it is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Menachem Rotenberg zt”l, who for many years served as mashgiach ruchani at Yeshivas Kol Torah. He was niftar this morning at the age of 79.
Rav Menachem was born in 1946 in Yerushalayim to his father, Rav Avraham, who had been expelled from Germany by the Nazi regime due to his status as a Polish Jew, and his mother, Mrs. Sheina, originally from Poznan, Poland.
In Elul 1958, a young Menachem Rotenberg entered the hallowed halls of Yeshivas Kol Torah, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Rav Tzvi, who was already recognized as one of the outstanding bnei Torah in the yeshiva. From the start, he distinguished himself with his diligence and devotion to Torah learning, forging strong connections with his roshei yeshiva and mashgichim, including Rav Baruch Kunstadt, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Yechiel Michel Schlesinger, Rav Yitzchok Yerucham Bordiansky, and the revered mashgiach Rav Gedaliah Eisemann, who all recognized in him a future talmid chacham of note.
In Elul of 1964, Rav Menachem joined Yeshivas Ponovezh, where he learned under its legendary roshei yeshiva and continued developing in Torah and yiras Shamayim.
When the time came to marry, he was chosen by Rav Chaim Dov Silver, one of the heads of the Vaad HaYeshivos, as a son-in-law. He established his home in Bayit Vagan, close to the very yeshiva where he had grown into a ben Torah, Yeshivas Kol Torah.
He was soon called upon to begin teaching in the yeshiva ketanah of Kol Torah, a position he held for many years, later assuming the role of mashgiach ruchani in the yeshiva gedolah. In both roles, he transformed the environment with his unique warmth and presence.
To his talmidim, he was not merely a mashgiach, but a spiritual father. He didn’t turn away those who struggled—on the contrary, he sought them out, lifted them up, supported them with true ahavah, and never let them feel alone. His radiant smile was legendary, and many talmidim recalled how being greeted by his beaming face each morning gave them chizuk to face the day.
His talmidim remember him as a nurturing presence in the yeshiva, someone they could turn to with confidence. For many bochurim who had come from overseas—far from their homes and families—he became a father and mother figure rolled into one. The warmth and sincerity with which he related to them became their anchor.
A true masmid, Rav Menachem devoted himself to constant Torah learning. For years, he kept a rigorous daily regimen, learning two and a half blatt of Gemara with deep analysis each day. He built a loft in his home where he could immerse himself in uninterrupted learning, and his love for Torah radiated from him. His talmidim would occasionally test his knowledge with “needle-point quizzes”—and though he shied away from showcasing his brilliance, he would indulge them with simcha. His grasp of the material was impeccable, the result of decades of unrelenting hasmadah.
His tefillah was an inspiration—meticulous, heartfelt, and unwavering.
In the vaadim he delivered, Rav Menachem would lift his talmidim with words of chizuk and clarity. He conveyed strength with gentleness, elevating each bochur with a smile and a sense of purpose.
Even in his final year, as his health declined, Rav Menachem begged to be brought to the yeshiva daily. Despite the difficulty, he did everything possible to be there, continuing to spread joy and light among his beloved talmidim.
He is survived by his distinguished wife, as well as sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all proud bearers of his legacy. Among his sons-in-law is MK Yitzchok Pindrus, chairman of the United Torah Judaism party.
The levayah was held this morning at Yeshivas Kol Torah in the Bayit Vagan neighborhood of Yerushalayim.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}