Former Rosh Yeshiva of Shaalavim: Rabbi Avraham Moshe Avidan zt"l of Mahar Nof

January 31, 2021   

Baruch Dayan, the truth teller: At Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Rabbi Avraham Moshe Avidan (Zamel) zt"l, rabbi and former Rosh Yeshiva of the Shaalavim Hesder Yeshiva, passed away on Shabbat night at the age of 82, after battling an illness in recent months. The deceased zt"l was born in 1938 in Jerusalem to his parents Rabbi Mordechai Aryeh Zemel and his mother, a rabbinate from the Epstein family. When he reached the age of the small yeshiva, he was sent to study at the 'Tiferet Zion' yeshiva, where he was privileged to enter the house of the Chazo"a. In the large yeshiva, he studied at the Hebron yeshiva. Upon reaching his end, he married his wife, Rebbetzin Ruth, daughter of Rabbi Jeremiah Ralbag of the Jerusalem rabbis, granddaughter of the gaon Rabbi Rafael Ketzelboygen zt"l. Already in his youth, he became very close to the Maran HaGris Elyashiv zt"l and was one of his students. While studying at the Hebron yeshiva, he decided that he should enlist in the army. He turned to the Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, and after a long interview, he was accepted as the military rabbi of the Jerusalem Brigade. After retiring from the IDF as Deputy Chief Rabbi with the rank of Colonel, he was appointed as the head of the higher classes at the Shaalavim Hesder Yeshiva, in which position he served from 1987 to 1992, and after the retirement of Rabbi Meir Schlesinger, he took up his position as the head of the yeshiva and headed it until 1995. After completing his position at the Shaalavim Yeshiva, he established his studies at his home in the Har Nof neighborhood. During these years, he was honored to write a large number of books, including 'Shabbat ve Moed be Tzahal', 'Ahavat Tzedakah', 'Amerot Melech' and other books. About twenty years ago, he lost his daughter, Mrs. Michal Freiman, who passed away after a serious illness. In recent years, he had weakened, and recently became seriously ill and passed away on Shabbat. He left behind sons, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are following in his footsteps. His rabbinical brothers are Rabbi Yehoshua Zemel, rabbi of the Talpiot neighborhood, and Rabbi Asher Zemel, rabbi of a settlement in Sharon. His funeral will leave from his home at 35 HaKablan Street, Har Nof neighborhood, Jerusalem at 9:45 p.m.