He taught Torah to tens of thousands of students and was known for his pleasant demeanor. He lived in Jerusalem within the walls of the Old City and directed us on how to preserve the holiness of the Western Wall. He poured his heart out in prayer at the Wall, praying for the inhabitants of Israel, especially on erev Rosh Chodesh when the rabbi would traditionally take part in the main minyan (quorum) of Yom Kippur Katan prayers at midnight at the Western Wall Plaza. This despite it not being customary among Edot Hamizrach.
Rabbi Cohen dedicated most of his time to studying Torah and halacha (Jewish law). Along with his many rabbinic rulings on a variety of issues, Rabbi Shalom zz”l supported the opening of a new tour route and educational center in the Western Wall Tunnels and even took the tour when it was opened to the public. Afterwards, he sent a letter to the administration of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation in which he expressed his impressions of the tour. “As you presented to us, you intend to expand your activities and bring to the public’s knowledge the deep connection between the Jewish nation throughout the generations and the sacred site from which the Divine Presence has never left… During these difficult times, bequeathing Jewish heritage and tradition to the nation and youth is that much more important, and the message that we are links in the chain of generations when presenting our nation’s glorious history from the time of our forefathers to now is an important mission – to return the hearts of our brethren to our Father in Heaven.”
Rabbi Cohen referred in his rulings and many books to the concept of the holiness of the Western Wall and the necessary behaviors when being in a holy place. For example, twenty years ago, when renovations began on Wilson’s Arch and it was expanded to construct a women’s section and a room for Torah scrolls and other projects for the benefit of worshippers, he wrote in a letter signed by him and other rabbis: “As was impressed upon us, there is an essential need to expand the women’s section for the benefit of women who come to the Western Wall daily who are interested in praying in a congregation, especially during the winter days when it is not possible to pray in the outside plaza and they are forced to use the very small women’s section that currently exists… We are sure that these plans, as well as the expansion of the prayer plaza and other actions to preserve the fences of modesty and the holiness of the site, will be for the benefit of the public…”
About eight years ago, Rabbi Shalom Cohen zz”l published a letter supporting the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, regarding his struggle against those who wish to desecrate the Western Wall. The rabbi wrote as follows, “We trust him and bless him to merit holding up the religion and preserving the remnant of our Temple that should be treated with holiness and purity, and anyone who is interested can come speak to it so that everything can be done as one man with one heart for the sake of heaven.”
Rabbi Cohen zz”l also referred to the issue of strengthening the fences of holiness at the tomb marker of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mount Meron, and in a letter published by the greatest rabbis and admorim, he among them, it is written: “We have come to strengthen the hand of the respected and meritorious Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz – rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, who took upon himself the burden of preserving the holiness of these sites and is taking care of expanding, renovating, and glorifying them as they should be, while meticulously keeping halacha, and preserving the holiness of the Western Wall. And we are confident and sure that with his wisdom and pleasant demeanor, he will know and be wise and be successful in preserving the holiness of these sites with great responsibility.”
What a loss to our nation.
