In the Lap of Greatness
One of the elder contemporary roshei hayeshivos, HaRav Moshe
Shmuel Shapira ztvk'l was born in Minsk, Russia, on
the nineteenth of Av, 5677 (1917). His father was the
gaon HaRav Aryeh Shapira, the dayan of
Bialystok, Poland, a son of HaRav Refoel Shapira zt'l
of Volozhin who was the author of Toras Refoel and a
grandson of the Netziv of Volozhin zt'l (who was Rav
Refoel's father-in-law) and of Rav Leibele Kovner
zt'l. Rav Aryeh Shapira was thus a great-great
grandson of Rav Chaim of Volozhin zt'l, whose
granddaughter the Netziv had married. Rav Moshe Shmuel's
mother was descended from the Oneg Yom Tov zt'l, who
had served as rov of Bialystok.
Moshe Shmuel's family were living in Minsk at the time of his
birth because the First World War was raging. His grandfather
Rav Refoel Shapira and his uncle HaRav Chaim Halevi
Soloveitchik zt'l of Brisk (who was Rav Refoel's son-
in-law) were also in Minsk at the time. Some of the foremost
gedolei Yisroel were thus present at Moshe Shmuel's
bris. His grandfather Rav Refoel was sandak and
Rav Chaim was honored with saying the brochos after
the milah.
After the war had ended, the family returned to Bialystok,
where Moshe Shmuel learned in cheder and in yeshiva
ketanoh. His parents' home was filled with the splendor
of bygone days, with the Torah traditions and noble character
traits of past generations. He absorbed these, together with
the holiness and purity with which the atmosphere was
suffused. The city's leading Torah scholars would visit Rav
Aryeh's house to engage him in Torah discussion. Rav Moshe
Shmuel recalled that a young Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky
zt'l (who later became renowned as the Steipler Gaon)
was a frequent caller. Then a bochur learning in
Bialystok's Novardok yeshiva, he would come to present his
chiddushim to the Rov.
Baranovitch and Mir
In Cheshvan 5693 (1933), Moshe Shmuel left home to learn in
the famous Ohel Torah yeshiva in Baranovitch. He studied
under HaRav Elchonon Wassermann zt'l Hy'd who
particularly befriended him. HaRav Shmuel Berenbaum, rosh
yeshivas Mir New York, recalls the different, special
attitude that Rav Elchonon displayed to the young
bochur from Bialystok, treating him as one who was
expected to become a godol beTorah and illumine the
yeshiva world and Klal Yisroel with his Torah. The
bond with Rav Elchonon did not weaken even after Moshe Shmuel
left Baranovitch — rebbe and talmid
continued corresponding.
Talmidim who learned in Baranovitch at that time
attest that Moshe Shmuel's greatness was acknowledged even
then. He was considered the foremost talmid in the
yeshiva in his abilities, in his application and in every
aspect of his conduct. While in Baranovitch he also developed
a very firm bond to HaRav Dovid Rappaport zt'l Hy'd
author of Mikdash Dovid.
In the summer of 5696 (1936) he moved to Yeshivas Mir, where
he learned for several years. As soon as he arrived he was
recognized as one of the leading students. Shortly after his
arrival the Mashgiach, Rav Yeruchom zt'l, told
him, "With you things are different than they way they are
with others — you are destined for greatness."
Although it was usual for the younger students to be assigned
both sleeping quarters and seats in the beis hamedrash
together with their peers, Reb Yeruchom surprised everyone by
seating Moshe Shmuel on the bench occupied by such senior
students as Reb Yonah Minsker zt'l Hy'd. He also
assigned Moshe Shmuel accommodations together with the
yeshiva's senior and leading bochurim, who served as
role models to the younger talmidim.
Moshe Shmuel began learning together with a fellow
Bialystoker, Rav Leib Malin zt'l. When they returned
home during bein hazmanim they continued learning
together in one of the city's botei medrash with the
same intensity and application with which they used to learn
in Mir.
Arrival in Eretz Yisroel
When he reached the age for army service Reb Moshe Shmuel
took every possible avenue in order to evade being drafted.
When every attempt failed he was left with no choice but to
flee Polish soil, little realizing that the hand of
Hashgochoh was at work to save him from the impending
cataclysm.
