It is with great sadness we report the sudden Petirah of Rav Chaim Mordechai Kastel Z”L, who was Niftar this evening after suddenly collapsing at his home this afternoon. Rav Chaim Z”L, approximately 62 years old, was a beloved Rebbe at Rabbi Blobstein’s Yeshivah, as well as a Rov for many years in Monsey, New York. before moving to Jackson approximately one year ago.
Hatzolah found Rav Chaim Z”L in cardiac arrest, and worked on the patient for approximately an hour, before transporting him to JSUMC, where he was Niftar.
“He was an unbelievable person who literally Learned day and night,” said one of his Talmidim.”
The Levaya will be taking place at 9:30 PM at the 7th Street Chapel. Kevurah will be in Lakewood.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Bd”e. A great man with a beautiful family.
He lived in Brookwood 1
Boruch Dayan Emes. Such a special person, who cared so much about everybody except his own kovod and could answer shailos on anything.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
A tragic loss to Klal Yisrael Many people depended on him for their hadracha Halacha and their very lives.
Dearest Rabbi Kastel t”zl
I cannot believe what had happen today. I knew you weren’t feeling well and I came tonight to see how you were feeling. I came your house this evening and someone came told me that you were not here anymore. I shed my tears and feeling someone special who given me a love and care and your tefeliah was amazing. I asked you to learn with me and you offered to do so. You were like a father with loves. You make everyone feel closer to you. I am going miss you and never forget how you treated your family with such love and I will always never forget your wording and voice. I love you Rabbi Kastel. You made me feel very special and happy. Now you’re in special place with a crown above. I will miss you tons.
One word
“Masmid”
Knew him for almost 50 years
BDE. A tremendous loss. It is hard to put into words how much Rabbi Kastel meant to me and our family. A big ba’al eitza. He was able to quickly size up a situation and give advice in a few words which “hit the nail on the head.” Devoted beyond belief, and available at almost any time or hour for a psak halacha or family emergency.
I will miss the Rav tremendously.
B”DE the family should see no more tzaros..
An unusual Talmid Chochom, you were able to answer any sort of Shailah whether it was Halacha , Gemorah, or stam advice. You gave of your precious time to anybody that needed your guidance.
What a loss to Klal Yisroel. There is no question that you are being welcomed with tremendous love by the Ribono Shel Olam. May you be a Mailitz Yosher for Klal Yisroel.
What an unbelievable tragic loss for Klal Yisroel! The Rav was something too special to explain. Wow. In shock.
One should also mention that he was from a mishpoche of great people. His father was one of the biggest bekiim and mumchim in rare seforim. He was a nephew of Hagaon Rav Shmuel Feivelson (if I am not mistaken) and a grandson of the great Rav Yosef Kastel of Slonim A famous marbitz Torah and mekurev of the Slonimer Rebbe.
Unassuming and totally ehrlich…. so sudden what a loss!
He was a special friend to Baalei Teshuvah. He took us in, showed us the ropes, patiently explained the basics of Torah to us, explained how the frum world worked – its good and bad. He tended to our hurts and gave us hope. His house was our house. You could reach him with ease. I feared wasting his time but I couldn’t resist. And he never indicated that he minded. I always felt welcome. He was so down to earth. Funny. I took downtrodden people to see him. He never judged, never raised his voice. I knew him for 25 years and never heard him raise a voice at a student or anybody who came to him for help. I don’t know that he was capable of anger. You couldn’t insult him. He ran from cavod. He was super smart, like a genius. How he had the patience to explain simple matters to me over and over I’ll never grasp. He must have raised my IQ 20 points, just learning how to think from him was a privilege. He knew halacha, gemara, Chumash, philosophy, he had insights into every facet of the frum world, on modern times. You could bring a chapter of Maharal to him and he’d read it in 30 seconds and explain the whole thing to you. You’d reread for a decade and realize he had it exactly right. I’d ask him about Gemaras from out of the blue and he always knew the Gemara, its peshot, and special insights. He never spoken lashon hara even though people came to him with all their secrets and troubles. This man was really special.
It’s crazy how much he ran away from kavod. He was probably one of the biggest tzadikim the world has never heard of. Run a google search on him and you won’t find him anywhere besides for recent articles of his petirah. No public appearances, no speeches — it was a huge deal to have him even show up at a chasunah for a minute or two, which he did to mine. I had the rare opportunity to hear him actually speak in public, and it was never for more than 60 seconds — right to the point. And that was another huge deal of his — tircha d’tziburah. I davened with him for years and the tzibur never had to wait for him for anything — he finished everything first. His Rosh Hashanah minyan was over by zman kriyas Shema, and his Yom Kippur minyan had a seven-hour break, but he was the chazan and you could hear him say every word of davening out loud. We had fight him to even give him an aliyah — one guy would distract him and someone else would quickly call his name. I’ll never forget the advice he gave me when I asked him about my chosen profession: “Whatever you’re going to do with your life, make sure you’re the best one out there.” And he was. His breadth of knowledge was unparalleled — he would show up to give a Shavuos night halacha shiur and ask the audience what topic he should speak on. His patience would allow you to not censor yourself around him, so that each answer was tailor-made for the specific person it was for. And his accessibility was 24/7 — he would answer the phone at any time of day or night and give you an answer on the tip of his tongue. I can’t imagine how annoying his accessibility to other must have been to his family, and they are tremendous people for sharing him with the world. I have no shaylah in my mind that when he came before beis din shel maylah, Hashem sent him straight upstairs with the speed and clarity with which he took care of everyone else.
what a loss, I am walking around dazed and unsure how life goes on without rabbi kastel to call when I feel most stuck. Hashem should wipe the tears off the countless faces that now look like mine.