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20 Elul 5759 - September 1, 1999 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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The First Yahrtzeit of Rebbetzin Chaya Ruchoma Altusky, o"h

by A Member of the Family

A year ago on 27 Elul 5758, my grandmother Rebbetzin Chaya Ruchoma Altusky was niftar, thus bringing to a close a fruitful life of 93 years of Torah, chessed and tznius.

Chaya Ruchoma was born in Rutke, where her father HaRav Avrohom Moshe Gorelik zt"l served as rav. From childhood she displayed an exceptional love and dedication to Torah. There were no Jewish schools for girls in those days, so her father put up a partition in the local boys' cheder and Chaya Ruchoma, at the age of 6, sat on her own on the other side of the curtain absorbing the boys' learning. Her father also taught her the weekly explanation of the Ramban on the portion of that week.

Her love of Torah also convinced her father to send her to Bialystok as a teenager to attend a school similar to the Bais Yaakov with which we are familiar today. My grandmother stayed at the home of the rosh yeshiva, HaRav Avrohom Yoffen zt"l, the son-in-law of the Alter of Novardok. She became very attached to the Rebbetzin of Novardok from whom she received Torah knowledge befitting a Jewish girl. But my grandmother thirsted for more. When Rav Yoffen zt"l spoke to his students, she hid under the wide table which had a long tablecloth and listened to the shmuess.

The yearning for Torah knowledge continued throughout her marriage. She married HaRav Yehuda Altusky zt"l one of the outstanding talmidim of the Lomza Yeshiva and author of seforim Hagiyonei Yehudi on Torah and holidays.

Due to the danger of my grandfather's being mobilized by the Lithuanian army, my grandparents were forced to leave Lithuania (as advised by the Gaon R' Chaim of Brisk). They arrived in the U.S.A. where my grandfather served in rabbinical posts in several prominent cities in New York. He was also one of the heads of Agudas HaRabbonim in the U.S.A.

Throughout his long rabbinical career, his wife stood at his side in all matters. She also gave lectures to the women and formed a strong relationship with the wives of the kehilla. Even during this period, when she was so busy teaching others, she continued attending all Torah lectures available, even lectures in Talmud.

Her immersion in Torah was the only thing that calmed her in times of stress and trouble. She would take a sefer and feel her mood changing for the better. She also had learning partners every Shabbos and every day she learned one chapter from Tanach. Her knowledge of Torah and midroshim was extraordinary.

Her love of learning helped her raise sons to Torah in that dark period in the U.S.A. when every parent had the goal of "my son the doctor/lawyer" and not a ben Torah. She was indeed honored to raise her three sons to become true bnei Torah. The eldest son, Rabbi Zev Altusky shlita, is a prominent and veteran educator in the U.S. Her second son is the Gaon HaRav Chaim Dov Altusky shlita, the author of the well known seforim Chidushei Basra on Shas and other Torah topics and rosh mesivta of Torah Ohr. Her third son, Rav Yaakov Altusky shlita, is one of the prominent students of the Mir Yeshiva in U.S.A. who helped establish the great Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Her midda of chessed to others was exceptional. She was generous beyond imagination. She never took anything for herself, designating all her money for food and aid to the needy people. Her husband once gave her money before the holidays to buy herself a fur coat, as was customary in rabbinical circles at that time, and she immediately transferred the money to her sons who were studying in kollel. This repeated itself three times.

Her generosity was so exceptional, that she could not bring herself to take from others. As soon as she was given a gift, it found its way to another member of the family. When my grandfather made plans to go on vacation, she refused to go along and stayed home alone, explaining that she cannot imagine sitting while being served by someone else. In his later years when his health was failing she went along to help her husband and said then that it was a great sacrifice on her part.

She was also exceptional in her honoring of her parents. When her aging father became ill, she took him into her home and took care of him for many years. When her mother also became ill, she also took her into her home and cared for her. But the situation became too difficult and her health was endangered. Her son Rav Chaim Dov traveled to Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l to ask him to convince her to put her mother in a home. Rav Moshe came to her home and said that one life cannot endanger another and said she must put her mother in a home. Reluctantly she agreed, and visited her mother daily from morning until night. But after several weeks, she brought her mother back to her own home, explaining that she was not respected as befitting such a prominent rebbetzin. She also noticed that her mother was given tranquilizers to keep her quiet. She assumed the care for her mother until she died. Those years were extremely stressful due to the tremendous difficulties involved, and she was forced to resign from her teaching position.

All her actions were done in complete modesty. The walls of her home can attest to that. She hated all fanfare and ran away from honor.

As in her life, so was her petirah. She died in the U.S.A. on erev Shabbos and her body was brought to Eretz Yisroel on erev Rosh Hashanah, several hours before sunset. Due to the late hour, the levaya took place with only a small circle of family and friends present, and with only her mechutan, the gaon HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg shlita, the rosh yeshiva of Torah Ohr, giving a short hesped.

Her love and dedication to Torah and her extreme devotion to her sons' Torah continued after her petirah. Her sons were not forced to stop their Torah lectures and were able to continue to learn, as Rosh Hashanah canceled the seven days of mourning.

May these words guide us to walk in her path and learn from her deeds. She should be a melitzas yosher to all her descendants and family and all Klal Yisroel. May we live to see her again with the coming of Moshiach and techiyas hameisim.

T. N. Tz. B. H.


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