Arriving in Eretz Yisroel on erev Rosh Hashonoh 5698
(1937) he joined Yeshivas Lomzha in Petach Tikva where many
outstanding bnei Torah who had left Europe had
gathered. His arrival in Lomzha was a notable event, as is
evident from a letter that HaRav Yechezkel Levenstein
zt'l sent at that time. He wrote that a bochur
named Moshe Shmuel Shapira had just arrived in Eretz Yisroel
and that Klal Yisroel had high hopes from him.
Reb Moshe Shmuel had grown close to Reb Chatzkel in Mir, when
he had succeeded Reb Yeruchom as mashgiach after the
latter's petiroh. Reb Chatzkel expressed his high
opinion of his talmid Reb Moshe Shmuel on several
occasions. Once he remarked in public that anyone who wanted
to learn Torah from a great man should go to Reb Moshe
Shmuel. On another occasion he pointed Reb Moshe Shmuel out
to his companion and said, "Look at his face and you'll see
how a man looks who has a emunadik'e yiras Shomayim
(genuine fear of Heaven that is suffused with faith)."
While Reb Moshe Shmuel was learning in Lomzha, HaRav Shach
zt'l was appointed as a maggid shiur, and Reb
Moshe Shmuel and HaRav Shmuel Rozovsky zt'l were asked
to deliver weekly shiurim to the members of their
learning circle. Many alumni of Lomzha, among them HaRav
Chaim Kanievsky, HaRav Yissochor Meir and HaRav Chaim Sarna,
thus consider themselves Reb Moshe Shmuel's talmidim.
This period also saw the beginning of a lifelong friendship
between Reb Moshe Shmuel and HaRav Shach. Their love and
admiration was boundless and mutual; HaRav Shach would often
extol Reb Moshe Shmuel's greatness.
With the Gedolei Hador in Eretz Yisroel
While Reb Moshe Shmuel was in Lomzha his first cousin, HaRav
Yitzchok Zeev Soloveitchik the Brisker Rov zt'l,
settled in Yerushalayim after escaping from Europe. (Reb
Chaim's rebbetzin, the Brisker Rov's mother, was a
sister of Rav Aryeh, Reb Moshe Shmuel's father.)
Reb Moshe Shmuel henceforth became attached to the Rov's
Torah and to his approach to learning. He eventually became
known in the Torah world as one of the Rov's foremost
talmidim and transmitters of his Torah. Many of the
Brisker Rov's chiddushim on Seder Kodshim that
have become current in the yeshivos are based on the notes
that Reb Moshe took of the Rov's Torah. In addition, he also
absorbed an immense amount of the Rov's wisdom and general
approach in dealing with both individuals and with communal
affairs.
During this period he also became very close to the Chazon
Ish zt'l, whom he would consult and talk to
frequently. Whenever Reb Moshe Shmuel arrived, the Chazon
Ish's blessing to him was, "Train many talmidim!" The
Chazon Ish would also often praise "the Torah of truth" that
issued from Reb Moshe Shmuel's lips. He would say that such a
rounded combination of Torah greatness, fear of Heaven and
outstanding character traits was encountered only rarely. He
used to say that Reb Moshe Shmuel had a neshomoh
de'Atzilus (a princely soul—may also mean a soul
from the highest Heavenly reaches).
Members of the Chazon Ish's family remarked that the Chazon
Ish would stand up to honor Reb Moshe Shmuel and that he used
to accompany him out when he left. When Reb Moshe Shmuel's
rebbetzin tblct'a entered, the Chazon Ish would stand
for her as well, remarking that she was an eishes
chover [the wife of an accomplished Torah scholar, to
whom the honor accorded to her husband is also shown].
Reb Moshe Shmuel was authorized to give halachic rulings by
the elder among the roshei hayeshivos of his day, HaRav Isser
Zalman Meltzer zt'l who, despite Reb Moshe Shmuel's
youth, referred to him as being "like one of the seasoned
gedolei haTorah and choicest [products] of the
yeshivos."
