HTC Mourns the Passing of HaRav HaGaon Chanoch Friedman זצ״ל

With great sorrow, Hebrew Theological College mourns the passing of the illustrious Gaon, HaRav HaGaon Chanoch Friedman זצ״ל, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Beis Yechiel in Har Nof, Rav of the Kollel Beis Yechiel shul, and Av Beis Din of the Beis Din of Har Nof for dinei mamonos, and an esteemed alumnus of HTC (’62).

Rav Friedman זצ״ל was the beloved brother of HTC’s Rosh HaYeshiva Emeritus, Rabbi Avraham Friedman שליט״א, and Mrs. Debbie Greenspan.

A distinguished talmid chacham and marbitz Torah, Rav Friedman זצ״ל devoted his life to harbatzas haTorah and psak halacha. As Rosh Kollel of Beis Yechiel, he helped shape generations of bnei Torah, guiding talmidim with clarity, depth, and an unwavering commitment to the truth of Torah. As Rav of the shul and Av Beis Din for dinei mamonos, he was widely sought after for his wisdom and fairness, adjudicating matters with remarkable sensitivity and precision.

A native of Chicago and son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Friedman, a member of HTC’s Board of Directors, its Executive Committee, and a devoted supporter of Torah causes, Rav Friedman זצ״ל began his journey in Torah at Hebrew Theological College, where he laid the foundations for a life defined by extraordinary hasmadah. By the age of 16, when he left Skokie to continue his growth in Torah, he had already completed half of Shas. He later continued his learning at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood under Rav Aharon Kotler זצ״ל, where he was known as the youngest talmid in the yeshiva. Though ten years younger than Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch שליט״א, he would discuss Torah with him regularly, and later in life the two learned together for many years.

In a poignant reflection of his life’s journey, Rav Friedman זצ״ל was niftar in Chicago—the very city he left 61 years ago to continue his growth in Torah. It was here, at HTC, that his lifelong path in Torah learning first began.

Rav Friedman זצ״ל was widely recognized as an exceptional masmid, maintaining a rigorous and structured learning regimen that included Bavli, Yerushalmi, and Shishah Sidrei Mishnah. Remarkably, he completed both Shas Bavli and Shas Yerushalmi each year, marking the siyum during hakafos shniyos in his beis medrash in Har Nof. Alongside his personal learning, he delivered deep iyun shiurim to his kollel each morning, maintained a daily shiur in Shulchan Aruch, and sustained long-standing chavrusos spanning decades.

His world was entirely Torah. He would often ask those he encountered, “Where are you holding?”—a simple but telling reflection of how deeply Torah learning defined his perspective and interactions.

In addition to his teaching and leadership, Rav Friedman זצ״ל was a prolific mechaber, authoring numerous sefarim across many areas of Shas, including Taharos and Kodshim, as well as many works on the teachings of the Chofetz Chaim. In characteristic humility, many of his sefarim on the Chofetz Chaim were published without his name, reflecting a life driven not by recognition, but by a pure commitment to spreading Torah.

Despite the breadth of his accomplishments, Rav Friedman זצ״ל consistently emphasized that such growth was attainable for all. In his siyum drashos, he would often repeat the message, “גם אתם יכולים,” encouraging others to recognize their own potential. Quoting the Chofetz Chaim, he would stress that sincere commitment and unwavering resolve bring with them special siyata d’Shmaya. He reflected this in his own life, noting that even when circumstances seemed to make his learning goals impossible, he experienced clear Divine assistance enabling him to persevere.

HaGaon Rav Moshe Hirschler שליט״א, a Rosh Yeshiva at HTC, remarked that he especially loved Reb Chanoch’s Torah, a sentiment shared by many who had the privilege of learning from and interacting with him.

The entire HTC family extends its deepest tanchumin to the Friedman family. We share in their profound loss and honor the legacy of a true Torah giant whose life was a testament to diligence, humility, and unwavering dedication to Torah.

המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.

יהי זכרו ברוך.