by S. Bruchi, D. Rubinowitz and Yated Ne'eman Staff
On Friday 28 Av, tens of thousands of bereft Torah-loyal Jews, headed by maronan verabonan, the gedolei haTorah vehaChassidus, accompanied HaRav Yaakov HaKohen Pam, zt"l, on his last earthly journey. HaRav Pam was the rosh yeshiva of Torah VoDaas. One of the great marbitzei Torah in the United States, he produced tens of thousands of students. He was the president of the American Chinuch Atzmai and of the Shuvu and the Nechomas Yisroel organizations. He was niftar Thursday night, 28 Av, after an illness, during the 89th year of his life.
Upon learning the bitter news of HaRav Pam's petirah, a heavy pall of mourning descended upon all beis Yisroel and the yeshiva world in particular. HaRav Pam was one of the formulators of the derech of the yeshiva world in the United States; one who created and sustained the American Torah world, and one of its most venerable roshei yeshiva. He was also a venerated model figure to countless Jews, due to his unique manner of avodas Hashem.
On Thursday night after chatzos, the bitter news of his petirah spread quickly throughout American chareidi centers. The news reached Eretz Yisroel on Friday morning, while many were still davening for his recovery.
HaRav Pam's health had severely deteriorated in recent months, and his illness aroused concern among the Torah world that hastened to plead for his speedy recovery. Prayers uniting all circles of chareidi Jewry in the United States were uttered fervently, expressing the great esteem in which all held this illustrious godol who guided beis Yisroel for so many decades.
Close to chatzos on Thursday night, his health took a drastic downward turn, and family and students streamed to his room in Boro Park's Maimonides Hospital, where they mournfully cried out "Shema Yisroel," and "Hashem Hu HoElokim." His family and students did kriya, as obligated by halocho.
All felt bereft and orphaned. In the morning, his bier was brought to the study hall of the Torah VoDaas yeshiva in Flatbush, where he taught Torah, yir'oh, mussar and halocho to tens of thousands of students over a period of more than sixty years. The beis medrash that had been a beacon for his many students, from which the light his Torah had shone forth for long distances, resounded with the weeping of those who had come to lament the petirah of the tzaddik, one of the last vestiges of the previous generation.
On Friday afternoon, his levaya, attended by tens of thousands of students and mourners who had arrived from all parts of the United States, formed a massive entourage that proceeded from the yeshiva. He was buried Friday afternoon in the plot of his fathers in the cemetery in Queens.
Over 10,000 men and women came to pay respect to the Rosh Yeshiva. The streets were closed off from 18th Avenue to Courtelyou Road, and from Coney Island Avenue to Ocean Parkway, including the service road. It was very organized. Police barricades kept the women across the street with a special section in between for the cars and roshei yeshiva to get across.
Almost all the Roshei Yeshiva and gedolim were there. People came back from the mountains specially for the levayo.
Here is the list of gedolim (perhaps not comprehensive) who attended: Novominsker Rebbe, HaRav Elya Svei, HaRav Aharon Schechter, Mattersdorfer Rebbe, HaRav Henoch Leibowitz, Rachmasrivka Rebbe, HaRav Malkiel Kotler, Bluzhever Rebbe, Munkatcher Rebbe, and HaRav Shmuel Birnbaum.
The group said Tehillim and his son, HaRavAharon Pam, spoke for a few minutes on behalf of the family. He stressed how HaRav Pam ztz'l did not want a hesped -- he was a father to all. He asked mechila from his father and thanked everyone for all that they did.
Hundreds followed the procession through Crown Heights to the Interboro to the cemetery. Everything was very organized -- there were police all along the route directing traffic.
The Rosh Yeshiva was buried near other Torah Vodaas gedolim: Rabbi Herman, HaRav Reuven Grozovsky and HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky.
