Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth zt"l

I've been too busy to blog this week, but I just learned of the passing of HaRav Yehoshua Neuwirth zt"l. I am heartbroken.

To many people, Rav Neuwirth is known simply for his Shemiras Shabbos k'Hilchasah, a well-designed, well-written, well-footnoted guide to the laws of Shabbos. The work's style has spawned many imitators in other areas of Jewish law, although its clarity, attention to detail, and no-nonsense approach to offering leniencies as well as stringencies has rarely been matched.

Personally, I send many medical halachah questions to authorities in Israel, who in turn consulted closely with Rav Neuwirth. He answered with care, with sensitivity, and with clear guidance. Now, I have lost someone I did not know directly, but who was the indirect source of so much for me.

נפלה עטרת ראשנו.