After the riots of Tarpat (5689), what was it that Maran
HaGaon R' Yeruchom, ztvk'l, said before the Musaf of Yom
Kippur of 5690? * Why did the Sollel Boneh company not
establish kindergartens? * "Torah support in our generation
is incumbent also upon `Yissochor.' "
Thoughts and comments from HaGaon R' Yosef Lis zt'l,
from the letters of R' Mordechai Weisfish shlita and
through his courtesy, part of which are quoted in "Imros
Moshe" by his son-in-law, which was published last
year.
*
Arrest Misfortune and Tragedy, Storm and Tempest . . .
On one rare occasion, HaRav Yosef Lis zt'l spoke to me
about several phrases that occur in the selichos that
we say that is called "Selichos to Arrest Children's
Epidemics." He quoted the lines, "Arrest misfortune and
tragedy, storm and tempest, teach us and instruct us in Your
pure word." It seems puzzling, he said, that one complains,
in the same breath as it were, of misfortune and tragedy,
storm, tempest — and mention `Your pure word.'
This can be compared to a sick person who complained to his
doctor about intense stomach pains — and at the same
time, that he didn't understand astronomy. It must be,
explained R' Lis, that in our case the lack of "Your purified
word" and the lack of Torah scholars who are fluent in Your
teachings are the very cause of the misfortune and tragedy
and other calamities.
He continued expounding the words in selichos, "Spare
us from anger and guide us along straight paths." This should
be understood according to what is said in Bova Kama
52: "When the shepherd gets angry at his flock, he blinds
the leader." Then the leading sheep stumbles and falls into
pits and the rest follow and fall, right after. This is how
Hashem punishes His children, by appointing ill- suited
leaders over them who cause them to stumble.
And so we plead: Spare us from anger. We beg Hashem not to
get angry at us, and not to appoint over us unworthy leaders.
Rather, we ask that He lead us in straightforward paths
through upright leaders who proceed in the right
direction.
Redeem Us from the Turmoil of Death, and Let Us Not
Backslide
R' Yosef Lis explains that on Yom Kippur of 5690, right after
the infamous riots in Chevron, HaGaon R' Yeruchom of Mir
ztvk'l said before the congregation that he heard from
HaRav Dov Eini zt'l two facts that served as good
mediators on behalf on the Jewish people for the Yom Kippur
atonement.
The first was that he, R' Dov, was one of the survivors of
that massacre. He went to Mir that year to daven on
Yom Kippur, and told how his life had been spared. One
victim, bloody and dying, had cast himself upon him, throwing
him to the ground, to make him look as if he were already
dead, so that the rioters would leave him alone.
The second fact was that when the rioters entered the
building known as Beis Slonim in Chevron where many of the
yeshiva students were hiding, no one screamed in terror. They
could, however, be heard saying the vidui.
From all this, said R' Yeruchom, "we see how truly great they
were, and how they maintained their greatness even at that
terrible time." This, he added, was all due to the credit of
their mentor, Maran the Alter of Slobodka ztvk'l.
According to this, R' Yeruchom went on to explain what we say
in Selichos, "Redeem us from the tumult of death and
let us not backslide." It is common and natural that during
such a massacre, people lose their wits and can behave in an
unseemly manner, G-d forbid. We pray that such a thing not
happen to us.
R' Yosef Lis told me an admirable conduct of his grandfather,
who was a Kotzker chossid. He was most careful never to place
a doormat outside the entrance of his home for people to wipe
the mud from their shoes. Why? Because a poor man with muddy
feet might just be coming to ask for money and, seeing the
doormat, might have second thoughts about the welcome he
could receive from people who were so meticulous (see the
gemora in Bova Basra 7 about Eliyohu Hanovi).
*
In the Shabbos prayers we say, "How wondrous are Your works,
Hashem. You performed them all with wisdom . . . G-d of the
World, in Your great mercy, have mercy upon us."
What connection is there between a request for mercy and
praise of Hashem? Why do we start out with praise and end up
with a request for mercy? R' Yeruchom of Mir explained this
according to a story that took place in Mir.
When the Russian Czar came to the city for a royal visit, the
entire populace turned out. One young man was chosen to
represent the Mirrer Yeshiva. The Czar asked that every
community representative include a request in his welcome
speech.
Rabbenu Yeruchom explained to us that this was a special
gesture to emphasize the Czar's glory by showing his ability
to grant the favors. Thus he wanted the speakers to praise
him and also to make a request.
This same combination is in evidence in the prayers.
*
He then went on to tell of the amazing cleverness of HaGaon
R' Shabsai Yogeil of Slonim zt'l. In the midst of a
certain meeting in the city, he insulted the president of the
community, who truly deserved the reproach. "You fool!" the
rov shouted at him. The chairman of the meeting pounded on
the table and demanded that the rov retract his words,
feeling that this was necessary.
Rav Shabsai rose to his feet and said, "I said that the
president in a fool, and since it is forbidden to call a man
a fool, especially a president like ours. Can one say that he
is a fool? How could it be that I said that he is a fool? I
must therefore take back my words that he is a fool . . ." He
continued in this vein, repeating that epithet at least
twenty times, each time apologizing and taking back his
words.
*
HaRav Lis once asked R' Yitzchok Zeev why the Achihud network
of kindergartens in Haifa really needed support from America.
It could be self-sustaining based on its needs and its
income. R' Mordechai Weinstein was present in the room. R'
Yitzchok Zeev turned to him and said, "You answer the
question."
The latter replied, "If it was really such a lucrative
enterprise, then the Solel Boneh construction company would
also have established kindergartens . . ."
In other words, if we must dedicate ourselves to raising
money for this, it is a clear sign that they are not self
supporting and there is a great need, else others would be
doing it in order to make money.
Maran HaGaon R' Yitzchok Zeev apparently enjoyed this reply,
for he smiled in approval.
Kollel Heads in our Times
Following is an amazing letter about Torah support in our
times.
" . . . and does it seem a small matter in these times to
carry on with Torah, avodoh, gemilus chassodim? The
truth is that those who run the kollelim are also tremendous
baalei tzedokoh in other areas as well, even more than
others. I heard HaRav Aharon Kotler declare that in these
times, when the `Zevulun's have gone off to play cards and
attend horse races, it falls to the Yissochors to arrange to
support Torah, as well. This is the reward of bnei Torah -
- they are privileged to have both portions, while it is
a punishment for the laymen in that they forfeit even their
normal share of Torah support and are left with nothing at
all."
The Zohar Hakodosh says that when Eisov's angel
injured Yaakov's thigh, he struck a blow at those who support
Torah. He could not strike a blow at Torah itself, for we
have a Divine guarantee that it will never be forgotten. But
he did succeed in striking at those who support Torah, as we
see in our times that the Torah scholars filling the botei
medrash are more common than those who support Torah.
