Nisan of 5701/1941
to Rabbi Moshe Dovid Tennenbaum, z”l, who was a close confidant of Gedolei Torah for 50 years, and worked tirelessly on behalf of the Torah world as the head of the Vaad Hayeshivos. Reb Asher was blessed with many talents; he was brilliant and sharp and learned with great diligence. He also had a phenomenal memory and became proficient in all areas of Torah, nigleh and nistar. In his youth he learned in Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, where he was a top student, deeply admired by his peers and beloved by his rebbeim.

He became close to the Beis Yisrael of Ger, zy”a, and submitted himself completely to the Rebbe, who imbued him with lessons of kedushah and Chassidus. He learned in Ponevezh, where he was a tremendous mechadesh, and where the Roshei Yeshivah, zt”l, all doted on him.

After his marriage to Shifra, the daughter of Rabbi Menachem Porush, z”l, who held him in great esteem, Reb Asher began learning in the Mirrer Kollel. He made great strides in his learning, and before he reached the age of 27, he received semichah.

He served for almost 50 years as the Rav of Givat Shaul. He worked to mold the character of the neighborhood and reaped tremendous pride in seeing it become settled by chareidi families.

Upon the passing of his father, Harav Eliezer Menachem Schach, zt”l, and the Pnei Menachem, zt”l, appointed Reb Asher to bear the burden of the existence of the yeshivah world by heading the Vaad Hayeshivos, despite his great desire to keep learning.

Throughout the 19 years that he directed the Vaad Hayeshivos, he was able to ensure that not a single yeshivah student was drafted against his will.

Together with all his responsibilities as head of the Vaad Hayeshivos, he was still extremely devoted to his kehillah. He was punctilious about delivering his regular shiurim and davened with the vasikin minyan every day.

He invested tremendous energies into establishing the central shul in Givat Shaul, which is open all day for davening and shiurim. The beis medrash is fully stocked with a huge array of sefarim and serves as a library for the hundreds of residents of the neighborhood.

He was kind and warm to everyone and opened his home and heart to the needy and downtrodden. Emunah was the foundation on which his life was built. He was exemplary in his performance of kibbud av va’eim, and he had little interest in material matters.

He passed away on Sunday morning, surrounded by his family.

The levayah took place at the shul he established, Mishkan Babad. Hespeidim were delivered by his mechutan, Harav Yitzchak Silberstein, shlita, Rav of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood in Bnei Brak; Harav Shmuel Auerbach, shlita; Harav Yosef Heisler, shlita; Harav Avraham Yitzchak Ullman, shlita; and his sons, Harav Dov Meir Tennenbaum and Harav Yaakov Tennenbaum.

He is survived by the beautiful family he built with his Rebbetzin, tbl”c, who stood devotedly at his side until his final moment. His sons, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all follow the paths of their father and grandfather in Torah and avodas Hashem.

Yehi zichro baruch.

This article appeared in print on page 6 of the January 28th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.