יעקב משה חרל"פ

Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap (29 Shevat 5642/1882–7 Kislev 5712/1951) was rav of the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood of Yerushalayim, rosh yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav, and the foremost talmid of Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook. Born in Yerushalayim to Rav Zevulun Charlap, a dayan in the beit din of the Maharil Diskin, he learned in Etz Chaim, where Rav Shmuel Salant drew him near, and around his bar mitzvah was tested by the Maharil Diskin himself, who praised him beyond his custom. From the age of fifteen he attached himself to the mekubal Rav Yehoshua Tzvi Michel Shapira, receiving his paths of prishut and avodah; after his rebbi’s passing he brought his writings to print in Tzvi LaTzaddik and other sefarim.

On Shavuot 5664/1904, days after Rav Kook arrived in Yafo, the young Rav Charlap saw him saying Akdamut and was bound to him on the spot; Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank introduced them, and they spoke a long hour in halacha and aggadah. From then on he was Rav Kook’s closest talmid — it was Rav Kook who drew him away from the fasts and afflictions of his youth, writing him that one hour of Torah and avodah in calm and love outweighs many days of gloom. In 5680/1920 he wrote Tovim Me’orot in defense of Rav Kook’s Orot, and Rav Kook’s last words before his passing were “R’ Yaakov Moshe.”

With the founding of Shaarei Chesed in 5669/1909 he became its rav at twenty-seven, and later rav of Rechavia as well; his home was an address for the talmidei chachamim of Yerushalayim, and it was said in the city that hearing his Kriat Shema could move a man to teshuvah. He served as a ram in Etz Chaim, and when Rav Kook founded Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav in 5684/1924 he stood with him at its head; after Rav Kook’s passing he carried the yeshiva and its shiur klali until his final year, heading Yeshivat Beit Zevul as well. His sefarim include the Mei Marom series on emunah and the inner Torah and Beit Zevul on halacha and Talmud. When the State of Israel arose in 5708/1948 he taught, in speech and in writing, that the hour marked the beginning of the geulah. He never once left Eretz Yisrael; on his matzeivah it is written that from his birth he never tasted the air of chutz laAretz.

Among his talmidim were Rav Yehuda Amital, Rav Shaul Yisraeli, Rav Moshe Tzvi Neria, and Rav Avraham Zuckerman. He was niftar on 7 Kislev 5712/1951; thousands accompanied him to his resting place in the Sanhedria cemetery of Yerushalayim, and Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook succeeded him at the head of Merkaz HaRav.