Independent Frum Thinker mourns the tragic and unexpected loss of Rabbi Avrohom Blumenkrantz z”l, who passed away this past Thursday night.
R’ Blumenkrantz z”l was both an accomplished and acclaimed Torah scholar, and righteous and pious man.
He was one of a unique few of Torah-true individuals who utilized their vast knowledge of Halacha to delve into the intricacies of the modern world, with the goal of helping others navigate their way through it.
To those who didn’t know him personally, he was best known for his annual pre-Pesach guide to medicines, bathroom accessories, and kitchen supplies. Due to his efforts thousands of Jews were able to avoid transgressing the prohibition of owning Chametz on Pesach, and in many cases succeeded in saving Jews from the even more severe sin of eating Chametz.
Interspersed throughout his book were pertinent Halachos on a vast array of subjects, from Kosher shavers to Kosher Sheitels.
He was truly an extraordinary person, and almost the entire Frum world was affected by him whether directly or indirectly.
The void that he leaves behind will be difficult to fill.
We mourn his loss, and extend our sincere condolences to his family.
Yehei Zichro Baruch.
R’ Blumenkrantz z”l was both an accomplished and acclaimed Torah scholar, and righteous and pious man.
He was one of a unique few of Torah-true individuals who utilized their vast knowledge of Halacha to delve into the intricacies of the modern world, with the goal of helping others navigate their way through it.
To those who didn’t know him personally, he was best known for his annual pre-Pesach guide to medicines, bathroom accessories, and kitchen supplies. Due to his efforts thousands of Jews were able to avoid transgressing the prohibition of owning Chametz on Pesach, and in many cases succeeded in saving Jews from the even more severe sin of eating Chametz.
Interspersed throughout his book were pertinent Halachos on a vast array of subjects, from Kosher shavers to Kosher Sheitels.
He was truly an extraordinary person, and almost the entire Frum world was affected by him whether directly or indirectly.
The void that he leaves behind will be difficult to fill.
We mourn his loss, and extend our sincere condolences to his family.
Yehei Zichro Baruch.
18 Comments:
It is truly tragic that Rabbi Blumenkrantz passed away. But let’s get one thing clear. His Pesach guide was widely viewed as a joke in the kashrus field. Don’t believe me, ask Rabbi Forchimer. Not just his, but Rabbi Bess’s also. There is no way one man can write such a book with even semi reliability. And nobody showed it better than the Blumenkrants Pesach Guide. It was full of factual errors, halachic errors (Styrofoam plates forbidden all year!!), and unreliable company info. This doesn’t mean he was not a great man. But let’s not glorify that absurd ‘Bible’ of Peasch, the Blumenkrants Pesach Guide
IFT, great tribute.
Thank you, IFT.
And to the anonymous fellow who obviously has not spoken directly with gedolim or the poskim mentioned, I beseech you do detract your words, lichvod hames.
BDE,wow what a way to find out, can't believe I didn't know.
As the guy who posted the first comment, I have spoken to a few poskim. There was an entier meeting of Rabonim in NYC recently to discuse what should be done with the Pesach Guides and there many mistakes. Again, Rabbi Blumenkrantz might have been (and by all acounts was) a great man. But his Pesach Guide was/is a inacuret invalid mistake
ift,
thank you for using your blog to pay tribute to a great man. you have demonstrated again thatyou really are using your blog as a vehicle for spreading goodness.
the people who can't control themselves from belittling the pesach guide while the body is still wet(expression), disgust me.
they have pretty much given an example of everything wrong with our community in one paragraph.
"disrespect for talmidei chachamim, disrespect for the dead and their mourning family, arogance,jealosy, rechilus, and not last and not least; throwing a bunch of garbage and attaching one of the gedolims names to it for security."
frankly i don't think any sane individual reading your tribute really gives a damn right now if the pesach guide is reliable or not. secondly, i would rather follow rabbi blumenkrantz's mistakes, then the correct advice of a wicked human being.
i'm sorry for returning on such a sorry note i.f.t.,
oif simchos,
shmaya
Anon 2:40, The bad timing of your "press release" may not prove your bad integrity. But your cynicism for a well meaning Ruv is hard to excuse.
Isn't it obvious to you that you just sent out venom way more destructive than kashrus "mistakes"? If you don't respect Rabbi Blumenkrantz z”l whom do you respect?
I once heard say on the radio, to a 'famous' radio personality, that going to a hotel for pesach is not the values we want to portray to our children.
He was my hero!
Even if you dont like, use or rely on his work, there is no need to bash the man. I'm pretty confident that he knew more Torah than most of us, and that alone should earn him respect.
He wasn't my Rav either but he was the Rav of a great many people, and if you beleive that 'yesh din vdayan' then you most likely have to apologize to all of them, for insulting their Rav.
Good luck!
(poor soul you're gonna need it)
Rabbi Blumenkrantz was a talmid chochm. Those of us who do not follow his Peseach guide does not take away from his Gadlis. To speak bad or in this case write down that what he did was no good is a terrible thing.He was a Kosher Yid and is not around now. Please for your sake & your famly's sake do not bash him or speak disrepectful. You might want to ask a Rov if you have to go to his kever and ask michlah.
truly huge loss his pesach book was the most accurate than all the others even the satmer (CRC) book stopped publishing medications list and they said to check blumenkrantz book i cant understand how someone can bash such a great talmid chuchem
some people don't understand how bad LH is and the seriousness of the aveirah.
Just like we need to be careful with what goes in our mouth, we also have to be careful with what comes out. This applies to writing too
what a tragic loss. When i read about in the hamodia I was shocked. so so sad.
Anonymous Feb 25, 2:40 –
I am well aware that there were different opinions regarding various positions that he took, however when a person passes away the focus should be on the loss of a man who spent his life trying to help others. When dealing with so much information, it is almost inevitable that mistakes will be found, but the occasional mistake does not, and should not, detract in any way from the loss of such a special person.
Lvnsm27 –
Thank you.
The dreamer –
Thank you.
SW/FM –
I’m sorry to have been the one to break the news to you.
Shmaya –
So you’re back? Great news! Did you follow the comments to my last post? There were a few references to you there.
Anyway, I completely agree with you, that even if there were inaccuracies in the book, that should not be the focus now. Rather his tremendous efforts at helping others observe Mitzvos properly, and all the other good that he accomplished.
Stop labeling –
Like I wrote, even if there was a mistake here and there, that should not be the focus now, rather his wonderful legacy.
Yingerman –
Good point.
Anonymous Feb 26, 1:26 –
Agreed.
Y.Y. –
True.
S –
Very good point.
Chaverah –
Yes, truly sad.
May he be a mewlitz Yosher for all of Clall Yisroel.
Semgirl -
Amen!
Now that it is Pesach prep time again :) let me just say one thing about R' Blumenkrantz's "Book". This one is for all Yiden out there. When Reb Hershele of Spinka from Williamsburg A'H was niftar in 1997 a story was told over that Reb Hershele was once going through his seforim and found an English book among his seforim he asked his grandchildren what this book was doing amongst his seforim his grandchildren answered that it was R' Blumenkrants pesach sefer. As soon as he heard that he put it right back up on his shelf.
So for all of you who disparage take heed and learn from a Tzadik from a previous generation
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