Rabbi Avraham Shapira of blessed memory, who passed away yesterday, asked that his son, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, succeed him as head of the Merkaz Harav yeshiva, according to Rabbi Avraham's nephew, Rabbi Shlomo Shapira. 

Speaking to Arutz Sheva's Hebrew news service, Rabbi Shlomo said: "This is a grave loss for the nation of Israel in general and for the Merkaz Harav yeshiva specifically..."

"Four and a half years ago, on his 90th birthday, he called me to his home in order to give me part of his will, and he told me that he is appointing and bequeathing the yeshiva to his eldest son Yaakov Shapira SHLITA [may he live a  good long life -ed.]," Rabbi Shlomo said.