AskTheRav is dedicated in loving memory of
Harav Aharon Yaakov Schwei ז”ל
Mara D’asra and member of the Crown Heights Beis Din
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Rabbi Schwei Z”L was a big supporter of AskTheRav ever since its inception in Nissan 5778, sharing the vision of making Halacha accessible to the younger generation
לעילוי נשמת
הרב הגאון הרה״ת אהרן יעקב
בן הרה״ג הרה״ת מרדכי אליהו ע״ה
שוויי
זכה להיות מלמד ומגיד שיעור בישיבת תו״ת ליובאוויטש
במאנטרעאל וניו יארק במשך יותר ממ״ג שנה
ואח״כ נבחר להיות מו״צ וחבר בבד״צ של ק״ק קראון הייטס
במשך טו״ב שנים
נפטר ערב שבת קדש ל׳ ניסן א׳ דר״ח אייר ה׳תש״פ
והובא למנוחות בו ביום אחרי חצות
תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים עד אשר הקיצו ורננו שוכני עפר
תיכף ומי”ד ממ”ש בהתגלות מלכינו משיחנו בגאולה האמיתית והשלימה
Harav Aharon Yaakov Schwei a”h was born to his parents Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Bunia Schwei on 26 Tammuz 5694/1934 in Abu, Finland, where his father was sent by the Frierdiker Rebbe to serve the Jewish communities there. Soon they moved to Nara, Estonia, where Reb Mordechai Eliyahu served as Rov.
When he was seven his father passed away. Soon the war came to Estonia and the family escaped to Uzbekistan. With no yeshiva there, Yankel was sent to the Yeshiva in Samarkand by his mother at the age of seven to learn. When his mother later arrived in Samarkand she saw him in the train station and asked him what he was doing there… He said: I trusted you that you would come… This story along with many other moments with the Rov Serve to many as a strong living lesson in the way to have Emuna in the Rebbe’s Nevuah that ot ot kumt Mashiach!
In 5711, after stops in Poking and Brunoy, the Schweis arrived in Montreal, where Yankel and his brother continued studying in Yeshiva there. In 5715 they were part of the first semicha class there.
Rabbi Schwei received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer, the former dean of the Chabad yeshiva in Montreal.
For many years he served as a maggid shiur in the Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Ocean Parkway. He was also the camp rov in Camp Gan Yisroel in New York. While there, he would draw beautiful depictions of many of the Rebbe’s mivtzoyim and inyonim. Many of his creations still adorn the camp walls today.
Known for his tremendous ge’onus in all elements of Torah – nigleh and Chassidus – He was the editor of his brother Rav Aizik’s writings as well as the seforim of Harav Yitzchok Raitport. It was said about him that he was boki in Torah Or and Likkutei Torah with all the osyos.
In 5760, after the passing of Harav Yehuda Kalman Marlow, he was elected as a member of the Crown Heights beis din.
He passed away on Friday, Lamed Nissan 5780. He was 85-years-old.
Some links:
Chabad.org/Rabbi Aharon Yaakov Schwei, 85, Beloved Rabbi of Crown Heights
