Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, ZT"L

Baruch Dayan Ha'emet - the great Posek and leader of the generation Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv has passed away at the age of 102.  The sadness of the day is felt by all of Kelal Yisrael.

Some links:

YWN
Matzav
VIN
Arutz Sheva
Kikar
Ladaat
Behadrei
AnashNews

and more. 

Also at Kikar:

Secret stories about Rav Elyashiv
Selihot of Rav Elyashiv video
Statements by government officials on his passing (also in English at Arutz Sheva)
Pictures from his life

and more.

Our nation has suffered a great loss today. Hashem should help us through it.  The gemara in Bava Kamma explains how Tzadikim die before bad things start to happen, as it says כי מפני הרעה נאסף הצדיק, and already, some bad things started happening.  Hashem Yishmor.  May we experience no more sorrow.

Rav Fish just sent out an email, saying the following (my translation):

We have previously brought down from Harav Hagaon Rav David Abuhatzeira Shlit"a in his eulogy for his brother Harav Hagaon Rav Elazar ZT"L, who went up in a storm to heaven in Parshat Mas'ei on the 27th of Tamuz, 5771 that the Rashei Teivot of אלה מסעי בני ישראל is the same as משיח בן יוסף because his brother had a spark of Mashiah ben Yosef. And it is also brought down in "Seder Hadorot" in the name of "Shalshelet Hakabala" that the day of the death of Yosef was the 27th of Tamuz. And it is also brought down from the "Hakal Yitzhak" of Spinka HY"D that "Mashiah ben Yosef will be the first redeemer and he will come first to rectify the eyes." And he connects this idea there to the months of Tamuz and Av, which have the aspect of the eyes as is known [YY - see Ben Ish Hai, Year 1, Devarim].

And on the day of the 28th of Tamuz, 5772, again נצחו אראלים את המצוקים in Parshat Mas'ei, and Maran Hagaon Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ZTVK"L, who was a spark of Mashiah Ben Yosef, was taken from us. We brought earlier from his grandfather ZT"L, the author of the Leshem (Hakdamot Ush'arim, pages 88-89) that the period before the Atara reaches bottom is the period of Mashiah Ben Yosef, and when the Atara reaches bottom, this begins the period of Mashiah ben David. And the period of Mashiah ben Yosef ended in the end of Tamuz, 5771 or the end of Tamuz, 5772, depending on various opinions on how we count the years. And about this period, the Leshem writes (Hakdamot Ush'arim, page 106):

The verse assures us that the period of the entire Be'itah will not drag on, but rather, the time of redemption will be hastened, and both will be fulfilled - Be'itah and Ahishena. And that is also what the verse says "because it will surely come, it will not delay" - that he will not delay until the end of the entire period of Be'itah, Has Veshalom, but rather, there will be an Ahishena [hastening] also. But all this is only when the Atara reaches its bottom.

The Leshem hints to the bottom (שיפול) of the day - when the shade leans toward the west, after 6.5 hours, as we brought earlier from the Zohar about the end of Tamuz, 5771 or the end of Tamuz, 5772 according to the second opinion. Rav P. Shlit"a adds that the verse בעתה אחישנה is the Rashei Teivot of אב.

May Rav Elyashiv ZT"L be an advocate on high for all of Kelal Yisrael, Amen.