The Wellsprings Burst Forth
In 5706 (1946) after his marriage to the daughter of HaRav
Aharon Weinstein zt'l, rosh yeshivas Beis Yosef in
Mezritch, Rav Moshe Shmuel spent a year learning in the
Chazon Ish's kollel. He was then called upon to
deliver a shiur in Yeshivas Kol Torah in Yerushalayim,
where he served for three years.
The Chazon Ish then called on him to join the Mashgiach HaRav
Shlomo Wolbe zt'l in establishing Yeshivas Be'er
Yaakov, which was intended to restore the crown of Torah
greatness after the decimation of the European yeshivos
during the war.
Yeshivas Be'er Yaakov was no exception to the principle that
Torah is only acquired through suffering. At first, the
yeshiva occupied several rickety huts. Learning in the
beis hamedrash was difficult and uncomfortable, and
little more than bread was available to the bochurim
for assuaging their hunger. Thanks to the dedication of those
early years, the yeshiva went on to attain spiritual
greatness and over the years conditions also improved.
Thousands of talmidim drank deeply from the
wellsprings of the Rosh Yeshiva's Torah. Many of them serve
today as rabbonim and Torah disseminators all over the Jewish
world.
When Rav Moshe Shmuel settled in the small settlement of
Be'er Yaakov, which is near Ramle, local residents asked him
to assume the mantle of rabbonus for the settlement in
addition to serving as rosh yeshiva and he accepted. After a
few years however, when the burden of the local
shailos and the town's affairs had grown, Reb Moshe
Shmuel became concerned that the yeshiva's affairs were
suffering from his preoccupation and he traveled to
Yerushalayim to consult his mentor, the Brisker Rov. Acting
on the Rov's advice he left the local rabbonus and devoted
himself fully to disseminating Torah to the bnei
hayeshiva. He appointed his friend HaRav Moshe Menachem
Jacobson zt'l, who had been serving as a maggid
shiur in the yeshiva, to take his place as rov of the
town.
The following story conveys some idea of the stature of the
talmidim of the yeshiva during those early days.
Several of the leading talmidim traveled to
Yerushalayim to discuss various Torah topics with the Brisker
Rov. After they left, the Rov remarked to members of his
family, "Reb Moshe Shmuel's talmidim kennen lernen.
(Reb Moshe Shmuel's talmidim know how to learn)."
His Torah Legacy
Rav Moshe Shmuel consulted his mentors, the Brisker Rov and
the Chazon Ish, on all the yeshiva's affairs. He was with the
Chazon Ish on his last day, on the afternoon of Friday the
14th of Cheshvan 5714 (1954), just a few hours before his
petiroh on Shabbos. Rav Moshe Shmuel went in to speak
to the Chazon Ish, but upon seeing his extreme weakness he
expressed his doubts over whether this was the right time to
visit. The Chazon Ish responded, "Some visits are tiring,
others are refreshing. Yours is of the latter sort."
They spoke together privately for approximately two hours.
The Rosh Yeshiva never divulged what they discussed in that
conversation, except for the promise that the Chazon Ish had
given him that Yeshivas Be'er Yaakov would continue until
Moshiach's arrival. The Chazon Ish's family say that that was
the last visit anyone paid to the Chazon Ish before he passed
away.
In 5723 (1963), the first volume of Rav Moshe Shmuel's
Kuntrass Habi'urim, on masechtos Gittin,
Kiddushin and Nedorim, was published, containing
shiurim that he had delivered in the yeshiva. Over the
years ten volumes appeared, containing just some of the
thousands of his chiddushim that are still in
manuscript. His seforim Kuntrass Habi'urim and
Sha'arei Shemu'os are learned throughout the yeshiva
world. All over the world, Torah disseminators and
talmidim alike discover deep and fundamental
principles in them that elucidate many difficult
sugyos. Many more of his writings, on every area of
Torah and on all parts of Torah both revealed and concealed,
remain to be published.
Around a year ago, the Rosh Yeshiva was delighted by the
publication of a new edition of Kuntrass Habi'urim. In
his joy he confided that he did not just pluck his
chiddushim from the air. They were the fruits of
tremendous toil and immense effort, that could be neither
measured nor conveyed to others. He would go virtually
without sleep for days at a time and only when the topic
began to reveal its depth and take shape did he deem it ready
for delivery in his shiur keloli and for inclusion in
one of his seforim.
