The Torah world was wreathed in sorrow and mourning upon the passing of HaRav Boruch Shmuel Hacohen Deutsch zt" l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Kol Torah and of Be'er Mordechai, author of "Bircas Cohen," and one of leading talmidei chachomim and Torah disseminators in Yerushalayim for many, many years. He produced many disciples, expert in the depth and scope of Torah and passed away in his eighty-second year, after many years of suffering.
He was born on the thirteenth of Cheshvan, 5703, to his mother Leah, and father, R' Binyomin Zev Hacohen Deutsch. who was a devotee and right-hand man of the founder of Yeshivas Ponovezh, HaRav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, in the establishment of Yeshivas Ponovezh and its institutions in Eretz Yisroel. He received his chinuch in this illustrious home as per the tradition of his ancestors.
He began his primary education in the Ponovezh Yeshiva Ketana and continued on to the yeshiva itself where he gained the reputation of an astute genius. He was hailed for his dedication to study, especially during the study breaks, when he would record his insights. For many years, he would sit and study uninterruptedly from eight in the morning until the end of the second study session at seven in the evening, some eleven hours in succession, day by day, during which he acquired his vast knowledge in Torah.
He gained the affection of all the Maggidei Shiur, especially that of the Rosh Yeshiva Maran Ha'Avi Ezeri, HaRav Shach, who kept his eyes on him as one with a great future. Their relationship increased greatly with the coming years.
He moved to Yerushalayim, to Yeshivas Brisk, where he was acclaimed as a master in Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and especially perceptive in understanding intricate subjects in depth. Many of the roshei yeshivos in America consider him as their partner of like standing from those years when they studied in partnership. For many years later, they would contact him to clarify difficult subjects in their study.
He was especially connected to HaRav Y.D. Soloveitchik, and would discuss with him very complex subjects in Kodshim, and his opinion was highly regarded.
As a Kohen, he was very vigilant on the laws of purity pertaining to a Kohen. He established a Beis Din for Kohanim, as an extension of the Vaad Mishmeres Kehuna which was established In America by HaRav Avrohom Pam and HaRav Avigdor Miller in order to arouse kohanim on the importance of learning the pertinent halochos and clarifying the composite issues pertaining to hospitals and all other places which present pitfalls for kohanim, to be applicable to similar problematic situations throughout the country.
Thus, for example, many problems arose when a new terminal was built twenty years ago in the Ben Gurion airport, in which tremendous planning and funds were invested. Dealing with this was necessary since many bodies were brought to Israel for burial, and the way it was initially planned would have contaminated the entire airport. HaRav Boruch Shmuel went to HaRav Eliashiv who initially sought to forbid kohanim from entering the terminal altogether, but after a thorough examination and an ongoing and consistent dealing with the intricacies of the problem, including dealing with the various government authorities, workable solutions were found in consistence with the Halacha.
In this context, and with similar issues, HaRav Boruch Shmuel received many halachic queries which he would discuss with HaRav Eliashiv.
He started his career of harbotzas Torah at yeshivas Kochav Yaakov of Tchebin in 5730. In 5736 he was appointed by the Admor of Karlin Stolin to head the kollel Heichal Mesivta Derabbi Yochonon which he headed for 13 years together with HaRav Yitzchok Dzimitrovsky zt"l.
In 5741 he began to spread Torah at yeshivas Kol Torah where he continued for almost 40 years as a prominent member of the faculty and a trusted adviser to generations of talmidim. His shiurim and his personal relationship with the talmidim helped thousands.
Despite the fact that he was always deeply involved in Torah learning, he was entrusted by HaRav Shach and HaRav Eliashiv with various communal responsibilities. He served on the board of Yated Ne'eman and on the rabbinical committee of Degel HaTorah for many years.
In recent years he was very sick and suffered terrible yissurim until he finally passed away. He leaves behind sons and sons-in-law as well as generations of descendants who follow in his ways.
