BDE: Rabbi Nesanel Hakohen Kasnett, z”l

YS Gold 

We regret to inform you of the petirah of Rabbi Nesnael Hakohen Kasnett, z”l, a longtime Boro Park resident, and an esteemed editor at Artscroll/Mesorah. He was 78 years of age, and passed away following an illness.  

The niftar became a ba’al teshuvah in his youth, and fell in love with Torah. Although he was a licensed attorney, he dedicated his entire life to Torah and Torah projects. 

As a bachur, he learned in Yeshiva Beis Hatalmud in Eretz Yisroel, and later in Novaradok in Boro Park. 

“He was an intellectual,” recalled one person who remembered Rav Nesanel from his yeshiva days. “He would follow a sugyah through from beginning to the end in a highly-systematic way. He would learn a lot of hashkafah, always ensuring that everything was concrete, everything was systematic. 

He had incredible patience for chazzarah…” recalled his yeshivamate. “I was always jealous of his patience for chazzarah.  Rav Nesanel loved Malbim, and wrote an English peirush on Malbim—in addition to his decades of writing an editing for Artscroll-Mesorah. 

For many years, the niftar was involved in arranging shiurim and lectures at Congregation Bnei Yehuda, where he was a prominent mispalel all the years. 

His love for Torah was matched by his tremendous middos, recall acquaintances.

For decades, the Kasnetts lived upstairs from his in-laws, the Melmed’s. People always observed how well they got along, always b’shalom, and always caring for them. 

A friend recalls: “I would go visit him often on Friday nights and Shabbos day to learn with him… it was never a burden, never a disturbance. He would greet me with the brightest smile, and gave me all the time in the world—despite how busy he always was. 

The niftar had been unwell in recent years, and was niftar on Monday. 

The Levaya will take place at 5:00 this afternoon at Shomrei Hadas. To watch it live click here.

Yehi zichro baruch.