Harav Naftali Hertzka Frenkel, Zt”l

The Torah world was saddened with the petirah early Tuesday of Harav Naftali Hertzka Frenkel, zt”l, leading Dayan on the Badatz Eidah Chareidis, and Rav of the Chug Chasam Sofer community in Yerushalayim. He was 77 at his petirah.

Harav Frenkel was hospitalized shortly after Pesach last year, in the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Yerushalayim, after a serious stroke. Later he was moved to Netanyah’s Laniado hospital, where he was niftar.

The levayah of Harav Frenkel set out from Netanyah to Yerushalayim, where he was buried on Har Hamenuchos.

Harav Naftali Hertzka Frenkel was born in Makov, Hungary, in 5699/1939. His parents were Reb Yehoshua and Hinda Frenkel. When he was seven years old, the family moved to Eretz Yisrael, settling in Yerushalayim.

Reb Naftali learned in the Dushinsky yeshivah in Yerushalayim, under Hagaon Harav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, zt”l. When he came of age, Reb Naftali married, tbl”c, Rebbetzin Chayah Sarah, the daughter of Hagaon Harav Yissachar Dov Goldstein, zt”l, Rosh Kollel of Shomrei Hachomos and Rav of the Chug Chasam Sofer community in Yerushalayim.

Reb Naftali learned Dayanus under Hagaon Harav Yaakov Yitzchak Weiss, zt”l, Gaavad of the Eidah Chareidis. He was appointed a Rav and Dayan at the age of just 36.

Being the son-in-law of Harav Goldstein, Reb Naftali succeeded him in the positions of Rosh Kollel Shomrei HaChomos and Rav of the Chug Chasam Sofer community after the petirah of his father-on-law in 5748/1988.

In recent years, Reb Naftali was appointed as one of the members of the Badatz Eidah Chareidis.

He was noted for his expertise in Dayanus, and his halachic responsa, Imrei Binah, are noted in the world of Choshen Mishpat for their clear psakim.

Reb Naftali is survived by his Rebbetzin, his sons: Harav Aharon Shmuel, who has overseen the shul of his father since he took ill; Harav Menachem Mendel; Harav Yosef Tzvi; Harav Yehoshua; Harav Avraham Ben Zion; and his daughters: Mrs. Rochel Wieder; Mrs. Esther Halberstam; Mrs. Yehudis Brachah Weiss; Mrs. Malkah Taussig; Mrs. Dvora Fruma Lifschitz; Mrs. Chana Zissel Englard and Mrs. Rivkah Chavah Deutsch, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who follow his illustrious ways.

Yehi zichro baruch.