Just hours before he passed away, Rabbi Gershon Edelstein was captured in a moving ICU photo from Maayanei Hayeshua offering his daily shiur on the Gemara to his loyal students, something he had done for 75 years.
The rabbi appears unfazed and continues his study regimen as he has for so long despite the tubes and wires all about him. He is appropriately dressed and wearing a tie as is appropriate for the respect of the Torah.
His condition stabilized somewhat after he was admitted to the hospital on Shavuos night for what he described as a Pikuach Nefesh incident, and he continued to prepare for the shiur every day, including summarizing the sugya that was being studied in Ponovezh.
A group of Meshivim from the yeshiva came to hear Rabbi Edelstein’s shiur on Sunday at 12 PM. Rabbi Edelstein welcomed them warmly and took pleasure in instructing them on the sugya in Sanhedrin.
Despite feeling unwell on Monday, Rabbi Edelstein carried on with his practice.
According to the students, the shiur on his last day was delivered with the same clarity and depth as all of his prior shiurim.
Teaching the sugya in Sanhedrin, Rabbi Edelstein seemed ecstatic to be doing it. At 12:30 PM, Rabbi Edelstein delivered a follow-up shiur covering Rishonim’s perspectives on the sugya.
When Modiin Illit’s Rabbi Meir Kessler, who was in attendance, asked some questions, Rav Gershon responded.
Then Rabbi Kessler requested some Chizuk from the Rosh Yeshiva, to which the latter responded with a darkly humorous “Now I’m the one who needs Chizuk.”
On Monday afternoon, Rabbi Edelstein answered several necessary inquiries and engaged in years-long learning with his grandson.
The pair studied three Nedarim folios. Rabbi Dan Segal and Rabbi Edelstein said a Maariv prayer together.
He got up early on Tuesday to pray, prepare for his shiur, and even make notes. He abruptly passed away at this moment, leaving a page of notes that he had been determined to finish studying by the deadline next to his bed.
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