Fourteen children have been left without a father following the death of Rabbi Chaim Aharon Torchin, 48, from COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Unlike most of Israel's coronavirus fatalities, Torchin did not suffer from pre-existing medical conditions. He was hospitalized at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – Ichilov Hospital, where his condition declined rapidly starting Monday evening when he was both put on a ventilator and an ECMO machine.
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Torchin, a resident of Bnei Brak, served as head of the Ohr Yitzhak Yeshiva in Yehud. He was the son of Rabbi Yona Torchin, the chief rabbi of Yehud.
Torchin's students described him as friendly and said he reached out to them. Speaking to the ultra-Orthodox news site Kikar Hashabbat, Rafi Ohana said that "the rabbi got to the boys' hearts, especially boys who were having a hard time. I have no doubt that thanks to him, hundreds of boys stayed in the world of the Torah and raised families of Torah scholars."
Relatives said that Torchin was "devoted to others" and had lived "simply and modestly."
Torchin was laid to rest in Bnei Brak. A number of his family members and students attended the funeral, while observing social distancing guidelines.
"He was at his peak. The Lord took him because he wanted him. A public sacrifice," his father, Rabbi Yona, said at the ceremony.
"What has God done to us, such a precious soul. A dear, wise scholar. And gentle," the bereaved father said.
One of Torchin's sons said, "Dad, I didn't prepare a eulogy. Who would have thought of having one ready? We can't believe it – [For] 48 years you prepared, you achieved what people don't manage in 120. You didn't leave anything undone. There were never any worries. You never let anyone see that it was hard or you were hurting.
"I called Dad on Saturday night [after Passover], and I spoke with him. He was weak. It was hard for him to talk. He asked how seder night had been and said: 'Keep being happy, the kids shouldn't be sad during Passover,'" the son said.
