The Mashgiach Harav Chaim Walkin, Zt”l

The Torah world was plunged into mourning early Sunday with the petirah of the Mashgiach Hagaon Harav Chaim Walkin, zt”l, at the age of 77.

Harav Walkin collapsed at his home last Wednesday and was hospitalized in Hadasah Ein Kerem in a serious condition, until his petirah on Sunday morning.

Harav Walkin was born in Shanghai, on 4 Tishrei 5706/1945, when the Mir yeshivah – and among them his parents, Harav Shmuel Dovid Walkin, a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, and his mother, Rebbetzin Tziviah, a”h – were there after escaping the inferno of the Holocaust.

His grandfather, Harav Aharon Walkin, the Beis Aharon, served as Rav of the city of Pinsk in Belarus. His maternal grandfather, was Harav Moshe Landinsky, the Rosh Yeshivah of the Radin yeshivah. His uncle, Harav Chaim Walkin, after whom he was named, served as the last Rosh Yeshivah of the Volozhin yeshivah.

In 1946 his family left China for the United States and settled in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The story of the refugee boy who was born in the wandering ways and survived was published in the American media. When he was eight years old, he was granted American citizenship. On the day he received his citizenship before a judge, it was published in the New York Times with the picture of “the boy who survived the war and became a citizen,” and even several articles on the subject.

Harav Walkin began his studies at the Yeshiva of Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, under Hagaon Harav Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, and then at the Telshe yeshivah in Cleveland, Ohio. After his marriage in 1967, to lhbch”l, his Rebbetzin, nee Engel, he immigrated to Israel, settled in Yerushalayim, and learned at the Mir yeshivah under the Rosh Yeshivah Harav Chaim Shmulevitz, zt”l. Harav Shmulevitz was especially close to him, being a “Shanghai refugee” and even went so far as to honor him with Maftir on Yom Kippur in the year 5379/1978.

After about 15 years at the Mir Yeshivah, where he learned b’chavrusa with Harav Shmuel Yaakov Bornstein, zt”l, Harav Walkin was appointed to serve at the Aish HaTorah yeshivah in the Old City of Yerushalayim. He later moved to Petach Tikva and served as the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Ohr Yisrael.

During this period, the Rav of the city, Harav Baruch Shimon Salomon, zt”l, came out publicly to demonstrate against the opening of a cinema on Shabbos, Hashem yerachem. Harav Salomon and Harav Walkin were accused of illegal gatherings and were sentenced to a jail sentence in Petach Tikva. Demonstrations were then held against their prosecution.

In 1989, after the petirah of the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Ateres Yisrael, Harav Meir Chadash, zt”l, he ascended to Yerushalayim and was appointed the Mashgiach at the yeshivah, where he delivered his shmuessen alongside the Rosh Yeshivah, yblch”t, Harav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, shlita.

The Mashgiach would give talks to the students of Bais Yaakov. He also delivered several weekly lessons in English. He also served as the president of the kiruv network “Shuvu.”

Harav Walkin is survived by, lhbch”l, a large family, his Rebbetzin, and many descendants who continue in his illustrious ways.

The levayah of the Mashgiach will be held Sunday night from his home in Bayit Vegan to Har Hamenuchos.

Yehi zichro baruch.