On Behalf of the Klal
Rav Moshe Shmuel began his involvement in communal affairs
over fifty years ago. As a comparatively young man in his
forties he deliberated with HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin
zt'l and the other gedolei haTorah over the
affairs of Vaad Hayeshivos as a full member of its presidium.
He used to bring the questions that arose concerning communal
affairs to the Brisker Rov.
In 5728 (1968) he was invited by HaRav Yechezkel Sarna
zt'l rosh yeshivas Chevron and the Gerrer Rebbe the
Beis Yisroel zt'l to join the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah.
At first Rav Moshe Shmuel refused but after HaRav Sarna
visited him at home several times, repeating his request, he
consented.
His opinions on contemporary issues were always carefully
considered; he was seen as the repository of the traditions
of his holy ancestors of the Volozhin yeshiva and as the
transmitter of the teachings of his mentors, HaRav Elchonon
Wassermann, the Brisker Rov and other gedolim.
Despite the importance of involvement in communal affairs,
Rav Moshe Shmuel firmly believed that the one and only key to
vanquishing the yetzer hora and foiling its numerous
stratagems lies in occupying oneself with toil in Torah and
Torah dissemination. Absolutely nothing, whether it was of
minor or major importance, was able to interrupt him from his
immersion in learning or from delivering his regular
shiurim, suffused with Torah's depth and sweetness.
He saw the light of Torah as the solution to the ever-
thickening darkness pervading our times. Even a little of
Torah's illumination has the power to banish much of the
obtuseness and materialism that encroach to such an extent on
every worthy realm of our lives.
For many years he was recognized as the standard bearer of
the yeshiva world in Eretz Yisroel in particular and
throughout the world. He was seen as a guide and mentor in
how to approach learning.
One of the fundamental lessons that he transmitted to the
yeshiva world, and one whose importance he repeatedly
stressed, was the need to gain fluency in Shas through
learning large amounts of gemora with the merest
beginning of depth. This involves learning with enough depth
to ensure a proper understanding of the discussion but
without losing the momentum of fast-paced study. This method
was adopted in many botei medrash.
Many talmidei chachomim developed following the
principles that he laid down, as he received them from his
own teachers, the gedolei Torah of past
generations.
His distress and concern in recent years was deep over the
attempts by all sides of the secular political spectrum to
topple the foundations that support the yeshiva world and to
breach the walls that earlier gedolei Yisroel erected
for its protection, with their plans to limit the number of
yeshivos. As he wrote in a letter though, "They say, `lest
they multiply' and Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, `They
shall multiply!' "
A Loving Father
HaRav Shmuel Berenbaum says that while geonim in Torah
of the Rosh Yeshiva's stature could be found, if not in our
own generation then in the preceding one, such greatness of
character has not been seen for many generations. The love
and warmth that he radiated to all who approached him were an
expression of his nobility of character and the greatness of
his soul.
Whenever he heard of someone else's troubles tears would fall
from his eyes, as though it was happening to him. His
talmidim responded in turn, returning the love he bore
them. They all felt him to be their father, in the fullest
sense of the word. The love of his talmidim and their
closeness to him found expression in their great concern for
his welfare and health. In the last three-and-a-half years,
throughout his illness, his thousands of talmidim,
belonging to several generations, prayed without respite for
his recovery.
Recently, as he lay suffering and overcome by debilitating
weakness, his lips continually murmured words of Torah. When
he was hospitalized in the Asaf Harofeh Hospital near Be'er
Yaakov, he murmured divrei Torah for three hours. His
daughter said to him, "Father, what are you saying?"
He replied, "Mir halten yetzt in Bava Basra. (Right
now I'm holding in Bava Basra.)"
He leaves a distinguished family of sons and grandsons who
are accomplished Torah scholars and disseminators.
HaRav Eliashiv added in his own handwriting the appellation,
"Crowning Glory of the Roshei Hayeshivos," to Rav Moshe
Shmuel. The yeshiva world indeed saw him not merely as a rosh
yeshiva but as their leader and as the crown of their
world.
This pillar of Torah, of kindness and of fear of Heaven
departed this world on leil Shabbos kodesh, Rosh
Chodesh Iyar 5766, leaving behind a gaping void in the Torah
world.
