BD’E — Harav Matisyahu Salomon, Zt”l, Mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govoha of Lakewood

Hamodia is saddened to report the petirah of Harav Matisyahu Chaim Salomon, zt”l, Mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, who was niftar Tuesday evening after a protracted illness. He was 86 years old.

The levayah is scheduled for Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. at Bais Medrash Govoha, located at 617 6th Street in Lakewood, NJ.

The levayah in Eretz Yisrael will be on Thursday evening at Yeshivas Mir at 7:30 p.m. Kevurah will be on Har Hamenuchos.

Rav Matisyahu was revered worldwide for his tremendous knowledge and the manner in which he was able to transmit the yesodos of Yiddishkeit and mussar to a wide audience, both old and young, learned and unlearned, talmidei hayeshivos or baalei batim. With his clarity of thought and eloquent delivery, he reached the minds and hearts of Yidden and inspired them to enhance their Torah learning, performance of mitzvos, and improve their middos.

Rav Matisyahu was born in Gateshead, England on the first day of Chanukah, 25 Kislev, 5697 to his father, Reb Yaakov and Etil, and entered in Eitz Chaim Yeshiva in London around 5709/1949. At the time, Harav Elya Lopian, zt”l, was still in the yeshiva, and although Rav Elya moved to Eretz Yisrael a year later, Rav Matisyahu considered him as his rebbi muvhak. He learned together with Harav Chaim Kaufman, zt”l, the founder of Yeshiva Gateshead L’tze’irim for sixteen years.

In 1960, he married Miriam née Falk, a”h, the sister of Harav Eliyahu Falk, zt”l, the mechaber of Machazeh Eliyahu, Oz Vehadar and other seforim.

Rav Matisyahu was appointed as the assistant Mashgiach under Harav Moshe Schwab, zt”l, and held that position for over thirty five years. In 1998, he was invited to be the Mashgiach in Bais Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, and worked alongside Harav Nosson Wachtfogel, zt”l for several months until Rav Nosson’s petirah.

At the levayah, Rav Matisyahu said that when he arrived in Lakewood, he mentioned to Rav Nosson that they were both tamidim of Rav Elya Lopian, and he would very much like to arrange a seder limud together.

They began learning Sefer Tomar Devorah, and Rav Matisyahu noticed that at the end of each perek, Rav Nosson would close his eyes and think for a few minutes, and then break out in a smile.

“When I asked Rav Nosson what he was thinking about and why he smiled, he did not answer,” said Rav Matisyahu. “I suggested that he was making a cheshbon hanefesh if he was koneh (acquired) the middah that the perek discussed, and his smile was because he indeed saw that he had acquired it.

“Rav Nosson smiled and answer, ‘Mir ken alle mohl besser veren,’ one can always improve.”

In his shmuezen and vaadim which he delivered both in yeshiva and elsewhere, Rav Matisyahu offered encouragement and advice in all aspects of Yiddishkeit and chinuch. Thousands of people availed themselves of his shmuezen and his seforim, titled Matnas Chaim, which have become classics in his own lifetime.

For the past few years, the Mashgiach has been ill and curtailed his vaadim and appearances.

The levayah will take place Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. at Bais Medrash Govoha, located 617 6th Street in Lakewood, NJ. Kevurah will be in Eretz Yisrael.

For an audio feed, call 347-202-0666 or 732-645-9444.

Lakewood Police Department have announced the following street closings and instructions:

In preparation of today’s event we would like to inform the public of the following:

· Forest Avenue between Fourth Street and 14th Street will be closed between the hours of 10AM and 6PM after all on street parking is full.
· Expect delays within this area as road closures will be in effect.
· Use alternative routes if possible.
· Parking is a premium.
· Shuttles will be available intermittently in the area.
· Please be prepared to walk. Bring comfortable shoes and warm clothing.
· If using NJ Transit walk west from 1st Street and cross Madison Avenue at intersections with traffic signals located at 2nd Street, 4th Street, and 6th Street. Then proceed north on Forest Avenue to 7th Street.
· All busses are requested to enter Forest Avenue at 14th Street and proceed south bound to drop off at 7th Street.
· Busses can park at the Lakewood Blue Claws lot located at 2 Stadium Way while waiting for pick up.

Yehi zichro baruch.