The p’tirah of Rav Matisyahu Chaim Salomon, ztk”l, 86, Mashgiach Ruchani of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, will undoubtedly shake the Torah world in the weeks and months ahead. It was barely a year ago, on January 23, when urgent calls were put out for T’hilim on behalf of the gadol, sadly the same calls went out this past Tuesday evening after he went into cardiac arrest. Hatzalah volunteers revived the rav at his home, steps from the yeshivah where he left such a profound impact.
By the grace of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, the yeshivah world was blessed to have the venerable marbitz Torah and mashpia with us this past year. Rav Salomon’s koach for a proper Torah life engrained with our heritage and values was at his core. The rav was a lifelong advocate for the Jewish nation and strived to serve every member of klal Yisrael despite a protracted illness. The rav’s insight in Torah, hashkafah, and chinuch was long-sought by mechanchim and askanim globally.
Prior to his arrival in Lakewood, Rav Matisyahu spent over three decades as mashgiach at Gateshead Yeshiva, his hometown, beginning under Rav Moshe Schwab until becoming the senior mashgiach. Hailed as a standout baal musar with stellar oratory skills, Rav Matisyahu, using his impactful shmuessen, left indelible impressions on tens of thousands of Yidden worldwide.
Born to R’ Yaakov and Ettel, young Matisyahu was educated in London. Before Rav Chaim Kaufman founded Gateshead Yeshiva L’Zeirim, Rav Matisyahu spent his yeshivah and kollel days, 16 years consecutively, under his influence. However, it was Rav Eliyahu Lopian, the storied mashgiach and rosh ha’yeshivah at Etz Chaim Yeshiva, whom Rav Matisyahu chose as his rebbi muvhak after spending less than a year under his eye. The passing of Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, zt”l, in the spring of 1998, left BMG without their prized mashgiach ruchani, a role that Rav Matisyahu filled for the next quarter century, where the path of the remarkable yeshivos of Slabodka, Slutzk, and Kletzk became the basis for the over 8,000 students currently enrolled in their undergraduate and graduate programs.
Rav Matisyahu is survived by Matnas Chaim, a series of s’farim based on his powerful classes on the Yamim Nora’im, Moadim, Shaarei T’shuvah V’Rabbeinu Yonah, Mesilas Yesharim, Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, and Kinyanim, as well as With Hearts Full of Love, a work comprised of various lectures.
Y’hi zichro baruch.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
