BD”E: Hagaon Harav Moishe Landau, Zt”l, Rav of Bnei Brak

The Torah world was plunged into mourning on Motzoei Shabbos with the petirah of Hagaon Harav Moishe Yehudah Leib Landau, zt”l, Rav of Bnei Brak for over 30 years, after a short illness. He was 83 at his petirah.

Harav Landau was born in Tammuz 5695/1935, in Ramatayin (Ramat Hasharon), where his father, Harav Yaakov Landau, zt”l, served as Rav. Harav Yaakov Landau was one of the foremost Chassidim of the Rebbe Rashab of Lubavitch, zy”a, and moved to Eretz Yisrael in 5694/1934.

In 5696/1936, Rav Yaakov was appointed Rav of Bnei Brak, and the family moved to Bnei Brak. He held the post for the next 50 years.

As a bachur, Rav Moishe learned in Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah, in Yeshivas Ponevez in Bnei Brak and later in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim-Lubavitch in Lod.

Several years after his wedding, in 5624/1964, he was appointed to serve as a Maggid Shiur in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Kfar Chabad – a post he held for the next 23 years. Over time, he became more involved in the rabbanus in Bnei Brak, serving as the right-hand man to his illustrious father. From 5740/1980, he took an active role in the kashrus department of his father.

Following the petirah of his father, in Shevat 5746/1986, Rav Moishe was appointed his successor as Rav and Av Beis Din of Bnei Brak. In his capacity as Rav, he led the city with an iron hand, never wavering from any outside influences. Like his father, he didn’t take any salary for giving a hechsher to factories or other food enterprises; he only charged the basic costs of wages for the mashgichim. The fame of his stringent kashrus demands made his hechsher very valued for many who seek the best in kashrus. He was also very forceful on any attempt of breaching the kedushah or shemiras Shabbos in the city.

Several months ago, the Rav suffered a stroke and was hospitalized several times. In recent weeks, he was hospitalized in Netanya’s Laniado Hospital, where he was niftar on Motzoei Shabbos, surrounded by a minyan.

His petirah is a loss to the world of rabbanus, Chassidus, and more so for the world of kashrus.

The levayah of Rav Landau was held Motzoei Shabbos from Netanya to Bnei Brak. Thousands are expected to attend the levayah of the Rav Sunday morning in Bnei Brak. Kevurah will be in Yerushalayim, on Har Hazeisim,

He is survived by, lhbch”l, his wife, Rebbetzin Miriam, his sons, Harav Yitzchak Eizik, Rav in Tzfas; Harav  Zalman, Mashpia in Bnei Brak; Harav Yisrael, Rav in Toronto; Harav Yosef, Rav in London; Harav Menachem, Rav in San Fransisco; and Harav Shneur Simchah, Rav in Netanya. His daughters are Rebbetzin Nechama Dinah, wife of Harav Yosef Yitzchak Belinov, Rav in Bnei Brak and Rosh Kollel Pa’amei Yaakov; Rebbetzin Shulamit, wife of Harav Nosson Winkler, Mashpia in Bnei Brak; and Rebbetzin Minah, wife of Harav Eliyahu Weinberg. He is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, following his illustrious ways.

Yehi zichro baruch.