Mrs. Freida Bracha Hertzel OBM

By COLlive reporter

Mrs. Freida Bracha Hertzel, wife of the elder Chabad Mashpia in Jerusalem Rabbi Pinchos Leibish Hertzel, has passed away Friday, 22 Kislev 5773.

Born in Chevron, her father was Rabbi Menachem Nochum Yitzchok Aizik Chanun, a native of the Lubavitch village in Russia and distant relative of the Tzemach Tzedek.

In Russia, she witnessed her active father spread Chassidus with all resources available to him. He would write and distribute booklets filled with sayings and teachings of the Chabad Rebbes.

The Frierdiker Rebbe agreed to her marriage to R’ Pinchos Leibish with the words “agreement and blessing” in a telegram sent to them. They merited to raise a respected family that has grown to more than 400 descendants.

Mrs. Hertzel was known for her strict adherence to Torah and mitzvos. Answering the Rebbe’s call to reach out to other Jews, she organized classes, visited many homes and educated women about the importance of family purity and keeping a kosher home.

Their home in the old and picturesque haredi neighborhood Batei Ungarin in Jerusalem was a source of chesed. For many years she served the tzaddik Rabbi Yisroel of Hostian, grandson of the holy Ruzhiner Rebbe.

She is survived by her husband and their children, Rabbi Yeshayahu Hertzel of Natzrat Illit, Rabbi Mordechai Hertzel of Jerusalem, Rabbi Avrohom Hertzel of Jerusalem, Rabbi Dovid Hertzel of Crown Heights, Rabbi Yossel Hertzel of Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Zalman Hertzel of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Elimelech Hertzel of Kiryat Malachi, Mrs. Breindel Rabinowitz of Jerusalem: grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

The levaya took place Friday in Jerusalem and she was buried in the Har Hamenuchos Cemetary.

Shiva
The family is sitting shiva in Meah Shearim. R’ Dovid Hertzel is sitting shiva in Crown Heights today until before Shabbos and is leaving Motzei Shabbos to continue sitting shiva in Eretz Yisroel.

Baruch Dayan Haemes