From the Ma’ayanei Hayeshua Hospital in Bnei Brak came the sad news, shortly after midnight, of the petirah of Rav Chanoch Berman zt”l, a prominent member of the Ponovezh Yeshiva community and the author of Chanukas Shlomo. He passed away after enduring many years of intense suffering at the age of 66.
Rav Chanoch was born in Bnei Brak on the 19th of Adar to his father, Rav Mordechai Shlomo Berman, rosh yeshiva of Ponovezh Yeshiva and author of Asher LeShlomo, and his mother, Rebbetzin Bluma Leiba Ahuva, daughter of the Steipler Gaon and sister of Rav Chaim Kanievsky.
As a child, he studied at the Talmud Torah Tashbar and later, as a young man, he learned in the Ponovezh Yeshiva L’Tzeirim. He then progressed to the main Ponovezh Yeshiva, where he learned under the roshei yeshiva and earned a reputation as an exceptional masmid.
Being the beloved grandson of the Steipler zt”l, his grandfather would often say, “Since he was a child, he never spoke anything crooked—he always speaks straight.”
Upon reaching adulthood, he married his wife, a daughter of Rav Yisroel Tsikinovsky.
After his marriage, he continued to immerse himself in limud haTorah at the Ponovezh Yeshiva and later at the yeshiva’s kollel.
In his lifetime, he endured tremendous suffering, yet despite his hardships, he continued to shteig and learn nonstop. In his later years, he remained at home, where he was regularly visited by his dedicated chavrusas.
He authored the seforim Chanukas Shlomo on Bava Kama and Nega’im, and left behind many manuscripts on Nashim and Nezikin. He wrote his sefer on Nega’im during his intense periods of illness, demonstrating self-sacrifice. He also authored pamphlets on lesser-known halachos and mitzvos that people often overlook.
He was a true tzaddik who never held grudges or became angry with others. His uncle, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, testified about him: “He never tasted the taste of sin.” Rav Chaim said this to his mother, Rebbetzin Ahuva, when she asked for his brocha before a surgery. Indeed, Rebbetzin Ahuva said to Rav Chaim: “Regarding him, I can say that I am not sure I will ever reach the spiritual level he has attained, and that I should be privileged to see him in the World to Come.”
He was blessed with a special mishpacha, leaving behind 11 children—sons and daughters along with sons-in-law and grandchildren who continue his path.
His brothers are Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, rosh yeshiva of Ponovezh Yeshiva; Rav Moshe Berman, rosh yeshiva of the Derech Moshe Yeshiva; Rav Yitzchak Yehuda Berman, a R”M in the Ponovezh Kollel; and Rav Yosef Berman, rosh yeshiva of the Dvar Mordechai Yeshiva.
His brother, Rav Avraham Yeshaya Berman zt”l, was the rosh yeshiva of the Knesses Meir Yeshiva, and his sisters, Rebbetzin Dina Ginzburg a”h and Rebbetzin Elisheva Kahaneman a”h, predeceased him.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}