Rabbi Rivkin was the son of Horav Moshe Dovber Rivkin zt”l, beloved Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Mesivta Torah Vodaath. A levaya was held last night at Young Israel in St. Louis and will be held this afternoon at 3:30 pm (Monday) at Torah Vodaath in Brooklyn. The niftar will be taken to Eretz Yisroel where there will be a levaya at the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim at 6:30 pm on Tuesday evening. The Kevura will be on Har Hazaysim near the kevarim his parents and late wife, Rebbetzin Pepi (Zuckerman) Rivkin a”h who passed away this past winter.
Rabbi Rivkin learned in Torah Vodaath and Bais Medrash Elyon and was a close talmid of Harav Shlomo Heiman zt”l and Harav Reuven Grozovsky zt”l. In 1949, with the encouragement of the sixth Lubavticher Rebbe, Harav Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson zt”l, Rabbi Rivkin became the Rav in the Nusach Ha’Ari shul in St. Louis, MO. He later served as Rov in the Bikur Cholim shul in Seattle, and Young Israel of Wavecrest & Bayswater, NY and also served on the Bais Din of the Rabbinical Council of America.
In 1982, he assumed the position of Chief Rabbi of St. Louis and Av Bais Din of the Vaad Ho’eir (OV) where he oversaw the Kashrus and other Halachic matters in the city. He was a renowned expert in Hilchos Gittin and other areas of Halacha. He was known for his tremendous Ahavas Yisroel and care and concern for Yidden of all backgrounds.
He is survived by a son, Rabbi Bentizon Rivkin, and a daughter Yocheved Rubin. May he be a mailitz yosher for his mishpacha, the various communities that he served, and all of Klal Yisroel.
Boruch Dayan Emmes…
